Government drops controversial chapter to secure Senate session

The Argentine government removed the chapter from its private property inviolability bill known as the Land Law reform dealing with the sale of rural land to foreign investors. The decision followed a meeting with lawmakers aligned with La Libertad Avanza (LLA) Senator Patricia Bullrich in an effort to ensure that Thursday’s Senate session could move forward. Bullrich urgently convened pro-government legislators at Congress, where they agreed to scrap the controversial Chapter 3 of the Land Law reform to allow the rest of the bill to move forward for debate in the chamber. The meeting took place as LLA continued refining its legislative strategy ahead of what the Casa Rosada considers a pivotal Senate session. The ruling party is seeking to secure enough votes to advance a measure that forms part of President Javier Milei’s broader reform agenda. Although no details of the meeting were disclosed, it fueled speculation about last-minute negotiations aimed at securing support and coordinating the ruling bloc’s position before debate begins. The reform originally proposed eliminating limits on foreign ownership of land before being amended to raise the cap on foreign ownership from 15% to 25%. Even in its amended form, however, it continues to face resistance, including from sectors that have generally backed the government. Setbacks The government encountered another setback in its effort to pass the land bill after governors generally viewed as allies began to distance themselves from the proposal. Neuqun Governor Rolando Figueroa and Tucumn Governor Osvaldo Jaldo both expressed reservations about the bill and cast doubt on whether their senators would support it. With the outlook still uncertain, the Casa Rosada intensified last-minute negotiations to secure a quorum and gather the votes needed for approval. Separately, Vice President Victoria Villarruel authorized Peronist Senator Anabel Fernndez Sagasti to participate remotely in Thursday’s Senate session, during which lawmakers will debate the bill. The Mendoza senator had requested this permission because medical advice related to her 32-week pregnancy prevented her from traveling. The authorization was granted on a vote of the full Senate at the opening of the session. The decision altered the government’s already delicate legislative arithmetic as it negotiates vote by vote to secure passage of the reform. Originally published in Ambito