The Argentine courts have begun analyzing the contents of two cell phones seized the day before from the former director of the Disability Agency, Diego Spagnuolo, as part of an investigation into bribery. Spagnuolo was dismissed Thursday following the emergence of several audio recordings that allegedly implicate him in a corruption scheme.
The seized devices have been sent to the General Directorate of Investigations and Technological Support for Criminal Investigation (DATIP), whose experts have already begun downloading the first messages and then analyzing their content, according to the newspaper 'La Nación,' citing judicial sources.
The ongoing investigation responds to a complaint based on audio recordings leaked Wednesday afternoon by the streaming channel Carnaval, in which Spagnuolo admitted to the existence of an "illegal collection" system involving the head of state and his sister – Javier and Karia Milei – as well as Karina's advisor, Eduardo 'Lule' Menem, and the owner of the Suizo Argentina pharmaceutical company, Eduardo Kovalivker.
According to the complaint, the accused allegedly committed "crimes of bribery, fraudulent administration, negotiations incompatible with the exercise of public functions, and violations of the Public Ethics Law." However, the Argentine government has insisted that this was an "operation" designed to harm the ruling party in the upcoming elections.
A “DIFFICULT AND CONFUSING” MOMENT
Argentina's Vice President, Victoria Villarruel, has taken advantage of the "difficult and confusing" situation to assert her will and capacity for action, further distancing herself from the Milei brothers .
"It's a difficult and rather confusing time. Making political decisions isn't easy. But I'm not a figurehead: I fulfill the role assigned to me by the Constitution," the vice president said in statements issued from the southern province of Chubut and reported by the same outlet.
Along the same lines, Villarruel asserted that she owes it to the Argentinian people who voted for her as vice president and maintained that, "beyond political circumstances," she performs her duties "with integrity."
