«You can bring you a judicial quilombo»: they filter a cut out of interview with Milei where the presidential advisor interrupts the journalist and suggests agreed questions

The interview granted on Monday by Javier Milei to an Argentine television, in which the Argentine president tries to disconnect from the $ Libra scandal, was posted entire by the TN chain on his YouTube channel with sections that were not included in the version broadcast For the signal. How those images arrived at the networks will deserve internal investigation, but everything points to an error of the communication teams of the Casa Rosada.

By the country of Spain

The recording of the interview, conducted at three in the afternoon in the office of Milei himself, was under the control of the government until his broadcast at eight at night. Without explanation, the version that came later to the TN networks was not the same that air.

«Isn’t the questions agreed?» Milei asks the journalist who interviews him, Jonatan Viale, after giving his version after the controversy around the $ Libra cryptocurrency.

—Yes, yes, here: these noted me (Manuel) Adorni (head of Communication of the Executive); These Karina Milei (her sister and main advisor); (Santiago) Caputo (the strong man of the Government) these … -, replies the reporter of TN, with a smile, in the undertaking. Minutes before, in a stretch that did air, Viale had called the colleagues who, supposed, criticized him later for his reputation for being extremely condescending with the president.

Judicial consequences

The conversation between the two continues with a question about the possible judicial consequences that the president can face for promoting a crypt that collapsed in his price in a few hours, leaving a layout of victims. Milei insisted that he had written his tweet as a simple citizen. The journalist repeats several times when he is, in addition to a citizen, the president.

Before the awkward gesture of Milei, Santiago Caputo intervenes, which whispers something unintelligible to the ear:

«Yes, I understand, I realized … you can bring you a judicial quilombo,» adds the journalist. Look at the roof and change third. «Seeing how we were coming … -, continues Viale.» And take up the initial question.

The cut in question, of just over two minutes, was eliminated from the version issued by obvious issues. Milei faces an investigation before the Argentine justice for alleged scam. A law firm promoted a similar complaint in the United States. The president’s first defense strategy was, as he tried to make clear on Monday, to say that his promotion message of $ Libra was that of a common citizen who worked «in good faith», convinced that he was doing a good.

When $ Libra already gave signs of being a scam, Milei erased his post in X. «That account is personal, look at my profile,» Milei tells the journalist. «Yes, says ‘Economist’, I know. But SOS The president, ”Viale insists. At that time, Caputo interrupts the talk.

Milei and Viale never stopped guarding. The use of tuteo in interviews with the highest state authorities has spread in Argentina for several years.

Last Friday, Milei appealed to his 3.8 million followers in the social network X (owned by the American magnate Elon Musk) to invest in $ Libra, a cryptocurrency again. Its price passed in minutes from zero to 4.7 dollars (4.5 euros) and the global value of the cryptocurrency climbed up to 4.5 billion dollars. Suddenly, however, the few wallets concentrating most of the Tokens (digital assets) withdrew $ 90 million and the $ Libra collapsed in minutes. The controversy was served.

After a series of tweets in which he tried to dismantle the scandal – without success – the president granted on Monday the aforementioned television interview. In it, Milei equals the losses suffered by investors to «go to the casino and lose money» and refers to the matter as «a problem between private»: «I did not promote it, I only spread it. I am a technophanatic and that project was to finance those who are entrepreneurs and who do not have access to the formal market. It seemed like an interesting tool. When the pound project is made public, I disseminate it, ”it was justified.

Hours later, the cutting was originally published, which demonstrates both the interference of the president’s communication team, with previously agreed questions, as well as the subsequent edition of the conversation in which the most complicated passages are eliminated for Milei. The situation also leaves the journalist very badly, who agrees to respond without putting objections.

This Tuesday, senior government officials tried to control damage. The chief of ministers, Guillermo Francos, said that it is «usual» that «in the recorded notes there are corrections.» Mariano Cúneo Libarona, Minister of Justice, said that «the recorded notes are for that, to avoid a fury.» Milei’s spokesman, Manuel Adorni, rehearsed a somewhat more elaborate justification: “Santiago Caputo cut the interview because he has the defect of excellence and noticed that that could give confusion to a part of the audience. In fact, the note ended and the president said: ‘Santiago, unnecessary. ”