Argentina’s president and vice president are now openly at war. What had been a slow-burning fracture between Javier Milei and Victoria Villarruel escalated into the most dramatic internal rupture of the far-right government, with accusations of coup plotting, corruption, and betrayal exchanged in public over 48 hours.
The Speech That Lit the Fuse
At Sunday’s opening of the parliamentary year, Milei and Villarruel came face to face for the first time in months. The encounter was glacial — a cold handshake for her, an embrace for House Speaker Martín Menem. Cameras caught Karina Milei, the president’s sister, trying to block Villarruel’s path into the chamber before being shouldered aside.
During his speech, Milei accused opposition lawmakers, business leaders, and government insiders of conspiring to overthrow him. He described people “from within” who “dreamed of embracing the Rivadavia chair” — the symbol of presidential power — while turning toward Villarruel. The official broadcast kept her out of frame for most of the address, cutting to her only at the moment of accusation.
Officials Make It Explicit
Any ambiguity vanished within hours. Cabinet Chief Manuel Adorni declared that Villarruel “no longer forms part of the government” and that the relationship was beyond repair. On Monday, former Defense Minister and current congressman Luis Petri said Milei’s reference was “clearly about a vice president who was not up to the task.” He accused her of being “functional to the opposition,” betting on the government’s failure, and positioning herself as an alternative while being second in the line of succession. He then called her a “coup plotter” directly.
Villarruel Hits Back
The vice president responded in the early hours of Tuesday with a volley of social media posts. She dismissed Menem’s criticism of her phone use during the speech, mocking his expertise in “protocol, ceremony, and sycophancy.” She attacked Petri over alleged mismanagement of the armed forces’ health insurance fund, IOSFA, which she said left military families without medical care. And she referenced leaked audio recordings from the former disability agency head Diego Spagnuolo, who described a corruption network allegedly reaching Milei’s inner circle, including his sister.
On the question of resignation, she was categorical. “That’s what they want. My resignation. But they won’t get it. December 10, 2027 — until that date I hold my office with integrity,” she wrote.
A Two-Year Split With 2027 Implications
The rupture has been building since inauguration day. Villarruel, known for defending military officers accused of dictatorship-era crimes, sought control of the defense and security portfolios. Milei refused and confined her to the Senate. She responded by building her own political profile through provincial tours while Milei focused on Buenos Aires and foreign trips — activity his circle viewed as treasonous self-promotion.
The concern for Milei’s camp is electoral. Villarruel retains support among conservative nationalists and has built bridges with Peronist sectors. Should she run in 2027, she could split the right-wing vote when Milei seeks reelection. For now, Argentina has a president and vice president who regard each other as enemies — with no constitutional mechanism to force a separation before their shared term ends.
This is part of The Rio Times’ daily coverage of Latin American news and Latin American financial news.
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