MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Judge bans public playing of Karina Milei's audios

It remains to be seen whether those audios involving Karina Milei will be released through a Uruguayan broadcaster

Following a complaint from the Government of President Javier Milei, a court has ordered the immediate removal of audio recordings attributed to Presidential Secretary (and sister) Karina Milei, in which she allegedly holds private conversations at the Casa Rosada (the presidential palace).

Leaked by the Carnaval streaming channel, these messages would disclose a series of irregularities linked to the National Disability Agency (Andis) scandal, reportedly involving kickbacks from suppliers to high-ranking officials, particularly her. Those releasing the audios claimed they were just “the tip of the iceberg,” hinting that there would be more damaging revelations about La Libertad Avanza (LLA) ahead of the midterm elections.

The government has described the incident as an “illegal intelligence operation” and not a simple leak. Presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni stated that the recordings were part of a “planned and targeted attack” to influence the executive branch.

Judge Patricio Maraniello's ruling bans the dissemination of the audio recordings across all media platforms, including social media. The court found that the recordings constituted a “serious violation of institutional privacy,” a distinction from freedom of the press.

However, some Uruguayan media claimed not to be reached by the magistrate's decision and announced that they would air the material through a Montevideo broadcaster, although many fear it was only clickbait, and that the only content to be played would be recordings previously made public in Argentina.

In the leaked audio, which is only a few seconds long, Karina Milei is heard discussing internal conflicts within the government and the long hours she works.

Following the judge's decision, many press freedom advocates and political opponents have strongly criticized the Argentine government's recent moves, particularly Security Minister Patricia Bullrich's request for a search warrant against the journalists who released these recordings, whom they accused of staging a “clandestine” operation, alleging foreign interference from “Russian and Chavista interests.”

The Buenos Aires Press Union (Sipreba) claimed it was an attack on journalists' right to protect their sources. Other groups, such as the Argentine Journalism Forum (FOPEA), dubbed the judge's injunction an act of “prior censorship.”

Journalist Jorge Rial, who was among those to release the leaked audios, said he felt threatened because he was “dangerous” to those in power.

On a more somber note, Judge Alejandro Patricio Maraniello, who issued the injunction, is facing multiple serious accusations before the Council of the Magistracy, with nine complaints against him, including five for sexual harassment and others for misuse of public funds.

In times of commotion, porteños (people of the City of Buenos Aires) were used to tuning Radio Colonia, a Uruguayan broadcaster not reached by local censorship.