Police carry out raids as Milei sister graft probe continues

Police on Friday raided the offices of the ANDIS national disability agency and Suizo Argentino, the pharmaceutical company at the heart of a developing corruption scandal embroiling President Javier Milei's influential sister.

The allegations against Karina Milei, her brother's right-hand woman and presidential chief-of-staff, are the most damaging yet involving a member of the Argentine leader's inner circle.

The La Libertad Avanza leader and his sister were pelted with stones while campaigning for midterm elections this week in a suburb of Buenos Aires, amid widespread anger over the affair.

In leaked audio recordings, Karina Milei is accused of receiving a three-percent cut on the amount paid by ANDIS for the purchase of medicine from Suizo Argentina.

The allegations emerged in leaked audio recordings in which a man – attributed in media reports as Diego Spagnuolo, director of the disability agency – is heard saying: "Karina gets three percent."

Spagnuolo was fired after the recordings became public.

Karina Milei has not publicly commented on the claims.

Javier Milei told reporters on Wednesday that "everything [Spagnuolo] says is a lie" and vowed to "bring him to justice."

Suizo Argentina has also denied any wrongdoing.

Milei's top spokesman Manuel Adorni has portrayed the affair as an attempt by the opposition to discredit the maverick economist in an election year.

On October 26, Argentina holds national midterm elections elections. On September 7, voters in Buenos Aires Province will take part in provincial vote.

The elections are the first major tests of Milei's support since he took office in December 2023 on a promise to revive Argentina's ailing economy by slashing public spending and red tape.

The 54-year-old has managed to bring down stubbornly high inflation and produce a budget surplus but his austerity measures have left many vulnerable Argentines, particularly the elderly, worse off than before.

– TIMES/AFP