Argentine President Javier Milei’s top aide and Cabinet chief resigns over spiraling corruption scandal

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentine President Javier Milei’s Cabinet chief and close ally, Manuel Adorni, resigned Saturday following a corruption scandal that has roiled the libertarian government, undermining its flagship campaign pledge to stamp out endemic graft in the political elite

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentine President Javier Milei’s Cabinet chief and close ally, Manuel Adorni, resigned Saturday following a corruption scandal that has roiled the libertarian government, undermining its flagship campaign pledge to stamp out endemic graft in the political elite.

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The departure of Adorni — who, as Milei’s former spokesperson, emerged in 2023 as the face of his harsh austerity program and anti-corruption drive — costs the president one of his most trusted and longtime aides.

A political outsider like the president, Adorni became a lightning rod for criticism in recent months as revelations about his extravagant spending and real estate purchases dominated headlines. Milei named Adorni Cabinet chief last year, giving him huge influence over negotiations with governors and other stakeholders in Congress.