Argentine governors discuss provincial responsibility for national infrastructure

During the 'Democracy and Development' cycle at the MALBA, several Argentine provincial governors discussed the challenges of infrastructure and fiscal autonomy. Mendoza Governor Alfredo Cornejo, alongside governors from Chubut, Corrientes, Neuquén, and Salta, addressed the shift in national policy regarding public works.

Cornejo highlighted that provinces are increasingly assuming responsibility for maintaining and executing works on national roads using their own resources. He noted that Mendoza has six national routes and has entered agreements to manage federal corridors with provincial funds. He described the difficulty of securing funds from the national government, stating, “It is very hard to take a peso from the Nation.”

Cornejo also defended the role of allied governors in supporting President Javier Milei’s economic reforms, arguing that their contribution provides institutional stability and predictability for international investors. He remarked that the relationship is not merely transactional, suggesting that the national government currently has “more taking than giving” in terms of the support provided by provincial leaders.