Javier Milei's announcement challenges Argentinian feminism

The Argentine Government announced the elimination of femicide from the Criminal Code, in defense of equality before the Law, according to its Minister of Justice.

Minister Mariano Cúneo Libarona stated that "no life is worth more than another" and accused feminism of distorting the concept of equality.

The measure would eliminate a legal provision that punished the murder of women due to gender violence with life imprisonment, in effect since 2012.

Cúneo Libarona said that "we are all equal before the Law" and criticized feminism for seeking privileges and dividing society by gender.

President Javier Milei also questioned femicide, asserting that it prioritizes the life of a woman over that of a man, which he considers unjust.

Milei highlighted his opposition to "gender ideology" and the 2030 SDGs, arguing that both promote an agenda contrary to individual freedom.

The elimination of femicide adds to the dissolution of the Ministry of Women, Gender, and Diversity, which was disbanded at the start of his term.

The Government also closed the Undersecretariat for Protection against Gender Violence and cut funds to phone line 144 for victim assistance.

Figures from 2024 show between 255 and 294 femicides, according to civil organizations, while the Government reports a 10% decrease in this kind of deaths.

Organizations like Mumalá indicate that in 2024 there was a femicide every 34 hours, with figures similar to or greater than those of previous years.

The Mercedes Pagnutti Observatory, meanwhile, recorded 294 femicides, contradicting official figures that claim an improvement in the situation.

Mumalá also reported that only 12% of the victims had previously reported their aggressor, which is the lowest figure in nine years.

Milei's decision has caused international criticism, although his followers highlight the consistency with his discourse of equality before the law.

The Government assures that the measure seeks to guarantee equity and eliminate gender biases in Argentinian criminal legislation, in line with its libertarian vision.

This decision reinforces the approach of Milei, who prioritizes the elimination of structures that, according to him, privilege certain groups over others.