Different opposition sectors will seek to promote a political trial against Javier Milei after the scandal for the $ LIBRA cryptocurrency. The union block for the country said that “Milei’s participation in a crime of crypto fraud is of enormous gravity.”
Deputies such as Esteban Paulón and Maximiliano Ferraro denounced possible violations of the Public Ethics Law and that of Financial Entities, while Martín Lousteau raised the need for a investigative commission. The CGT described the promotion of Milei as “reckless” and demanded “an exhaustive explanation.” The Political Judgment Commission of Deputies, with 31 members, must evaluate the admissibility of the process.
“Our block of national deputies decided to advance in the presentation of a request for political trial against the president of the Nation“, explained the statement of the Union bench for the homeland in its official X. Martín Losteauwho already pointed out that “there is already a debate between the different blocks in Congress on whether there must be an investigative commission or if the political trial corresponds“
And Maximiliano Ferraro, deputy of the Ari Civic Coalition, who marked Milei would have raped The Public Ethics Law and the Law on Financial Entities“particularly in relation to advertising for the collection of resources (art. 19). In addition, what happened could configure crimes of money laundering, fraud and/or fraud, which the FIU cannot ignore“
When a political trial is requested
Political trial is the constitutional mechanism by which The Nation Congress can dismiss the highest authorities of the country, including the presidentthe vice president, the chief of cabinet, the national ministers and the judges of the Supreme Court. Its development depends on a complex political framework, in which the legislative majorities are determinants.
The Government of Javier Milei, marked by this scandal, but with pre -existing conflicts with conflicts with different sectors, has aroused speculation about the possibility of facing such a process. However, its viability is tied to the composition of Congress and the fragility of alliances that support the ruling party.
Causes and political trial procedure
There are three reasons why an official can be submitted to political trial:
- Poor performance of their functionsa broad cause and subjective interpretation.
- Crime commission in the exercise of the position. It could be the case in the promotion of memecoin $ libra
- Commission of crimes outside the exercise of officein both cases with the requirement of a previous judicial conviction.
The procedure begins in the Chamber of Deputieswhere any legislator or citizen can file a complaint. The Political trial commission Analyze the admissibility of the case and, in case of progress, open a summary with testimonial and documentary evidence.
If the commission issues a favorable opinion, the Chamber of Deputies must approve the accusation with an aggravated majority of two thirds of those present. If it achieves, the process goes to Senatethat with the same majority decides the dismissal or acquittal of the accused.
When the trial is against the president, the Senate is chaired by the head of the Supreme Court, which introduces an additional element of institutionality in the process. That is, the figure of Victoria Villaruel would not play here any role.
The dependence of the allies in Congress
Since his assumption, Milei has faced an adverse legislative scenario. La Libertad advances It has just 38 deputies about a total of 257 and 7 senators about 72which forces him to depend on allied blocks, in particular on PRO and sectors of radicalism, to boost their projects.
This scheme was evidenced in the vote of the Omnibus lawthe package of structural reforms with which Milei sought to advance in its government agenda. But also more recently with the rejection of the Law on Educational Financing and the Retirement Formula that rebuilt wets. And in the Senate the situation is even more complex: Peronism maintains the first minority with 34 benches and has managed to block several initiatives of the ruling party.
This structural weakness also impacts an eventual political trial. To advance an accusation against Milei in deputies, the opposition should gather 172 votessomething unlikely without the support of sectors today allies to the government. In the Senate, where the opposition controls the majority, the challenge is lower, but the process would never reach that instance without the first step in the lower house.
How likely is a political trial?
Historically, political trials in Argentina have been rare and, for the most part, are archived in the Political Judgment Commission of Deputies. The last effective dismissal occurred in 2005, when The Senate removed the judge of the Supreme Court Antonio Boggiano. Since then, the tool has been used more as a symbolic or political pressure resource than as an effective way for the removal of officials.
For Milei to face a political trial, it would be needed not only for his adversaries to drive him, but also that his allies withdraw his support. “What they want to do is put a zancadilla, take it out, put a political trial. Then it doesn’t go. We will not allow that “Diego Santilli said from the PRO. And he also left in defense of Milei Cristian Ritondo, who said in his X account: “Those who melted Argentina ask for political trial. 20 years putting everything and now the moralists and republicans become. They are not ashamed, ”wrote the former Minister of Security of the Province of Buenos Aires.
Until now, the ruling party has managed to sustain a support core in Congress. But Milei may have to rearm his political scheme in front of his allies to sustain his government and prevent the opposition from progressing against him. The political trial, more than an immediate threat, is a reflection of the instability facing its administration. And this rude incident marks at least the inoperance and doubtful moral of the red circle.
By rn
