BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) 鈥� After a gave way to what many Argentines saw as a against their country, on Thursday signed an emergency decree empowering the government to deny entry to or expel foreigners who incite discrimination or violence against Argentines because of their nationality.
Milei鈥檚 office cast the decree as a response to weeks of criticism from celebrities, opposing fans and social media users after fueled speculation that FIFA had tilted the soccer tournament in favor of the Argentina team and superstar . Detractors directed their anger about occasionally aggressive Argentine fans and the on the pitch not only at players but increasingly at Argentine society as a whole.
The measure adds new grounds to Argentina鈥檚 immigration law, allowing authorities to bar, deport and revoke visas of people found to have promoted hatred against Argentines in spoken or written statements or who have desecrated national symbols.
鈥淚n light of recent displays of hostility toward the Argentine Republic and Argentines, the national government reaffirms that the defense of the nation, its citizens and its symbols is non-negotiable,鈥� the president鈥檚 office said. 鈥淎nyone who attacks the Argentine Republic is not welcome in our country.鈥�
It’s a shift for a country that has long prided itself on welcoming immigrants. Argentina鈥檚 Constitution explicitly encourages immigration, and for decades the country has offered foreigners broad civil rights and to legal residency, public education and health care.
Milei, however, has that have raised the bar for permanent residency and expanded government powers to deport foreigners accused of crimes, often publicizing the moves with rhetoric similar to that of the .
The widespread scorn for Argentina has played on long-standing stereotypes, particularly in Latin America, that as culturally and economically superior to their neighbors, in part due to the large share of the population descended from European immigrants. The backlash intensified when Argentina players and staff attacked their Spanish opponents in a after the World Cup final. Online petitions to expel Argentina from the World Cup drew hundreds of thousands of signatures.
FIFA, global soccer’s governing body, on against the Argentine Football Association over the scuffle, as well as over alleged and fan misconduct. Players also faced a FIFA investigation into their that asserted Argentina鈥檚 claim to the British-controlled Falkland Islands after the team’s semifinal .
Milei, a of U.S. President Donald Trump, has described the torrent of criticism as a coordinated 鈥渁nti-Argentina campaign.鈥� He alleged without evidence last week that the left-wing governments of Brazil and Mexico and the U.S. Democratic Party had financed the campaign to undermine his right-wing libertarian administration. That helped with neighboring Brazil, which recalled its ambassador to Argentina over the accusations and Milei’s insults against Brazilian President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva.
Thursday’s decree says the punishments don’t apply to ideological disagreement or political, academic or civic criticism protected under Argentina鈥檚 Constitution.
But it leaves unanswered how officials will distinguish protected speech from prohibited hate speech, whether immigration authorities will review foreigners鈥� social media activity and how aggressively the new powers will be enforced against tourists and longtime residents.
鈥淲ho and how will apply those grounds? How will it be determined that a person has engaged in such ambiguous assumptions as a ‘hate message’ toward the country or our population?鈥� asked Maximiliano Ferraro, an opposition lawmaker, criticizing the decree as an unnecessary political gimmick.
“While the government wraps itself in Argentina鈥檚 sky-blue-and-white national colors for publicity, many of the policies it promotes are little more than exclusionary nationalist theater.”
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