"History will judge them according to their work in favor of the Argentines or for the continued impoverishment of the people," a presidential statement said.

Friday marked a preliminary step toward the approval of President Javier Milei's comprehensive package of political, social, and economic reforms, which has provoked furious objections from the opposition.

The lower chamber of Congress gave the measure "general" approval; next week, its members will scrutinize libertarian and self-described anarcho-capitalist Milei's intentions in further detail.

The 53-year-old political outsider stated on social media just before the vote that politicians had "the opportunity to show which side of history" they wanted to be on.

"History will judge them according to their work in favor of the Argentines or for the continued impoverishment of the people," according to a presidential statement.

"History will judge them according to their work in favor of the Argentines or for the continued impoverishment of the people," a presidential statement said.

Milei won a resounding election victory in October, riding a wave of anger over decades of economic crisis in the South American nation, where annual inflation stands at over 200 percent and poverty levels are at 40 percent.

Milei began his term by devaluing the peso by more than 50 percent, cutting state subsidies for fuel and transport, reducing the number of ministries by half, and scrapping hundreds of rules so as to deregulate the economy.

His reform package touches on many areas of public and private life, from privatizations to cultural issues, the penal code, divorce and the status of football clubs.

The Chamber of Deputies approved the package in principle by 144 votes to 109 on the third day of a marathon debate accompanied by protests and clashes outside.

The bill may undergo changes before heading to the Senate.

"We have two clear options -- become the largest slum in the world, or continue this path towards prosperity and freedom," said Lorena Villaverde, a lawmaker from Milei's far-right party, Freedom Advances.

However, Leandro Santoro, the representative for the opposition, cited the 2001 economic and social catastrophe as an illustration of the dangers associated with free-market policies.

"We Argentines already know what happens when the economic model focuses on adjustment and deregulation," he stated.

Police used tear gas on protestors in large groups outside Congress on Friday once more.

It happens a little more than a week after tens of thousands of Argentines protested against Milei's plans of cutting the budget.

However, the IMF authorized Argentina's payment of almost $4.7 billion on Wednesday, indicating support for Milei's measures.

End//voice7news.tv