Argentine science at risk as radical right-winger wins presidency

In 바카라사이트 wake of his shock election victory this month, a video of new Argentinian president Javier Milei tearing 바카라사이트 names of government departments off a whiteboard went viral on TikTok.

It shows 바카라사이트 right-winger ¨C sporting?a distinctive pair of huge sideburns ¨C shouting ¡°afuera¡± (get out) to?10 of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s 18 ministries. The tally included 바카라사이트 Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation?¨C which, he tells 바카라사이트 camera, belongs in 바카라사이트 private sector ¨C plus 바카라사이트 Ministry of Education ¡°and indoctrination¡±, as Mr Milei quips.

The rapid rise of 바카라사이트 chaotic, chainsaw-wielding libertarian politician in a country racked by economic uncertainty has stunned Argentina¡¯s research community, with many fearing Mr Milei¡¯s plans to dramatically slash public spending will decimate its universities and scientific infrastructure.

On 바카라사이트 campaign trail he promised not only to close 바카라사이트 science ministry, but also to shut or privatise 바카라사이트 National Scientific and Technical Research Council (Conicet), one of Latin America¡¯s most important science funders, and cut state funding for research and education to its bare bones.

¡°What he is proposing is very close to a dismantlement of 바카라사이트 whole system, and it will be very hard to recover if that happens¡±, said Diego Golombek, a biology professor at 바카라사이트 National University of Quilmes and a researcher at Conicet, who said he was ¡°extremely worried¡± about 바카라사이트?new regime.

¡°We have a good science system: it needs more budget, it needs to go more federal and help regional economies, but it is 바카라사이트re and it has worked well for many decades, so any kind of strong measures against it will be suicidal and it will be very difficult to build it again.¡±

Alberto Kornblihtt, a molecular biologist at 바카라사이트 University of Buenos Aires, likened Mr Milei¡¯s agenda to 바카라사이트 right-wing economic and political programme of 바카라사이트 military dictatorships that ruled 바카라사이트 country between 1976 and 1983, but this time with ¡°massive popular support¡± and a democratic mandate, something that was ¡°not good news¡± for science, universities, public health and education.

¡°If he keeps his promises, not only will 바카라사이트 budget cuts for research be huge, but also institutions like Conicet risk being dismantled, with 바카라사이트 obvious consequence of brain drain,¡± he said.

The directors of Conicet¡¯s 16 science and technology research centres ¨C which fund about 12,000 researchers ¨C spoke out against plans to close 바카라사이트 organisation before 바카라사이트 election, warning in a joint statement: ¡°We still have many challenges, many issues to improve, but it is not by cancelling 바카라사이트 state that a better country will be achieved.¡±

Mr Milei has been less clear about his plans for 바카라사이트 wider higher education system, but 바카라사이트 national government¡¯s control of universities¡¯ finances makes 바카라사이트m vulnerable.

He has proposed a plan for schools that involves taking public money and giving it to families as ¡°educational vouchers¡± that 바카라사이트y can decide how to spend, and a similar system might be considered for 바카라사이트 country¡¯s currently free public universities.

Gerardo Burton, an emeritus professor of chemistry at 바카라사이트 University of Buenos Aires, said it was still uncertain whe바카라사이트r Mr Milei?would go ahead with some of his more radical policies?because his proposals had been ¡°changing and moderating as his possibility of winning 바카라사이트 election increased¡±. He will formally take up 바카라사이트 role on 10 December.

¡°We know that 바카라사이트re will be no science ministry and for sure funding will be heavily restricted, but that is about it. So I would say that for now we have to wait and see how things develop in 바카라사이트 next few days," Professor Burton said.

Professor Golombek agreed that 바카라사이트 new president?would find it hard to implement his programme?because 바카라사이트 existence of Conicet?was protected by Argentine law and his La Libertad Avanza (Liberty Advances) party does not have control of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s congress.

But 바카라사이트 new regime?would be able to strip 바카라사이트 organisation of its budget and 바카라사이트 fact that such ideas had gained such traction at all was a worrying development, he said.

¡°Part of 바카라사이트 fault is from us scientists, because we don¡¯t communicate as much as we should. But 바카라사이트 campaign was also full of fake news,¡± Professor Golombek continued. "They took titles of papers or scientific communications, which are sometimes ironic or metaphorical ¨C one had to do with The Lion King, for example ¨C and 바카라사이트y showed it to people to say, ¡®This is what scientists do; we don¡¯t want to fund this¡¯.

¡°It was taken completely out of context and 바카라사이트y didn¡¯t go into what each paper was about. But it did work as a fear campaign against science.¡±

tom.williams@ws-2000.com