Bullrich says Espert ‘must clarify’ drug-trafficker cash allegations

National Security Minister Patricia Bullrich has admitted that her party colleague, deputy José Luis Espert, must “immediately clarify” allegations that he took money from a suspected drug-trafficker.

Bullrich, speaking in a radio interview, called for the “situation to be clarified immediately” as “an explanation is needed.”

Espert, a current national deputy and media-savvy economist, is under pressure amid alleged links to Federico "Fred" Machado, an Argentine businessman arrested in 2021 at the request of the US justice system.

Reports by several media outlets last weekend revealed an alleged US$200,000 transfer that was sent to Espert from a source linked to Machado in February 2020.

Espert has denied the allegations, branding them an attempt to smear his name. However, he has admitted that he previously travelled in a private plane and vehicle provided by the businessman during his unsuccessful 2019 presidential campaign.

The outspoken libertarian formally joined La Libertad Avanza last year. He tops the ruling party's list of candidates in Buenos Aires Province, the nation's most-populous region, for the upcoming October 26 midterm election.

“We cannot accept the behaviour of people who have received money from drug-traffickers,” said Bullrich, who left the centre-right PRO party to join the ruling La Libertad Avanza party earlier this year.

“It is important to clarify Espert's situation now. An explanation is needed. Of course,” she said.

Documents published over the weekend, taken from the US courts, show Espert received US$200,000 on February 1, 2020, from a trust fund linked to Machado.

Machado is currently behind held in jail in Río Negro and is facing extradition for drug trafficking and fraud.

In her interview, Bullrich refused to say if the lawmaker should be taken off the ruling party’s ticket, preferring to say: “It is very important to clarify the situation now.”

Although the minister noted the events took place in 2019, she suggested that Espert's justification at the time needs to be revisited. 

“We need to see what explanation he gave at the time and what he presented,” she said.

“He seems like someone who, while running for election, got involved with someone [Fred Machado] who was involved in drug-trafficking,” she said of Espert.

Bullrich’s view contrasts sharply with President Javier Milei’s take on the incident. 

In an interview on Monday, the President brushed off the developing scandal as an “operation” by the opposition and backed his candidate.

“Six years have passed. He was smeared in 2019, again in 2021, it's a recurring theme,” said the head of state submissively.

On Tuesday, opposition Peronist lawmakers attempted to remove Espert from his position as chair of the congressional budget committee. 

Germán Martínez, Unión por la Patria caucus leader in the lower house, said Espert should be "removed immediately" in light of the allegations.

– TIMES/NA