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Original article: Milei deja sin respaldo estatal pasajes gratuitos para personas con discapacidad y niños con cáncer

The administration of Argentine President Javier Milei has eliminated state support for long-distance free transportation passes for people with disabilities, transplant recipients, patients on waiting lists, and children with cancer.

Through Resolution 28/2026 from the Ministry of Transport, the so-called «libertarian» administration repealed the compensation scheme that the state funded for bus companies since 2018 to cover the costs of these tickets, which are mandated by law. Citing “regulatory simplification,” the far-right leader shifted the entire financial burden to private operators.

This measure is backed by Decree 883/2024, which deregulated interjurisdictional motor transport and established “tariff freedom” allowing companies to set prices and routes without state intervention.

According to Milei’s argument, this deregulation has “overcome” the structural reasons justifying the subsidy. Although the legislation states that the right to free transportation “remains fully valid and enforceable” against the companies, the situation at bus terminals is different: the business sector, strained by the lack of state payments, has already begun to limit availability and impose obstacles to the issuance of these passes, reported El Destape.

Under Milei’s Leadership, Minimum Bus Ticket Prices Have Fueled Massive Increases

This controversial action did not emerge overnight; since the “libertarian” took office in December 2023, the minimum bus fare has surged up to sixteen times, with increases soaring to 1545% in some areas.

While transport fares skyrocketed beyond any price index, the Minimum Wage, Vital and Mobile has lost 43% of its real purchasing power.

As a result, low-income households currently devote 17.3% of their earnings just to transportation, up from only 2.6% at the end of 2023. In this context, removing compensation for free tickets means thousands of families are left without a real option for medical treatment or essential errands, as reported by El Destape.

However, the most alarming aspect is that the resolution ignores a recent judicial precedent. In November 2024, in response to several companies’ refusal to issue free tickets citing deregulation, the Federal Court No. 11 issued a clear ruling: it ordered the maintenance of free transportation and explicitly demanded that the state continue to pay financial compensation to transport operators.

The courts were explicit in stating that the Executive Branch must find mechanisms to comply with current regulations. Nevertheless, the libertarian administration decided to proceed regardless, marking yet another display of disregard for vulnerable sectors.

According to the far-right leader’s rationale, private operators will need to “internalize their legal obligations within their cost structure.” This approach places Milei’s administration in a position where state responsibilities are shifted to the private sector amidst an economic crisis. The predictable outcome is that companies, without state backing, will reduce availability and impose barriers for disabled individuals, children with cancer, and families needing transportation.

La entrada Milei Withdraws State Support for Free Transportation Passes for Disabled Individuals and Cancer-Stricken Children se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.