Milei crossed paths with pautero journalism: “Argentina is over with first-class citizens and second-class citizens”

President Javier Milei published a strong message in X against sectors of Argentine journalism that, he said, tend to accuse censorship every time they receive public criticism. In an extensive text entitled “On Journalists”, the president defended the freedom of expression in force in Argentina and pointed against media that are supported by the official guidelines of provincial governments

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Milei argued that “never in Argentine history has there been so much freedom of expression as today” and questioned the idea that this right implies being able to say anything without consequences. For the President, freedom requires responsibility and those who practice journalism must take charge of their words like any citizen

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The presidential approach comes in the midst of an increasingly tense relationship between the Government and a part of the traditional press, especially those that maintain an openly hostile editorial line against the libertarian administration. Milei once again made a central difference: criticizing a journalist is not the same as censoring him. Freedom of expression, in an adult society, does not make anyone untouchable

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In this regard, the President pointed out what he defined as an “ivory tower” from which certain journalists would have operated for years with privileges, without facing consequences for falsehoods, operations or insults. “The Argentina of privileges has ended,” he said, noting that he came to the Presidency without owing anything to anyone, except to fulfill the mandate of change he received at

the polls.

One of the toughest points of the message was aimed at state funding of the media. Milei remarked that the national government eliminated the official pattern, but warned that many media continue to depend on the guidelines of subnational governments. As he explained, this distorts the functioning of the market, because it prevents society from punishing those who publish falsehoods or respond to political interests with their consumption

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“Privileges and guidelines. That is the real demand of some journalists,” the president wrote. In addition, he warned that as long as his Government continues to lead the country, these sectors will not obtain “neither privileges nor guidelines” from the national

administration.

Milei also anticipated that she will respond to every lie, operation and insult published against her Government. The phrase marks a clear position: the President is not willing to accept that the militant press uses the discourse of freedom of expression as a shield for unlimited operations

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The closing of the message was in line with his usual discourse: equality before the law, the end of privileges and individual responsibility. “Argentina is over with first-class citizens and second-class citizens,” Milei said, before closing with his traditional slogan: “Long live

freedom damn it.”