The management of Javier Milei, amid budget cuts and massive layoffs, is being criticized for his alleged responsibility in the environmental crisis in the south. Along with ministers Patricia Bullrich and Luis Caputo, Milei faces a criminal complaint for the wildfires that have been devastating Patagonia for over a month. A protester in El Bolsón expressed the need for prompt government intervention to prevent further damage in one of the most affected areas.
The complaint not only highlights the severity of the environmental crisis but also the consequences of austerity policies and the dismantling of the state. Officials are accused of violating the Fire Management Law and failing to fulfill their duties, in a context where thousands of hectares of forests and residential areas have been devastated, resulting in one tragic death and hundreds displaced.
According to the complaint, cuts in infrastructure, budget, and key personnel have exacerbated the crisis, turning what could have been a controllable emergency into an unprecedented catastrophe. The accusing lawyer criticizes Milei, Bullrich, and Caputo for abuse of authority and for violating the Fire Management Law, enacted in 2012.
The lack of investment in the Federal Fire Management System, the reduction of funds in key environmental areas, and the shortage of human and material resources have been pointed out as factors that have left the country in a situation of extreme vulnerability. Meanwhile, the government attempts to shift attention to alleged external culprits while the crisis continues to consume thousands of hectares.
Neighbors from the affected areas have called for mobilizations to demand answers and resources as the crisis intensifies and calls for justice multiply. Milei's management has been harshly criticized for prioritizing a confrontational discourse rather than taking effective measures to combat the ongoing environmental crisis.
