In response to the recent decision of the Argentine Congress to grant senators a 12.5% salary increase, Vice President Victoria Villarruel has distanced herself from the controversy surrounding the hike. The measure was met with criticism from the political party La Libertad Avanza (LLA) and the head of the official bloc, Patricia Bullrich, who opposed the increase. Despite being the vice president, Villarruel emphasized that salary decisions are made by the senators themselves and not by her, thus trying to deflect the backlash directed at her role.

Villarruel's comments were aimed at addressing what she described as 'malicious operators' who may have been manipulating public perception regarding her involvement in the salary adjustments. She made it clear that as vice president, she does not have a say in senators' salaries or their number of advisors and their remuneration. Instead, she mentioned that the increases are determined through collective bargaining agreements and suggested that the focus should be on the process rather than on her involvement.

The political fallout from this pay increase may have broader implications for public perception of legislators and their compensation at a time when many citizens are concerned about economic challenges. The pushback from LLA and Bullrich indicates a rift among political factions regarding how compensation mechanisms in government should be justified, which may influence future discussions on parliamentary reforms in Argentina.