Argentine President: Nation in Bad Shape but Change Coming

Argentine President Mauricio Macri painted a grim picture of the nation on Tuesday, telling Congress that the state is broke, drug traffickers are prospering and institutions including the armed forces are so weakened that the borders are barely protected and many military planes cannot fly.

Argentine President Mauricio Macri (L) delivers a speech next to Vice President Gabriela Michetti during the inauguration of the 134th period of ordinary sessions at the Congress in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 1, 2016. Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina—Argentine President Mauricio Macri painted a grim picture of the nation on Tuesday, telling Congress that the state is broke, drug traffickers are prospering and institutions including the armed forces are so weakened that the borders are barely protected and many military planes cannot fly.

Addressing Congress on the first day of the legislative session, Macri also blasted the previous administration, saying that political patronage had led to a major spike in the number of workers on government payrolls. Several thousand people have been fired since Macri assumed office in December.

We are a great country with enormous potential. But the first thing we must do is recognize that we are not in good shape

— Mauricio Macri, president, Argentina