Argentina sees surge in alimony debtors and calls for registry reform

In Tierra del Fuego province, the Register of Alimony Debtors now lists 112 individuals, a marked increase since the pandemic. Lawyer Enzo Silva Zajaczkowski linked the rise to the regional economic and labor crisis, noting that many cite unemployment as a reason for non‑payment. He explained that registration carries sanctions such as loss of eligibility for public office, credit facilities and state contracts.

In Chaco province, lawyer Claudia Denaro urged a change to the law so that a debtor is entered into the register after the first missed payment, rather than after three or five defaults. She also called for automatic notification of the register to relevant agencies and for integration with a federal network of debtor registries. Denaro highlighted UNICEF data indicating that three out of five children in the Northeast Argentine region do not receive their alimony payments.