Espert Resigns Amid Scandal; Diego Santilli to Lead Buenos Aires List
Diego Santilli, a deputy from the party of former Argentinian President Mauricio Macri, will lead the electoral list for President Javier Milei’s party in Buenos Aires for the national legislative elections scheduled for October 26. This comes after José Luis Espert resigned from his candidacy on Sunday amid a scandal involving his connections to a businessman accused of fraud and drug trafficking in the United States, reports 24brussels.
The controversy surfaced last week when Espert’s ties to Federico “Fred” Machado, an Argentine businessman linked to a drug trafficking network in the U.S., became public knowledge. Machado has been under house arrest in Argentina since April 2021, awaiting a resolution on his extradition to the U.S.
In his resignation statement, Espert expressed his commitment to Argentina, stating, “For the sake of Argentina, I step aside.” His resignation was accepted by President Milei, who alleged that “Kirchnerism orchestrated an operation” against Espert.
On the legal front, Peronist candidate Juan Grabois filed a court complaint on Monday, alleging a $200,000 payment to Espert in 2020 from a company affiliated with Machado. This transaction has surfaced in a Texas court case against one of Machado’s former associates, Debra Mercer-Erwin, who was convicted in 2023 for money laundering, fraud, and drug trafficking. Espert acknowledged receiving the funds.
In response to the unfolding events, Milei reaffirmed his admiration and respect for Macri. Although their political alliance has been marked by fluctuations since Milei assumed the presidency in December 2023, their recent meeting at the presidential residence focused on collaborative efforts to implement “structural reforms.”