Argentine President Javier Milei was compelled to bring short a campaign rally in Buenos Aires province on Wednesday after demonstrators pelted his motorcade with rocks and other missiles. Milei, witnesses said, was traveling in the rear of an approaching pickup truck with his sister and chief of staff, Karina Milei, when the crowd turned violent.
Several rocks hit the truck's hood and other objects swooped over the head of the president as security hurried him away to chants of "Get out, Milei." There were also scuffles among some in the crowd.
The spokesman for Milei, Manuel Adorni, later reported that opposition members had "attacked" the caravan, but confirmed there were no injuries.
The violent outburst comes as Milei’s administration grapples with a corruption scandal tied to Argentina’s disability agency. Authorities raided several properties last week as part of an investigation into an alleged kickback scheme involving Diego Spagnuolo, the former head of the agency.
Leaked audio files released in local press purported to record Spagnuolo talking about bribes and proposing Karina Milei had been paid. Though the government of Milei promptly ridiculed Spagnuolo "as a preventive measure," the scandal has spurred criticism against the president's closest allies.
For the first time since the scandal broke, Milei spoke out about it publicly at the event. He attacked Spagnuolo, accusing his words of being "lies" and threatening to sue him.
Beyond the scandal, Milei’s sweeping austerity policies dubbed the “chainsaw plan” have sharply reduced funding for public services in an attempt to tackle Argentina’s soaring inflation. While aimed at stabilizing the economy and attracting foreign investment, the cuts have angered many Argentines, eroding public support for the president.
Recent polling by Synopsis shows Milei’s negative image jumped by more than six percentage points between June and August, now standing at 54.2%. Analysts say the rising discontent could weigh heavily on his government ahead of upcoming elections.
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The timing of Wednesday's assault highlights the fraught political environment as Argentina edges towards decisive votes. The September 7 local elections in Buenos Aires province will measure the popularity of Milei in a Peronist bastion, with October 26 national midterm elections potentially deciding whether he will be able to force through drastic cuts in spending.
In spite of the commotion, Milei uploaded a defiant picture following the incident, flashing his teeth and thumbing up with his sister. "The opposition launches stone-like empty ideas, resorting once again to violence," he posted, indicating his resolve to persist.
