Javier Milei, president of Argentina, with his sister, Karina Milei, her right arm.
Audios associate Karina Milei, sister and right -hand man of the president of Argentina, the bribe scheme in the purchase of medicines for people with disabilities. Casa Rosada has not yet commented on the case.
Two months from legislative elections in Argentina, the government of Javier Milei is threatened by a new scandal, with the circle of collaborators closer to the president implicated in a alleged scheme of corruption.
The case came public last week, when Argentine newspapers released audios attributed to the then director of the National Agency for Disability (andis), Diego Spagnuolo, Milei’s friend and personal lawyer.
In the audios, Spagnuolo points to Sister and right arm of the president, Karina Milei, as one of the main beneficiaries of a bribery scheme In drug acquisitions for people with disabilities, and accuses Milei himself to be aware of the corruption scheme.
“They are defrauding my agency,” he hears. “They are stealing. You can pretend you don’t know, but you don’t give me this problem, I have all the Karina WhatsApp messages.”
According to the audios-whose authenticity has not yet been confirmed by the court-Karina, who is secretary general of the Argentine presidency and, in practice, divides the position with the brother and intervenes in the decisions of Casa Rosadaand the Government’s Undersecretary of Institutional Management, Eduardo “Lule” Menem, would receive bribes from the pharmaceutical industry in exchange for overpriced contracts to supply drugs to the public network.
Scheme would yield up to $ 800,000 in bribes
The percentage required by Karina and Menem would be 8% of contracts with the state, and the business would yield between $ 500,000 and 800,000 a month, with the largest slice of money to Karina – between 3% and 4%.
Menem – Cousin of the President of the House of Representatives, Martín Menem – was appointed as the main operator of the scheme, with the support of entrepreneurs linked to the Argentine Switzerland Distributor, who brokens the sale of drugs to the state.
In another audio, Spagnuolo complains that Karina and Milei will not have acted to wage the detours of public money. “They didn’t solve anything,” says the recording.
The case was reported by the Argentine press on August 20, triggering an unexpected crisis in the government. A few hours later, lawyer Gregorio Dalbón, who represents the former president The Kirchner Cristor – Milei rivals –, complaint Spanule in Justice.
The next day, Milei dismissed the employee and announced an intervention NA andis by the Ministry of Health. Another name removed from the agency was that of director Daniel Garbellini, named as a link between and the entrepreneurs. On Friday, August 22, Argentine authorities held search The Andis Seeds and Swiss Argentina.
In the operation, they were seized 266 thousand dollars in cash With one of the representatives of Argentine Switzerland, Emmanuel Kovalivker. His brother, Jonathan, considered a fugitive, presented himself to the authorities. Four mobile phones were also seized, including Spagnuolo’s. The devices are being analyzed by experts to confirm or refute accusations of corruption.
Milei and Karina in silence
President Javier Milei has not yet commented on the case, but appeared smiling next to his sister this Monday, in the first public presence since the complaints, during a meeting with businessmen.
He even spoke at the time, without directly commenting on the accusations. He merely attacked journalists, calling them “liars,” and accused the parliamentary opposition of wanting to “sink the country.”
Karina also remains silent. Eduardo Menem, who spoke this Monday, questioned the authenticity of the audios and denied any knowledge or involvement in irregularities.
“I know the work of this government against corruption and I do not doubt the integrity of any of the employees mentioned,” Menem said, giving complaints to adversaries Kirchnerist. The message, published in X, was shared by Karina and Milei.
Also this Monday, the mayor, Martín Menem, came out in defense of the duo and suggested that the case is an assembly. “I put my hands on the fire for them,” he told an Argentine television.
Scandal at a delicate time for the government
The complaint against the circle near Milei comes at a delicate time for the government, which saw its popularity fall In recent weeks – currently in 41% – and has suffered a series of defeats in Congress, with the reversal of cuts in public expense.
The scandal can also have an impact on Legislative elections of October 26 – Thrilky as a referendum to Milei’s austerity agenda – and in the government of the government of Buenos Aires, within two weeks.
In addition to the alleged NA andis deviations, the government had already been shaken by its involvement with cryptocurrency \ $ Libra – personally promoted by Milei and causing damage to thousands of investors – and for allowing entrepreneurs to enter the country with baggage not subject to customs control.
