BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentine President Javier Milei’s Cabinet chief and close ally, Manuel Adorni, resigned on Saturday amid a corruption scandal that has shaken his libertarian government, undermining his campaign pledge to eradicate endemic corruption among the political elite.
The departure of Adorni — who served as Milei’s former spokesperson and emerged in 2023 as the public face of his stringent austerity measures and anti-corruption initiative — deprives the president of one of his most trusted and long-serving advisors.
A political outsider similar to the president, Adorni became a focal point for criticism in recent months following reports of his extravagant spending and real estate acquisitions. President Milei appointed him as Cabinet chief last year, granting him substantial influence in negotiations with provincial governors and congressional stakeholders.
Federal prosecutors are investigating Adorni on charges of illicit enrichment, allegedly stemming from excessive expenditures that Milei and Adorni themselves had frequently condemned in Argentina’s left-leaning populist opposition. Adorni denies any wrongdoing.
“For the first time since December 10, 2023, I am acting contrary to your wishes,” Adorni stated in his resignation letter to Milei, which he shared on social media, referencing the date Milei assumed office. “Thank you for your continued trust and for supporting me through this unjust, painful, and exhausting ordeal for me and my family.”
Thus far, Milei has defended his Cabinet chief, despite the scandal damaging his administration’s public image, restricting his political leverage in negotiations with allies, and complicating his messaging on spending cuts for Argentines whose wages continue to lag behind inflation.
“Manuel is innocent,” Milei told local media in Spain during his visit last week. “I stand by my ministers to the bitter end.”
Milei’s spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Adorni’s resignation letter.
His sister and top adviser, Karina Milei, thanked Adorni for his “tireless work” and described him as an “upright, valuable and much-loved” member of their libertarian party.
Adorni’s private life initially came under scrutiny in March when his wife, who is not employed by the government, accompanied him on the presidential aircraft to a conference in New York.
Days later, footage emerged showing him and his family traveling by private jet to Uruguay’s exclusive Punta del Este beach resort. Local media reported that he acquired two properties since Milei assumed office — a Buenos Aires apartment and a weekend residence outside the city. Additional images revealed other luxury vacations, including an all-cash trip to Aruba. Based on his public financial disclosures, Adorni earned a monthly salary of approximately $2,600 until late last year.
When confronted by lawmakers and journalists, Adorni has struggled to reconcile his lavish expenditures with his modest official salary.
For weeks, he maintained his innocence regarding any criminal activity. However, as pressure intensified earlier this month, he acknowledged purchasing dollars on Argentina’s black market and concealing $500,000 in savings from tax authorities — a technically illegal offense that, while widespread in Argentina’s crisis-prone economy, rarely results in prosecution. Adorni insisted the funds were obtained legitimately, including through cryptocurrency investments.
It remains uncertain who will succeed him as Cabinet chief.