Ricardo Quintela and Javier Milei exchange sharp criticisms

La Rioja Governor Ricardo Quintela and Argentine President Javier Milei have engaged in a heated political confrontation. The dispute escalated following Milei’s remarks during the inauguration of Río Tinto lithium plants in Catamarca, where the President criticized Quintela for his opposition to the Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI).

Quintela responded via social media, accusing the President of using aggressive rhetoric to mask an economic model that causes recession and provincial underfunding. He defended his rejection of RIGI, stating that La Rioja is advancing more than 20 local projects without the regime and accusing the administration of attempting to hand over natural resources without providing concrete benefits or development to the provinces.

In addition to the economic dispute, Quintela criticized the President’s communication style as improper and noted a lack of diplomatic courtesy regarding the recent election of Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Senator Gerardo Zamora also voiced support for Quintela, characterizing the President’s stance as a persistent aggression against federalism.