Argentine President Javier Milei on Thursday announced a ban on foreigners who show “hate” towards Argentina. He claims the country is facing a harmful campaign.
Experts are questioning if this emergency decree is legal. While it is already in effect, it needs approval from parliament to stay as law.
The decree stops or removes foreigners seen as having “spread or incited hate messages” against Argentina or its people.
Milei stated that this action responds to “recent displays of hostility against the Argentine republic and Argentines.”
The ultraliberal leader seems to refer to the public's reaction to Argentina’s recent loss to Spain in the World Cup final.
This decree follows Milei's comments on Sunday. He said that leftist governments in the Americas are leading an “anti-Argentine campaign.”
He emphasized that the measure does not affect constitutionally protected rights to express political, academic, or ideological views.
The move sparked immediate backlash from opposition parties.
Leonel Chiarella, leader of the centrist Radical Civic Union party, stated on X that “the president’s decree is unconstitutional.” He added that Argentina’s Congress “should expressly reject it.”
Opposition lawmaker Agustin Rossi remarked on X that the decree “mimics the anti-immigration logic of (US President Donald) Trump.”
A legislative committee will look into the urgency of the measure. It will then be reviewed by both deputies and senators and will be canceled if both chambers reject it.
Lucia Galoppo, an expert in international law at the Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS), noted that the measure “leaves too many grey areas.”
She said, “It does not specify what constitutes hate speech, how it will be defined, on what criteria, or how those who produce such speech will be identified.”
This decree also goes against Argentina's long history of immigration. The country has one of the world’s most lenient immigration laws, according to sociologist Ivan Schuliaquer.
“Argentine history is very rich in the sense of being a country that has historically received immigrants from everywhere,” he told AFP.
“We are not anti-immigrant,” said Schuliaquer, who believes Milei “is taking advantage of a climate in society to capitalize on something that, generally speaking, has not been part of his political project.”
The president seems upset over Argentina’s World Cup loss and the events after the match.
On Sunday, he criticized Brazil, Mexico, and the US Democratic Party for what he called an “anti-Argentine campaign.” This was likely a response to the criticism of the national team’s performance in the last match.
FIFA, the global football body, is investigating the actions of some Argentine players during the loss. This includes claims of assault and unsporting behavior.
FIFA will also look into an incident after Argentina’s 2-1 semi-final win against England, where players held a banner saying: “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (The Falklands are Argentine).
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