The national official questioned the high incomes of university authorities, contrasting them with the demands for increased funding. "He earns six times more than I do and than any minister in the Executive Branch, as we have received the same salary since we took office. But apparently, we are the ones who lack empathy...", Caputo stated.
Yacobitti replied "What he says is false. Because of the position he holds, he has all the information to find out. Now I not only confirm that he lacks empathy but also that he is a bad person". Meanwhile, he attached an image of an alleged pay stub, but it is clear that he failed to cover the reason for the pay stub, which clarified "full professor", thus dismissing the pay stub and seriously questioning the vice-rector's credibility.
14 rectores perciben sueldos brutos mensuales de entre 8 y 18 millones de pesos.
Caputo intensified his criticism on social media: "Until people like you are gone, this country will never change. People should know that. Because the country that people want to build in the next 20 years depends on their vote. The country these people propose is one we already know. It is the one all Argentinians inherited in December 2023. There is only one thing worse than that: its continuation".
The exchange between the minister and the university official took place in a context in which the Government released official data on the salaries of national university rectors. According to the information presented by the Undersecretary of University Policies, Alejandro Álvarez, 14 rectors receive gross monthly salaries ranging from 8 to 18 million pesos (17,637 to 39,683 USD), while another 33 are between 5 and 8 million (11,023 to 17,637 USD). Only about ten rectors are below 5 million (11,023 USD).
This scenario exposes a central contradiction in the universities' demands. While they demand budget increases, the highest authorities in the sector maintain incomes that far exceed those of the President of the Nation and his cabinet. Milei, since December 2023, has kept his salary frozen, as well as that of the entire executive branch, which amounts to around 4 million pesos (8,818 USD) gross, a figure considerably lower than that of most rectors.
The contrast highlights the lack of proportionality in the management of university system resources. For the Government, the debate is not limited to the budget discussion, but also to transparency in fund management and the need for universities to support the austerity policy promoted by the Casa Rosada. In this regard, Caputo emphasized that the continuation of salary privileges such as those of academic authorities is incompatible with the goal of consolidating a more efficient and sustainable State.
