Ricardo Quintela announced that a potential Peronist government will review the investments that, in its view, compromise Argentina's natural resources and sovereignty. The governor of La Rioja stated that assets could be nationalized, expropriated, or recovered when that evaluation detects improper appropriations. His warning was especially directed at projects benefiting from Régimen de Incentivo para Grandes Inversiones and deepened his confrontation with Javier Milei.
Quintela stated that the main economic advantages were concentrated in sectors linked to Vaca Muerta and mining. According to his proposal, many investments already existed before the current administration, and RIGI allowed them to migrate to a more favorable tax scheme. The promise of review seeks to establish a political condition for those who decide to invest under these rules: the current authorizations and benefits would not be exempt from scrutiny in the event of a change of government in 2027.
The governor linked that position to his rejection of the Land Law reform that was to be discussed by the Senate. He said he trusted in the support of the Peronists to prevent its progress and criticized the fact that each province determines the sale of rural land separately. For Quintela, provincial autonomy must function within a common federalism, and no jurisdiction can protect its resources on its own if the country does not adopt a national development policy.
His diagnosis included a critique of the territorial distribution of benefits. He pointed out that even Neuquén, despite the activity of Vaca Muerta, faces employment problems and needs to extend growth to tourism, gastronomy, and hospitality. The exploitation of natural resources, he suggested, must coexist with their protection and with other activities capable of increasing employment, instead of remaining isolated as the only economic engine.
The dispute also affects the financial and institutional relationship with the Casa Rosada. Quintela defined it as null, stated that there is no national interlocutor, and demanded the fulfillment of obligations before a new dialogue instance. He added that the Supreme Court has not yet responded to the lawsuits or the requests for prompt action submitted by La Rioja, and again questioned the Peronist governors who support Milei's initiatives.
The next event will be the second meeting of Norte Grande scheduled for mid-August in Posadas. Quintela anticipated that he will propose discussing the drop in shared funds, the reactivation of stalled public works, and regional infrastructure strategies with the leaders of NEA and NOA. There he will have to convey his national warning about investments to a joint agenda with governors from different parties, including several with whom he currently admits not having political dialogue.
