Since assuming office, President Milei of Argentina [pictured here with Donald Trump at Mar-A-Lago], who campaigned on a libertarian platform, has introduced significant changes to the country's social and economic policies. Notably, his administration has ceased purchasing essential supplies for abortion services and has prohibited the use of gender-inclusive language in official documentation. The national anti-discrimination agency has effectively been closed, with its duties purportedly absorbed by the Ministry of Justice.

Milei's presidency has also been marked by controversial reforms and rhetoric that have drawn criticism from various domestic and international observers. His campaign saw accusations of hate speech directed towards LGBTQ communities by his party, claims that were echoed by Argentina’s National Observatory of LGBTQ Hate Crimes.

So it comes as little surprise that Argentina found itself isolated in the international arena on Thursday as it stood alone in voting against a United Nations resolution aimed at curtailing online violence against women and girls. The resolution received overwhelming support during the UN General Assembly session, with 170 nations endorsing the initiative and 13 others opting to abstain. Noteworthy abstentions included countries like Iran, Russia, Nicaragua, and North Korea. Nice company to be in.

The South American country justified its dissent by expressing concerns over the potential misuse of certain terms within the resolution. Argentine representatives highlighted words like "hate speech," "misinformation," and "disinformation" as potentially ambiguous and cautioned against their capability to be leveraged to unduly limit freedom of expression. This stance echoes the rhetoric of President Javier Milei, who has previously criticised the UN for attempting to "impose an ideological agenda."

During his speech at the UN General Assembly in September, Milei declared, "We are at the end of a cycle. The collectivism and moral high ground from the woke agenda have crashed with reality, and they don’t offer credible solutions for the world’s problem." His comments reflect his administration's broader perspective on international policies and frameworks, especially those that align with the UN-sponsored 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda, which he seeks to distance Argentina from.

This latest development follows another recent instance where Argentina was the sole nation to oppose a UN resolution related to the rights of indigenous peoples, further delineating its unique position in global discussions on human rights and equality.

Source: Noah Wire Services