The Collapse of Argentine Science Under Javier Milei: One Year of Unprecedented Defunding
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.3145/infonomy.25.007Palabras clave:
Argentine, Scientific system, Scientific policy, Javier Milei, Public science ecosystem, Government, Public Administration, Scientific support, Budget cuts, Long lasting effectsResumen
This article critically examines the systematic erosion of Argentina's public science ecosystem during the first year of President Javier Milei's administration, highlighting the broader implications for the nation’s socio-economic and geopolitical landscape. Drawing on prior forecasts of a decline in scientific support, I assess the immediate and long-term ramifications of the government's decision to defund key scientific institutions and initiatives. By reviewing recent reports and government actions, I argue that Milei's policies —characterized by devastating budget cuts exceeding 32% of R&D public investment, large-scale layoffs of researchers, and the suspension of critical projects— jeopardize Argentina’s status as a scientific leader in Latin America. These measures threaten to dismantle decades of progress in Argentina’s scientific community, undermining its capacity to drive innovation, address pressing national challenges, and maintain global research collaborations. Public science has long served as a pillar for technological development and social well-being, playing an irreplaceable role in confronting issues such as public health, agriculture, and climate change. In this context, I argue that Milei's approach not only weakens Argentina’s scientific foundations but also jeopardizes its capacity for sustainable, autonomous growth. Unless immediate policy reversals are enacted, these actions will exacerbate existing social inequalities, accelerate the exodus of intellectual talent, and inflict long-lasting damage on Argentina’s capacity for self-determined development, ultimately isolating the country from vital global scientific networks.Citas
Associated Press Ed. (2024). Public university protests escalate in challenge to Argentina's President Milei. AP News. https://apnews.com/article/argentina-university-protest-president-mieli-rightwing-austerity-9e8c6f1eee0cd7f48ea69b7576ec99e7
Barberia, L. G.; Geffner, J. (2024). The health risks of extreme neoliberal politics in Argentina. Nature medicine, 30(5), 1229-1230. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41591-024-00019-z
Buenos Aires Times (2024). Nobel laureates warn Milei’s budget cuts are cancelling scientific research. Buenos Aires Times. https://batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/nobel-laureates-warn-mileis-budget-cuts-are-cancelling-scientific-research.phtml
Buenos Aires Times (2025). Scientists Warn Milei Wants to 'Deepen' Cuts, Slash State Research. Buenos Aires Times. https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/scientists-warn-milei-wants-to-deepen-cuts-slash-state-research.phtml
Capasso, S.; Capasso, V. (2024). Argentina’s unsustainable policies. Science, 386(6723), 735-736. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.adr8529
Cholakian, D. (2024). Destroying Dreams by Dismantling the Public University. https://nacla.org/destroying-dreams-dismantling-public-university
Clarín Redacción (2024). El Gobierno anunció un plan para “modernizar” el INTA: más de 200 despidos y venta de edificios y tierras. https://www.clarin.com/rural/gobierno-anuncio-plan-modernizar-inta-200-despidos-venta-edificios-tierras_0_7ikxUqUlC7.html
CONICET Ed (2020). Hace 50 años, Luis Federico Leloir recibía el Nobel de Química. CONICET. https://www.conicet.gov.ar/hace-50-anos-luis-federico-leloir-recibia-el-nobel-de-quimica/
Debat, H. (2023a). On the value of publicly funded Science in Argentina. SciELO Preprints. https://doi.org/10.1590/SciELOPreprints.7368
Debat, H. (2023b). Argentina: publicly funded science under threat. Nature, 621(7978), 258. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-023-02862-5
De Ambrosio, M.; Koop, F. (2024a). ‘There will be nothing left’: researchers fear collapse of science in Argentina. Nature, 636(8043), 528-529. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-03994-y
De Ambrosio, M.; Koop, F. (2024b). ‘Despair’: Argentinian researchers protest as president begins dismantling science. Nature, 627(8004), 471-472. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-00628-1
De Ambrosio, M.; Koop, F. (2024c). Argentina's pioneering nuclear research threatened by huge budget cuts. Nature, 629, 512-513. https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-024-01283-2
EPC-CIICTI (2025). Análisis Presupuestario del SNCTI – Diciembre 2024. https://grupo-epc.com/informes/analisis-presupuestario-del-sncti-diciembre-2024
Gentil, A. (2025). Milei’s chainsaw slashes funds for Argentina's science and research institutes. Buenos Aires Herald. https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/mileis-chainsaw-slashes-funds-for-argentinas-science-and-research-institutes.phtml
Horton, R. (2025). Offline: Argentina — demanding remembrance. The Lancet, 405(10473), 108. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(25)00012-1
Jaureguy, M. (2024). Was 2024 a lost year for Argentine research? Buenos Aires Herald. https://buenosairesherald.com/society/was-2024-a-lost-year-for-argentine-research
Molina, F. R.; Centenera, M.; Lorca, J. (2024). Milei is taking a chainsaw to the Argentine state. El País. https://english.elpais.com/international/2024-10-20/milei-is-taking-a-chainsaw-to-the-argentine-state.html
National Academies of Sciences, Medicine, Global Affairs, Board on Research Data, Information, & Committee on Toward an Open Science Enterprise (2018). Open science by design: Realizing a vision for 21st century research. National Academies Press. ISBN: 978 0 309476270
Nori, J.; Valenzuela, A. E.; Camino, M.; Abraham, E.; Agostini, G.; Aizen, M. A., ... (2024). Argentina's rejection of 2030 agenda undermines environmental sustainability and human well-being. Biological Conservation, 299, 110832. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110832
Orfila, M. A. (2024). ‘Scienticide’: Argentina's Science Workforce Shrinks as Government Pursues Austerity. Science. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.zjcq1nt
Pérez, D. R. (2024). A devastating blow: personal reflections on Argentina’s scientific decline. Journal of Virology, 98(5), e00549-24. https://doi.org/10.1128/jvi.00549-24
Pinto, L. (2024). Argentine scientists scrimp and save their way through funding crisis. Science, July 26. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.zyxqk4g
Rabinovich, G. A.; Geffner, J. (2021). Facing up to the COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina. Nature Immunology, 22(3), 264-265. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41590-021-00873-w
REDIGET-AMBA (2024). La política (a)científica del presidente de Argentina. Journal of Latin American Geography, 23(2), 6-10. https://dx.doi.org/10.1353/lag.2024.a939016
Reingold, J. (2024). Argentinian scientists condemn budget cuts ahead of university protest. Climate Home News. https://www.climatechangenews.com/2024/04/22/argentinian-scientists-condemn-budget-cuts-ahead-of-university-protests
Reuters Ed. (2024a). Argentina lawmakers fail to overturn Milei veto of university funding. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/milei-faces-test-argentinas-congress-votes-university-funding-2024-10-09
Reuters Ed (2024b). Nobel laureates sound alarm as Argentina cuts science funding. Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/science/nobel-laureates-sound-alarm-argentina-cuts-science-funding-2024-03-06
Reuters Ed (2024c). Argentina budget cuts spark student protests. https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentina-budget-cuts-spark-protests-universities-2024-10-02
SCImago Journal and Country Rank (2025). https://www.scimagojr.com/countryrank.php?region=Latin%20America
Sheridan, C. (2021). Argentina first to market with drought-resistant GM wheat. Nature Biotechnology, 39(1), 652. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41587-021-00963-y
Sívori, M. (2024). The dramatic funding cuts for scientific research will generate an unprecedent impoverishment of the Argentine future. Medicina, 84(2), 378-380. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38683532
Trager, R. (2024). Argentina’s researchers face continued catastrophe under Javier Milei. Chemistry World. https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/argentinas-researchers-face-continued-catastrophe-under-javier-milei/4020343.article
Vessuri, H. (2024). Milei charges against Argentine science. Tapuya: Latin American Science, Technology and Society, 7(1), 2334185. https://doi.org/10.1080/25729861.2024.2334185
Viola, T. (2024). Scientists fear underfunded Argentina research on verge of collapse. Science X. https://phys.org/news/2024-10-scientists-underfunded-argentina-verge-collapse.html
Wessel, L. (2019). Austerity cuts threaten future of science in Argentina. Science, 364(6439), 419. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.364.6439.419
Wynn, K.; Liu, M.; Cohen, J. (2022). Quantifying the economy‐wide returns to innovation for Australia. Australian Economic Papers, 61(3), 591-614. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-8454.12262
Descargas
Publicado
Cómo citar
Descargas
Dimensions
Número
Sección
Licencia
Derechos de autor 2025 Humberto Debat

Esta obra está bajo una licencia internacional Creative Commons Atribución 4.0.