Waste vs. investment: the contrast between Kicillof's tour and Milei's trips

Axel Kicillof returned from his tour of Spain with a result that is difficult to justify: an entourage of at least 11 officials financed with public funds, expenses that the Province does not cover, a minister who operated on an emergency basis in Barcelona and not a single concrete investment for Buenos Aires.

Far from strengthening his projection, the trip ended in a political role that clashes directly with his presidential ambitions: the governor was excluded from the official photo of the summit of left-wing leaders, leaving him relegated even to the space where he went to seek support.

The waste of Kicillof in Spain

Kicillof's tour of Spain was marked by the discretionary use of public funds in the midst of a province hit by insecurity, the health crisis and the deterioration of basic services. The governor traveled with a large entourage made up of officials and leaders of his space, but so far there is no precise official information about how much the trip cost, who paid for each leg, how much was spent on tickets, accommodation, travel and logistics, or what specific return the

province obtained.

Added to this lack of transparency was an additional fact that also generated new expenses: the Buenos Aires government minister, Carlos Bianco, had to undergo emergency surgery in Barcelona for appendicitis, which involved hospitalization, medical care and the delay of his return. Nor on that point did the Kicillof administration report how much the care cost or whether those expenses were covered by public funds, insurance or some other mechanism. As has been the case with the entire tour, the information remains hidden

.

The political balance of the trip was also poor. Kicillof was excluded from the official photo of the progressive summit in Barcelona, despite having traveled specially to show himself as part of that space. As an extra, during his meeting with Gustavo Petro, the Colombian president treated him as “mayor of Buenos Aires”, an episode that exposed the governor's scant international weight even within the left itself

.

The contrast with Milei's trips

While Kicillof returned without announcements for the province, the Argentina Week held in New York left many tangible results for the country: commitments and investments of USD 16.15 billion.

The meeting brought together national government officials, businessmen and international investment funds interested in the new Argentine economic direction, with the support of institutions such as JPMorgan and Bank of America

.

Among the most important announcements were the USD 3.4 billion from Mercado Libre, the USD 4.5 billion from Pampa Energía, the USD 3 billion from TGS and the USD 5.25 billion from First Quantum's Taca Taca project. In addition, large global companies participated and the event far exceeded the expectations of the call, consolidating Milei and his economic team as central figures in the business and financial world

.

On the side of Kirchnerism, we found a high-cost political trip, with no visible results, with expenses that are not transparent and an oversized entourage. On the side of the national Government, there is a strategy aimed at attracting capital, building trust and translating international presence into concrete investments for the country.

While Kicillof used his tour to question Argentina's economic direction from abroad and with the failed objective of projecting himself as a presidential figure, the governor's visit to Spain left uncomfortable photos, lack of transparency and no tangible benefit for the people of Buenos Aires.