Deputies will debate the extension of the pension moratorium and the increase in the retirement bonus.

The Chamber of Deputies will debate in committee this Tuesday the extension of the pension moratorium and the increase in the retirement bonus for those earning the minimum wage. Both initiatives were promoted by the opposition and could advance with a simple majority, despite the ruling party's opposition.

The meeting is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. The Social Security and Budget and Finance committees will participate. The meeting will be chaired by Radical Party member Gabriela Brouwer de Koning and José Luis Espert, representing the La Libertad Avanza party.

The pension moratorium expired on March 23. Representatives from the Unión por la Patria party, such as Leopoldo Moreau , Brenda Vargas Matyi, and Andrea Freitas, introduced a bill to extend it for two years. The proposal seeks to allow men 65 and older and women 60 and older to regularize their contributions through an installment plan and thus access a minimum pension.

Without the moratorium, these individuals are only eligible for the Universal Benefit for Older Adults (PUAM), which is paid at age 65 and is equivalent to 80% of the minimum wage. It also excludes widow's pensions and other benefits.

The other bill proposes raising the current retirement bonus to $70,000. The idea is to raise it to $115,000. This proposal was also promoted by Encuentro Federal and Unión por la Patria. They argue that inflation has hit lower-income retirees hard, and the current bonus is insufficient.

The ruling party, La Libertad Avanza, and the PRO expressed their opposition. They assert that there is still no technical report from the Budget Office that would allow them to determine the fiscal impact. Espert stated that they must first complete an analysis of the disability emergency before moving forward with pension issues.

Gabriela Brouwer called for the report to be prepared urgently. Opposition blocs assert that a decision that affects thousands of people cannot be delayed any longer. "It's a matter of social justice," they asserted.

The plenary session will decide whether the resolutions can be advanced. The pension moratorium and the increase in the retirement bonus are at the center of the discussion between Congress and the government, with a direct impact on millions of retirees across the country.