Resignation and Immediate Context
Alejandro Vilches stepped down as Argentina's National Disability Secretary on Monday, formalizing his resignation through a letter addressed to Health Minister Mario Lugones. In the letter, Vilches stated that his decision took effect immediately and was driven by strictly personal reasons. He had assumed the role in January 2026 via Decree 83/2026, following the removal of Diego Spagnuolo amid a scandal involving alleged kickbacks between service providers and officials. The government is now tasked with naming a replacement.[S1][S2][S3][S5]
Vilches, a physician with specialized training in health system administration, previously served as interventor of the National Disability Agency (ANDIS) starting in August 2025 and later as Secretary of Health Management. His resignation occurred less than three weeks after he appeared before the Disability Commission of the Chamber of Deputies to discuss the normalization of the agency and measures taken during his tenure. The timing has drawn attention given the ongoing debate over disability provisions in the 2027 Budget.[S2][S3][S4][S6]
Budget 2027 Disability Provisions
The 2027 Budget project, submitted to Congress last week, introduces significant modifications to disability legislation. It proposes reverting to an invalidity pension scheme equivalent to 70% of the minimum retirement benefit, with no compatibility for beneficiaries who hold formal employment. The text also eliminates the universal nomenclator values, allowing social works and prepaid health entities to set their own payment rates to providers. Additionally, it removes the automatic update mechanism for tariffs, leaving adjustments to quarterly reviews or the Consumer Price Index (IPC) reported by INDEC.[S1][S4][S5]
Further changes include the repeal of guaranteed access to a medical program for holders of non-contributory disability pensions and the establishment of equitable tariffs for all entities under the basic benefits system. These provisions have sparked opposition from allied blocs and within the ruling coalition itself. The government has signaled a willingness to revise the budget provisions and is working on a new law to replace the current disability emergency, which remains in effect until 2027.[S1][S2][S4][S6]
Internal Reactions and Political Fallout
Senator Patricia Bullrich, head of the La Libertad Avanza bloc in the Senate, publicly criticized the disability changes, stating she was not informed during political table discussions. She described the budget's introduction of these modifications as surprising and warned that such decisions strain relations with parliamentary allies. Bullrich's remarks highlighted contradictions between the Casa Rosada and the libertarian bloc, as deputies claim to be working on a superior initiative while the government pushes contrary budget adjustments.[S1][S3][S4][S5]
The controversy has also drawn questions from opposition sectors and dialogue-oriented legislators, who object to the incompatibility of pensions with registered employment, changes to the nomenclator, and the replacement of update mechanisms. The government has admitted the possibility of reviewing the budget forecasts for disability. Meanwhile, the opposition seeks to extend the current disability emergency, and the official bloc in Deputies is drafting a replacement law. Vilches has not linked his resignation to the budget modifications, reiterating personal motives.[S3][S4][S6]
