MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

$LIBRA scandal: Milei's legal team yet to be appointed

Despite the uproar, Milei plans to attend several events in the United States this week

The Argentine Government explained Tuesday that Justice Minister Mariano Cúneo Libarona would not be stepping down to defend President Javier Milei in the so-called $LIBRA cryptofiasco. Instead, the Anticorruption Office as well as judiciary authorities would handle the investigations into the case, Spokesman Manuel Adorni said. “He is the Minister of Justice and is devoted to his specific functions in the Ministry,” Adorni stressed about Cúneo Libarona. Regarding Milei's legal counseling, he admitted that the team was yet to be appointed.

Despite the ongoing uproar, Milei intends to carry on with his plan to attend the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) from February 19 to 22 in the United States, where he is also to meet with tycoon Elon Musk - now a US Government official - as well as International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. Milei is also to deliver a speech at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and talk with World Bank President Ajay Benga. US President Donald Trump is also to speak at the CPAC. Milei intends to use the Presidential ARG01 Boeing 757 aircraft for this trip.

Back in 2021, when he was made a congressman, Milei promoted CoinX, a platform that promised high returns and was later denounced for fraud. At that time, he claimed that CoinX represented a financial solution for Argentines in the face of inflation. A year later, Argentina's National Securities Commission (CNV) banned its operations for not being authorized to offer investments. CoinX's collapse left thousands of investors with millionaire losses in what seemed to be a prelude to the $LIBRA move.

Attorney Gregorio Dalbón, representing one of the many plaintiffs against Milei for his posting in favor of a cryptocurrency that lost around 95% of its value in just a few hours, asked Judge María Servini to ban the head of State from leaving the country during the ongoing investigation.

Casa Rosada sources were also hopeful that Milei would have the chance to meet informally with Trump during the Conservative event, particularly after the Republican leader supported him on social media after the scandal broke out.

Milei is due back in Buenos Aires at 8.20 am Sunday.