Argentina Allows Military to Take Second Jobs Amid Wage Crisis

Argentina has officially authorized active military personnel – including soldiers, non‑commissioned officers, and officers – to legally hold private‑sector jobs alongside their military duties, against the backdrop of a deepening wage crisis within the Armed Forces and the broader state sector under right-wing President Javier Milei.

The permitted activities range from work on transportation and delivery platforms (such as Uber or Rappi) to private security services and other roles deemed compatible with military functions.

Behind the government’s framing of the measure as an “expansion of freedoms” lies a stark economic reality: since Milei took office, military salaries have lost more than 80% of their value relative to inflation, leaving real wages 25% lower than in December 2023.

The decision follows years of mounting warnings about the exodus of qualified personnel from the armed forces. Officers, sub‑officers, and specialized professionals are increasingly abandoning military careers as their incomes lag far behind private‑sector offers.

This measure also comes on the heels of repeated budget cuts within the Defense Ministry. In recent months, military associations have denounced shrinking purchasing power, and last February, the Armed Forces and Security Social Works Institute (Iosfa) was dissolved after accumulating millions in debt, causing widespread coverage interruptions and treatment delays.

Broader economic pressures are evident nationwide. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 7.8 percent in May alone. According to Buenos Aires city’s Institute of Statistics and Censuses (IDECBA), inflation in the capital was 2.1 percent for May, accumulating a 14 percent rise so far this year.

The agency attributed the increase primarily to food, housing, utilities, health, and education – which together accounted for 64.9% of the general price hike. Meanwhile, child poverty affects 42.3% of minors in Argentina, with more than five million children and adolescents living in poor households, over one million of them in destitute homes.

Author: Victor Miranda
Tiempo Argentino