This is a challenging week for the Casa Rosada and, in particular, for the political strategist Santiago Caputo. The Congress deals with two crucial issues for the institutional life of the country: go reserve funds Secretariat of State Information (SIDE) and the Ariel Lijo’s appeal to the High Court. Although they are the main issues for his political construction, the councilor Javier Milei and – at this point – one of the most influential people in the Government, This week he took a few days away from the Casa Rosada.
Caputo was not present at the cabinet meeting this past Tuesday and he did not attend his political contacts from the office he lives in at Balcarce 50, in the Martín Fierro Room, an office attached to the Hall of Actions where Javier Milei’s digital teams work. He stayed connected on the phone, probably from the south of the country.
From there he got news about the movements in the Congress. This Tuesday, the radical senator Martin Lousteau (who voted in the past against mega DNU 70/2023 Javier Milei and the Basic Law) left by chairman of the Bicameral Commission on Control of Security and Intelligence Agencies. New story which, at first reading, is very bad news for the Casa Rosada. This commission is the only one that can put a magnifying glass on the SIDE’s reserved funds, which the Government increase through the order of 800%, by specifying items for $100,000 million.
Caputo planned to put Sen. Entre Rios in that seat Edgardo Kueider (Federal Unit), a legislator of Peronist extraction who signed an agreement with the libertarian leadership. But the presidential adviser – the political guardian of the new SIDE – he never added the wishes of other members of the commission to reach a majority, despite jamming the phones of legislators, governors and other political institutions in recent weeks.
The Kueider option was trying to counter the alternative that the vice president had been pushing. Victoria Villarruel. She, maintaining an original political agreement in the distribution of the commissions, wanted to impose the missionary as president of the Bicameral Intelligence Martin Goerling, from the Pro. The vice president has a special interest in that commission, which not only investigates the SIDE but also all intelligence services, including those of the Armed forces.
In that crusade, Villarruel had interests at the same time Patricia Bullrich: the bicameral will also put his eye on the National Directorate of Criminal Intelligence (DNIC), his ministry. Goerling is close to Bullrich, although he also refers to him politically Mauricio Macri. And he is the third one who is interested in it Caputo central power over services.
But the ruling party’s internal bid for the bicameral presidency took a hit last Thursday, when Caputo received an unexpected call from Emiliano Yacobitti, vice president of the UBA and Lousteau’s chief political operative at the UCR. that day, The radical told the presidential adviser that he had an almost closed agreement with Kirchnerism (which has six members on the commission) to introduce Lousteau as chairman of the bicameral intelligence agency.
Caputo and Yacobitti have known each other for several years. Yes oscillating relationship, which includes underground bargaining agreements and deaf arm wrestling. And friend-foe game, but with codes. That’s why it was called Thursday to expect a move to the president’s adviser. Lousteau managed to Kirchnerism – which was in a dilemma – to vote for him because, to Cristina Kirchner, His name is a better alternative to that of Goerling and Kueider. The former president is sure, at the very least, a challenging and urgent voice. In addition, Leopoldo Moreau (UxP) He remained the first vice-president of the Commission and Oscar Parrilli (UxP), as a secretary.
Last week, Caputo had the choice to move all the pieces into a line behind Lousteau’s choice. But he preferred to stick to his original plan and the word he gave to Kueider. Tried the presidential strategy until the end, without success. Then, the influencers Libertarians came out in chorus to publish photos of Lousteau with Cristina Kirchner on the X social network.
In politics, everyone warns that although the bicameral commission was left in the hands of an opponent, Caputo will continue with an open channel with Yacobitti for any future discussions.
This Wednesday, however, another storm was expected for the SIDE led by Caputo. Agents prepare for deal with order 656/24 which increased the reserve costs for the information system by $100,000 million. The big question of the day is what does Pro do. In the Casa Rosada they began to send messages to their Macri interlocutors when he appeared in these media Macri could ask his representatives to vote against the DNU. The expectation of the libertarian leadership was that the allies would not even provide a quorum.
The head of Pro was scheduled to speak to his space representatives this morning by video conference. The groups have to make a transcendental decision, knowing that They could damage the relationship with Milei’s government if they vote against the SIDE DNU. Macri is in the country, but in the coming weeks he has planned trips to Europe, Asia and the United States.
“The order will certainly be rejected,” Milei’s colleague resigned this morning. There were members of Pro who, in the middle of the negotiations at the last minute, suggested to the Government that they withdraw the DNU and replace it. They will proceed by allocating funds for the SIDE with secret orders that can only be seen by the bicameral intelligence commission. I would have given the same advice Miguel Pichetto to Caputo a few days ago: “Be wiser.”
But the Government would prefer to present the $100,000 million pesos in the sunlight (through a DNU that can be debated in Congress) and also transfer 80% of that money from the Treasury in one go, the raising even more suspicions. According to what they say in Casa Rosada, the money has not been spent yet.
The complex overview in the Congress happens while the Government does not control its internal affairs, which open on many sides. Yesterday, a day before Lijo appeared before the Senate Appropriations Commission, Villarruel said the Executive Branch candidate “He doesn’t have the qualifications to be a judge on the Court.” More directly was the senator from Formosa Francisco Paoltroni who was in contact with him THE NIGHTasked that Caputo’s head would roll, because he was one of those who supported the plan to promote the judge from Comodoro Py to the highest court (along with the other candidate, Manuel García Mansilla). Yesterday, Milei said that Paoltroni “doesn’t understand anything” and defended his adviser and right-hand man.
At all times, the Casa Rosada trusted that they had the numbers in the Senate to impeach Lijo. Now that too is in doubt.
