En los medios
15/08/24
Scandals plunge Milei’s Peronist rivals into crisis
Juan Negri, director de las Licenciaturas en Ciencia Política y Gobierno y en Estudios Internacionales, fue consultado por el Financial Times sobre el escenario político argentino.
Argentina’s left-leaning Peronist movement has been engulfed in a scandal that stands to benefit libertarian President Javier Milei and extend public patience for his painful austerity programme.
Federal prosecutors presented domestic violence charges against former president Alberto Fernández on Wednesday, following claims by his ex-wife Fabiola Yañez that he repeatedly beat her while they lived in Argentina’s presidential residence between 2019 and 2023.
Leaked photos showing Yañez with bruises on her eye and arm have been widely circulated by Argentine media. Yáñez has confirmed their authenticity, though she said she did not want them released.
Prosecutors became aware of the abuse allegations last week while probing separate claims that Fernández had improperly funnelled lucrative state insurance brokering business to a friend while in office.
Fernández’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment but has denied both the domestic violence and influence peddling allegations.
Alberto Fernández’s ex-wife Fabiola Yañez claims that he repeatedly beat her while they lived in Argentina’s presidential residence from 2019 to 2023 © Matías Baglietto/NurFoto/Reuters
He told Spanish daily El País in an interview published on Monday that he had “never hit Fabiola [nor] any woman” and that “someone with other motives has incentivised her” to accuse him. He added that Milei’s government was “exploiting” her claims.
The fast-moving scandal has deepened a wider crisis for Peronism, the labour-driven political movement that has dominated Argentine politics for 80 years, moving sharply to the left over the past two decades under the influence of fiery former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who is no relation to Alberto. It remains the largest force in Congress even after Milei’s election in November.
Already struggling to find a new leader and a new message following its defeat, the movement is now facing accusations of hypocrisy by voters after Fernández made women’s rights a banner of his administration.
“He said all this about gender equality and he was hitting his wife. What can you say? He’s the best liar in Argentina,” said 75-year-old Manuel in Buenos Aires’ middle-class Chacarita neighbourhood. He identifies as a Peronist but spoiled his ballot in the 2023 elections out of anger over the country’s deep economic crisis.
“Corruption is one thing — I already thought he was corrupt — but to see that he’s hit his wife, it’s shocked me,” said healthcare administrator Virgínia, 62, who voted for Milei. “The Peronists are in free fall.”
Milei has seized on the allegations as a vindication of his self-declared “cultural battle” against Argentina’s feminist and human rights movements, which has included dissolving the ministry for women.
“All of these things were happening while the media were telling us that they were the good guys and those of us who want Argentina to be free were the bad guys,” he said on X on Tuesday.
Detailed statements by the former first lady to prosecutors and a series of leaks — including a video of Fernández professing his love to a radio host 25 years his junior in his presidential office — have flooded Argentine media. The video’s authenticity has not been questioned by those involved.
The ex-president faces court hearings in both the abuse and corruption cases in the coming months.
Fernández, who was already deeply unpopular, resigned the formal presidency of the main Peronist party on Wednesday amid pressure from lawmakers.
Analysts say the timing of the scandal is helpful for Milei, a former television commentator who campaigned on a pledge to sweep away the “corrupt political caste” he blames for Argentina’s sky-high inflation.
Milei’s extreme austerity programme has succeeded in slashing the monthly inflation rate from a peak of 26 per cent in December to 4 per cent in July, but has also inflicted pain on Argentines: consumer spending has cratered and more than 175,000 formal jobs have been wiped out since he took office.
Support for the president, while remarkably stable, had recently shown “signs of stress” amid volatility in the peso’s key black market exchange rate, said Lucas Romero, director of pollster Synopsis. He said those disapproving of Milei had risen by 5 percentage points over the past two months to 49.2 per cent.
While Fernandez’s scandals will not necessarily improve the president’s ratings, “it will give him more time, make people more patient”, Romero said. “It fuels the anger at the political class that got Milei elected.”
Argentina’s president Javier Milei, centre, is greeted by outgoing president Alberto Fernández next to former vice president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner © Alejandro Pagni/AFP/Getty Images
The influence-peddling scandal centres on an order Fernández gave for government insurance contracts to be taken out exclusively with a state-owned company that used brokers including his secretary’s husband.
Fernández told local radio in February that the decision was “not some crooked deal”. “I have not stolen anything or participated in any crooked deal,” he added.
Analia, a 51-year-old seller of cleaning supplies, said it was “infuriating to hear about money being [misused] when we’re going through such a tough moment economically”.
“All of our governments have swallowed up our money,” she added. “I don’t agree with everything Milei does, but I do think he has a different point of view.”
Peronism, which began in the 1940s with an alliance between General Juan Domingo Perón and labour unions, remains powerful. Its Unión por la Patria coalition controls 46 per cent of seats in Argentina’s senate, and 39 per cent in the lower house, compared with 10 per cent and 15 per cent respectively for Milei’s La Libertad Avanza.
But analysts say the Peronists have been unable to unify behind a leader or message to voters since their election defeat, limiting their ability to block Milei’s legislative agenda or drum up major street protests. “There is no clear Peronist response on what to do about [the economic crisis] or insecurity or any of
Argentina’s biggest problems,” said Juan Germano, director of pollster Isonomía. “They are stuck in a position of defending the status quo, when there is an overwhelming demand for change.”
The scandal has deepened the power vacuum in the grouping and heightened its internal disputes.
Kirchner remains the movement’s most influential figure but is deeply divisive among voters and was herself convicted on corruption charges in 2022. She has attempted to distance herself from Fernández’s government, in which she served as vice-president.
“Alberto Fernández was not a good president,” she said on Friday on X. “But the photos [of Yañez’s bruises] are something else . . . they reveal the darkest and most sordid aspects of the human condition.”
Juan Negri, politics professor at Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos Aires, said the scandal would accelerate the search for a new leader, in which “it seems logical” that pro-Kirchner candidates such as Buenos Aires governor Axel Kicillof will lose ground to more moderate anti-Kirchner Peronists.
He said the crisis would benefit Milei, but added: “This isn’t an eternal lifeboat for him. People care about these lurid details, but what matters here is the economy. If Milei fails there, he fails.”
Federal prosecutors presented domestic violence charges against former president Alberto Fernández on Wednesday, following claims by his ex-wife Fabiola Yañez that he repeatedly beat her while they lived in Argentina’s presidential residence between 2019 and 2023.
Leaked photos showing Yañez with bruises on her eye and arm have been widely circulated by Argentine media. Yáñez has confirmed their authenticity, though she said she did not want them released.
Prosecutors became aware of the abuse allegations last week while probing separate claims that Fernández had improperly funnelled lucrative state insurance brokering business to a friend while in office.
Fernández’s lawyer did not respond to a request for comment but has denied both the domestic violence and influence peddling allegations.
Alberto Fernández’s ex-wife Fabiola Yañez claims that he repeatedly beat her while they lived in Argentina’s presidential residence from 2019 to 2023 © Matías Baglietto/NurFoto/Reuters
He told Spanish daily El País in an interview published on Monday that he had “never hit Fabiola [nor] any woman” and that “someone with other motives has incentivised her” to accuse him. He added that Milei’s government was “exploiting” her claims.
The fast-moving scandal has deepened a wider crisis for Peronism, the labour-driven political movement that has dominated Argentine politics for 80 years, moving sharply to the left over the past two decades under the influence of fiery former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who is no relation to Alberto. It remains the largest force in Congress even after Milei’s election in November.
Already struggling to find a new leader and a new message following its defeat, the movement is now facing accusations of hypocrisy by voters after Fernández made women’s rights a banner of his administration.
“He said all this about gender equality and he was hitting his wife. What can you say? He’s the best liar in Argentina,” said 75-year-old Manuel in Buenos Aires’ middle-class Chacarita neighbourhood. He identifies as a Peronist but spoiled his ballot in the 2023 elections out of anger over the country’s deep economic crisis.
“Corruption is one thing — I already thought he was corrupt — but to see that he’s hit his wife, it’s shocked me,” said healthcare administrator Virgínia, 62, who voted for Milei. “The Peronists are in free fall.”
Milei has seized on the allegations as a vindication of his self-declared “cultural battle” against Argentina’s feminist and human rights movements, which has included dissolving the ministry for women.
“All of these things were happening while the media were telling us that they were the good guys and those of us who want Argentina to be free were the bad guys,” he said on X on Tuesday.
Detailed statements by the former first lady to prosecutors and a series of leaks — including a video of Fernández professing his love to a radio host 25 years his junior in his presidential office — have flooded Argentine media. The video’s authenticity has not been questioned by those involved.
The ex-president faces court hearings in both the abuse and corruption cases in the coming months.
Fernández, who was already deeply unpopular, resigned the formal presidency of the main Peronist party on Wednesday amid pressure from lawmakers.
Analysts say the timing of the scandal is helpful for Milei, a former television commentator who campaigned on a pledge to sweep away the “corrupt political caste” he blames for Argentina’s sky-high inflation.
Milei’s extreme austerity programme has succeeded in slashing the monthly inflation rate from a peak of 26 per cent in December to 4 per cent in July, but has also inflicted pain on Argentines: consumer spending has cratered and more than 175,000 formal jobs have been wiped out since he took office.
Support for the president, while remarkably stable, had recently shown “signs of stress” amid volatility in the peso’s key black market exchange rate, said Lucas Romero, director of pollster Synopsis. He said those disapproving of Milei had risen by 5 percentage points over the past two months to 49.2 per cent.
While Fernandez’s scandals will not necessarily improve the president’s ratings, “it will give him more time, make people more patient”, Romero said. “It fuels the anger at the political class that got Milei elected.”
Argentina’s president Javier Milei, centre, is greeted by outgoing president Alberto Fernández next to former vice president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner © Alejandro Pagni/AFP/Getty Images
The influence-peddling scandal centres on an order Fernández gave for government insurance contracts to be taken out exclusively with a state-owned company that used brokers including his secretary’s husband.
Fernández told local radio in February that the decision was “not some crooked deal”. “I have not stolen anything or participated in any crooked deal,” he added.
Analia, a 51-year-old seller of cleaning supplies, said it was “infuriating to hear about money being [misused] when we’re going through such a tough moment economically”.
“All of our governments have swallowed up our money,” she added. “I don’t agree with everything Milei does, but I do think he has a different point of view.”
Peronism, which began in the 1940s with an alliance between General Juan Domingo Perón and labour unions, remains powerful. Its Unión por la Patria coalition controls 46 per cent of seats in Argentina’s senate, and 39 per cent in the lower house, compared with 10 per cent and 15 per cent respectively for Milei’s La Libertad Avanza.
But analysts say the Peronists have been unable to unify behind a leader or message to voters since their election defeat, limiting their ability to block Milei’s legislative agenda or drum up major street protests. “There is no clear Peronist response on what to do about [the economic crisis] or insecurity or any of
Argentina’s biggest problems,” said Juan Germano, director of pollster Isonomía. “They are stuck in a position of defending the status quo, when there is an overwhelming demand for change.”
The scandal has deepened the power vacuum in the grouping and heightened its internal disputes.
Kirchner remains the movement’s most influential figure but is deeply divisive among voters and was herself convicted on corruption charges in 2022. She has attempted to distance herself from Fernández’s government, in which she served as vice-president.
“Alberto Fernández was not a good president,” she said on Friday on X. “But the photos [of Yañez’s bruises] are something else . . . they reveal the darkest and most sordid aspects of the human condition.”
Juan Negri, politics professor at Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos Aires, said the scandal would accelerate the search for a new leader, in which “it seems logical” that pro-Kirchner candidates such as Buenos Aires governor Axel Kicillof will lose ground to more moderate anti-Kirchner Peronists.
He said the crisis would benefit Milei, but added: “This isn’t an eternal lifeboat for him. People care about these lurid details, but what matters here is the economy. If Milei fails there, he fails.”