Maduro calls Milei’s decree ‘insane’ and a ‘disaster’

President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, deemed the economic decree of his counterpart, ultra-liberal Javier Milei, ‘insane’ and a ‘disaster’ on Wednesday. 

“Just look at the disaster in Argentina. Did you realise? It’s insane! A dictatorial decree from the neo-Nazi ultra-right President of Argentina eliminating all the rights of the people, ending the economic sovereignty of Argentina”, he said in a rally broadcast by the state channel. 

Maduro pointed out that the new Argentine President is turning his country “into an economic colony” after criticising the decree de-regulating the economy. 

The Venezuelan chief executive has been criticising Milei since he was elected President of Argentina last November. He has repeated that his colleague “comes from extremist sectors in the United States” and that he is “imposing” himself on the people. 

“Milei is a construct, an elaboration of Zionism and Trumpism to test a colonisation project in such an important country, as big as our sister Argentina”, he said.

Milei introduced a package of laws to Congress on Wednesday, after the decree he approved last week to reform or repeal over 300 regulations.

The initiative will come into effect on Friday in the context of a strong fiscal adjustment which has already involved a devaluation of the peso by over 50 percent. Milei has also announced he will not renew the contracts of 7,000 civil servants.

The measures have led to demonstrations against him, so far with six arrested.