Versión Español
EspañolOn Monday, February 23, the office of the secretary general of the presidency published on its website detailed information regarding the salary of President Cristina Kirchner and her cabinet. Twenty-four hours later, however, the data was deleted, leaving only information on each official’s net salary.
The data currently displayed on the website leaves out details on additional compensation that makes up each cabinet member’s total salary. The modified data lacks, for example, the “uprooting fee” officials receive when the job relocates them more than 100 kilometers away from their primary residence.
The detailed figures were initially published after a request from local newspaper La Nación. After the data was modified, the Argentinean newspaper contacted the president’s office but received no response.
Despite only being available for a short time, both national and international media were able to disseminate many of the details contained in the document, including the fact that President Kirchner’s gross salary increased by 25.6 percent in 2014, reaching AR$100,000 per month (US$7,547 at the free-exchange rate).
The increase in the president’s salary surpasses by 2 percent the official inflation rate published by the Statistical Office (23.9 percent) in 2014. Private consultants, however, estimate that inflation for the year reached 38.5 percent.
The complete document outlined Kirchner’s compensation as consisting of a basic salary of AR$43,710.14 (US$3,298), in addition to AR$56,914.01 (US$4,295) for the position as president. That amount is then subject to deductions totaling AR$39,875.21 (US$3,009) for pension contributions, income tax, and social programs.
Besides the report on gross salary details, other documents on the secretariat’s website were also modified. Reports dealing with the presidential fleet and historical earnings were also removed from public view.
Source: La Nación.
