Argentina's National Road Budget Hits 30-Year Low Amid Widespread Cuts

Argentina's national road infrastructure is facing an unprecedented funding crisis, with the budget allocated for national routes plummeting to its lowest point in three decades. The National Directorate of National Roads (DNV) has seen its real budget shrink by 79% since 2023, reaching approximately $563 billion pesos in 2026. This drastic cut means that the current budget is the lowest recorded since at least 1995, according to historical data compiled by the Civil Association for Equality and Justice (ACIJ).

The impact of these austerity measures is starkly visible across the provinces. In just two years, between 2023 and 2025, several regions experienced dramatic decreases in road spending. Buenos Aires and Chubut provinces saw their road budgets slashed by nearly 85%, followed by Chaco (-83%), Formosa (-77%), Santa Fe (-73%), and Córdoba (-72%). For instance, Buenos Aires' real road spending dropped from $468.5 billion pesos in 2023 to $70.2 billion in 2025.

This severe budget contraction is occurring against a backdrop of deteriorating road conditions. A recent survey by the DNV revealed that nearly six out of every ten kilometers of national roads are in poor or regular condition. The funds dedicated to maintaining the existing road network have also been significantly reduced, falling by approximately 70% between 2023 and 2026.

The figures for 2026 represent the current budget and are subject to change, but the trend indicates a severe underfunding of essential infrastructure. The ASIJ's analysis, based on official data, highlights a consistent decline in real spending, with the DNV executing nearly $4.3 trillion pesos in 2016 compared to $783 billion in 2025.

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If we measure the last ten years, we are at the lowest records since 1995, that is, since we have integrated everything into the national budgetary system as we know it now.