The national government announced on Apr. 5 that it is working to support Manuel Adorni in his role as Chief of Cabinet following his indictment for alleged illicit enrichment.
This situation has sparked significant internal conflict within the close circle around President Javier Milei, highlighting a lack of coordination among Karina Milei, Santiago Caputo, and members of the Menem family. The tension increased after a video surfaced showing Adorni with journalist Marcelo Grandio at an airstrip. Some within Karina Milei’s faction suggested that the leak came from Santiago Caputo’s group as possible retaliation for his reduced influence in the Ministry of Justice after Sebastián Amerio’s departure and Juan Bautista Mahiques’ arrival.
Other sources disputed this theory, claiming instead that the video originated from the Airport Security Police under Minister Alejandra Monteoliva’s Security Ministry. This led some sectors to question why Patricia Bullrich did not remove opposing influences during her previous leadership of the force.
Despite these suspicions, Karina Milei remains Adorni’s main supporter, describing him as loyal and honest. Santiago Caputo also backs Adorni, seeing him as a barrier against MartÃn and Eduardo Lule Menem’s ambitions to gain positions in the Cabinet Office—a move reportedly blocked by Adorni according to discussions inside Casa Rosada.
Caputo’s distrust centers on concerns that if Adorni leaves, someone from the Menem family could take over at the ministry coordinator level, potentially disrupting existing power structures. There are also reported disagreements between Caputo and Mahiques over proposed candidates for federal judge and prosecutor vacancies.
The conflict extended into Congress during debate over new university funding legislation. Within La Libertad Avanza party there was criticism regarding strategy: factions aligned with Karina Milei preferred relying solely on a favorable court ruling via Mahiques rather than legislative agreement; however, this week the Federal Administrative Litigation Chamber ruled against national management.
How these factions will continue to coexist amid ongoing judicial indictments and unfavorable rulings remains an open question for President Milei’s administration.
