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Argentinian police protect far-right President Javier Milei and his sister, the secretary general of the presidency, Karina Milei, from objects thrown at them during a campaign rally prior to the provincial legislative elections, in Lomas de Zamora, Argentina, August 27, 2025. Photo: Natacha Pisarenko/AP.
Caracas (OrinocoTribune.com)—A campaign rally for Argentina’s President Javier Milei came to an abrupt end after residents pelted his truck with eggs, bottles, and stones as he passed through Lomas de Zamora, a suburb south of Buenos Aires.
According to the Argentinian far-right newspaper La Nación, it is the second time in a week that the president’s campaign caravan has been attacked. Milei was unable to complete the electoral event in the Third Electoral District this Wednesday, August 27. Accompanied by the secretary general of the presidency, his sister Karina Milei, and congressional candidates for the far-right La Libertad Avanza (LLA) party, the president was met by opposition activists and citizens protesting the Spagnuolo corruption scandal.
Following the altercation, the convoy dispersed, and the truck carrying Milei left the scene at high speed, and Congressional candidate José Luis Espert was reportedly taken away on a motorcycle without a helmet. Before leaving, Milei called the Spagnuolo allegations a “lie,” and said, “We’re going to take him to court and prove he lied.” Argentinian security agencies have now reported two arrests in connection with the Lomas de Zamora incident.
⚠️Incidentes y tensión en la caravana de Milei
📲 #C5N en vivo: https://t.co/9fxDe5JViU pic.twitter.com/Efw5bKJ9Mk
— C5N (@C5N) August 27, 2025
Midterm elections and political context
According to mainstream media reports, based on July polls, the LLA party holds a significant lead ahead of the midterm elections scheduled for October 26. The election is widely seen as a referendum on Milei’s neoliberal agenda, though recent corruption scandals are applying pressure to that trend. LLA and Mauricio Macri’s PRO party have formed an alliance for the upcoming elections, which the far-right force considers key to securing a legislative majority.
The Spagnuolo case scandal
A scandal involving Diego Spagnuolo and Karina Milei erupted in August after the leak of audio recordings, allegedly featuring Spagnuolo—then-head of Argentina’s National Disability Agency (ANDIS) and former personal lawyer to President Milei—detailing a corruption scheme within the government.
In the audio, Spagnuolo accused Karina Milei and her advisor Eduardo “Lule” Menem of orchestrating a kickback system. He alleged that pharmaceutical companies, notably Droguería Suizo Argentina, paid bribes in exchange for state contracts. The purported scheme involved commissions of 5% to 8% on medical supply contracts, with Karina Milei allegedly receiving 3%, or approximately US$500,000 to US$800,000 monthly.
Spagnuolo claimed he warned President Milei about the corruption but was ignored. The recordings sparked judicial investigations, raids, and the seizure of US$266,000 in cash from a key suspect, which led to Spagnuolo’s dismissal and ANDIS being placed under trusteeship.
While Milei later publicly denied the allegations, calling Spagnuolo a liar and vowing legal action, his administration faces severe backlash. Opposition lawmakers filed motions for investigative commissions, and critics have labeled the scandal a major credibility crisis for Milei’s anti-corruption platform, which was already stained by the alleged cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme, $LIBRA. The case, investigated by federal judge Sebastián Casanello, includes allegations of deleted WhatsApp chats involving Spagnuolo and the Mileis, further intensifying suspicions of a cover-up.
A call for peace and widespread discontent
Prior to the incident on Wednesday, the opposition mayor of Lomas de Zamora, Federico Otermín, called for “a message of peace and respect for democracy.”
“Let everyone express themselves calmly and without any violence,” he said. “Lomas de Zamora is a Town of Peace. Please, let everything be peaceful today. We would love for you to come to work, to inaugurate a project, to bring patrol cars, to help someone.”
Analysts have said the incident reflects widespread discontent in Argentina, noting that Milei’s economic measures are widely seen as only benefiting the most concentrated oligarchic sectors. This sentiment is compounded by successive corruption scandals plaguing the ruling party, from cases of illicit personal and party enrichment to underhanded dealings using public funds. Many people perceive that while sacrifices are demanded of them, the political class—represented by figures like the Menem family—continues to profit.
Special for Orinoco Tribune by staff
OT/JRE/AU
