Libertarian Party setback in Argentina after Espert resigns amid scandal
José Luis Espert has officially withdrawn his candidacy for national deputy in Buenos Aires Province, stepping down amid accusations that he received a $200,000 payment from businessman Fred Machado, who is under investigation in the United States for alleged drug trafficking.
Espert announced his resignation in a post on X, revealing that he had submitted his resignation to President Javier Milei, who accepted it. “I will demonstrate my innocence in court, without immunity or privileges,” he wrote in a detailed statement.
The decision to remove Espert from the Libertarian ticket came after pressure from different factions within Milei’s government. Until this Sunday, Milei had been Espert’s primary supporter since the scandal first emerged, but the controversy threatened to complicate the ruling party’s strategy ahead of the legislative elections on 26 October.
The allegations surfaced last week when a Peronist politician published accounting documents from a Texas court case against Fred Machado. The records indicate a $200,000 payment to Espert, who acknowledged that Machado had contributed to his 2019 presidential campaign. Espert also admitted to flying on Machado’s private planes at least 35 times.
This development marks a significant setback for Milei’s political movement, coming just weeks before the crucial midterm legislative elections, and highlights ongoing scrutiny of campaign financing and links to controversial figures in Argentine politics.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
