In letter to Miley, 68 Nobel laureates say science in Argentina is 'close to the abyss' and demand cuts be reversed | world

In a joint letter sent to Argentine President Javier Miley, 68 Nobel laureates in various fields demanded that science… “On the edge of the abyss” In Argentina, after the current government announced cuts in this sector.

As part of the spending reduction packages announced by Miley since she assumed the position of President of Argentina, Miley Scholarships for students and researchers have been dramatically reduced and most research programs have been frozen From the Argentine government.

“This will destroy a system that took many years to build and will take many years to rebuild,” the scientists said in the letter.

The document was given to Miley and issued by British chemist Richard Roberts, winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize in Medicine.

As part of its plan to reduce the fiscal deficit, Miley's government maintained the same budget for 2024 as the National Council for Scientific and Technical Research (Conicet) had in 2023. However, Scientists have warned that with the country's annual inflation rate at around 254%, the value would currently bankrupt Conisit..

Among the signatories of the letter:

• Twenty-one winners Nobel prize Chemistry, as Thomas R. Czech (1989) and Martin Chalfie (2008);
• Twenty-six winners of the Nobel Prize in MedicineSuch as Harvey J. Alter (2020) and Werner Arber (1978);
• Twenty winners of the award in the Physics categorySuch as Barry Clark Parish (2017) and Ferenc Krausz (2023);
• And the winner is B Nobel Prize in EconomicsLevine E. Kydland (2004).

“We fear that Argentina is abandoning its future scientists, students and science leaders. We are concerned that the significant decline in the value of the budgets of CONSET and the national universities reflects not only a significant decline in the value of Argentine science, but also a decline in the value of the Argentine people and the future of Argentina,” he said. Nobel laureates.

They also highlighted “concern over the abolition of the Ministry of Science and Technology, the dismissal of administrative staff at Conisit and other institutes across the country, and the early termination of several contracts next month.”

Noria Giniger, a researcher at Konset and secretary of the State Workers' League, told AFP news agency that the letter “reinforces the workers' struggle” in the entity.

The message too Lists the contributions of Argentine scientists on various topics in science. “All of these developments were the result of government support for basic research,” he highlights.

On Tuesday, Miley re-published a post by a user on her social networks in which he said: “If I feel the peak of ecstasy with the closure… [agência de notícias estatal] Tailam, I really can't imagine what they could do to me when they throw it like 'Ñoquicet'”, using word play Scientists are accused of earning money without workingSo called “ñoqui” (gnocchi) in Argentina.

The president's post continued: “This is truly the mother of all battles. Then you have to go in with the chainsaw and clean up with zeal.”