MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Libertarian Lower House bloc dented over Impeachment Committee chair feud

The rift with Zago came as Casa Rosada needs Congress to pass a new version of the so-called Omnibus Law bill

Argentine President Javier Milei's La Libertad Avanza (LLA) Lower House bloc head Oscar Zago was replaced by Gabriel Bornoroni following a misunderstanding involving the Impeachment Committee's chair.

Zago on Wednesday endorsed Libertarian Congresswoman Marcela Pagano for the spot in the belief that he was abiding by instructions from Milei himself but House Speaker Martín Menem, also a Libertarian, adjourned the proceedings.

According to Buenos Aires media reports, Menem was told by Presidential Secretary Karina Milei, who is on tour in the United States alongside her brother, not to have Pagano appointed and to remove Zago as bloc head.

In this scenario, Zago announced he was leaving LLA, although he would continue to stand behind President Milei. “I still belong to the front with my political party,” he said. “Politics is like that, it is the art of discussion”, he added. “If we are going to be more of the same and we are going to shit on all the norms and rules, do it. Not with me,” Zago stressed.

Zago and Pagano claimed that Milei himself had greenlighted the move.

The rift came as Casa Rosada needs Congress to pass a new version of the so-called Omnibus Law bill providing for the economic reforms the Libertarian administration claims to need to successfully steer Argentina out of its current plight.

Presidential Spokesman Manuel Adorni pointed out that Menem did “everything according to the regulations.” Regarding Zago's breakup and his criticism of the ruling party, Adorni remarked that “we are a space where issues are debated and we do not always agree.”

“Menem has done what he considered right” when he ruled that Wednesday's session was not valid because it had been suspended before starting and summoned the House for April 18, Adorni insisted.

After being anointed as the new head of the bloc, Bornoroni made contact with the press and smilingly thanked his colleagues for the decision, while he pointed out that “there is very important work ahead.”