Jorge Macri, the chief of government of the City of Buenos Aires, proposed applying a principle of reciprocity to foreign nationals regarding health and university education [1].
The proposal marks a potential shift in how the city manages public services for non-citizens. By tying access to the treatment Argentine citizens receive abroad, the administration seeks to standardize the benefits provided to foreign residents and visitors.
Macri detailed the plan during an appearance on the television program "¿La Ves?" in Argentina [1]. He said the goal is to treat foreigners in the same manner that Argentine citizens are treated in other countries [1].
The focus of this reciprocity specifically targets the sectors of public health and university-level education [1]. Under this framework, the city would evaluate the services provided to its citizens in foreign jurisdictions to determine the level of access granted to those same foreigners within Buenos Aires [1].
This approach aims to ensure that the benefits of health and education are distributed based on a mirrored system of international agreements, and practices [1]. The administration intends to move away from a universal access model toward one governed by the reciprocal standards of the foreign national's home country [1].
Macri said the policy is intended to guarantee that the treatment of foreign nationals is equitable and aligned with the experiences of Argentines abroad [1].
“treat foreigners in the same manner that Argentine citizens are treated”
This proposal signals a move toward conditional public service access in Buenos Aires. If implemented, the city would shift from a model of open access to public health and higher education to one based on bilateral standards, potentially limiting services for citizens of countries that do not provide similar free or subsidized access to Argentines.
