Bahía Blanca mayor vows legal fight as Argentina moves to scrap cold‑zone gas subsidy

Argentina's national Congress is considering a bill to repeal the 2021 “Zona Fría” law that grants a 30‑50 % discount on natural‑gas tariffs to cold‑region municipalities. Mayors in the southwest of Buenos Aires province, led by Bahía Blanca’s Federico Susbielles, have launched a coordinated opposition. Susbielles announced he will ask the city council to convene an extraordinary session to obtain formal authorization to file an amparo that would block the law’s implementation, stating, “Estoy dispuesto a defender judicialmente a la ciudad…”. A signature‑collection campaign has been opened to rally public support.

Other local officials, such as the mayor of Coronel Suárez, echo the criticism, warning that the repeal would erase a vital “tool that recognizes the climatic conditions of the region”. Deputy Jimena López presented a simulation showing that a household currently paying about AR$41 000 per month for gas could see the bill jump to roughly AR$81 000, potentially affecting over a million users and leading to widespread over‑indebtedness. López warned, “Más de un millón de usuarios quedarían expuestos a un sobreendeudamiento para afrontar un servicio básico como el gas natural”. The Senate is expected to debate the proposal in the coming days, while municipal leaders continue to organize petitions and legal preparations.