Milei's Supreme Court Misstep
Wall Street JournalMay 19
Argentina's Milei Faces Backlash Over Supreme Court Pick
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The Facts
Javier Milei, Argentina's libertarian outsider president who railed against the political elite during his campaign last year, has been accused of hypocrisy after nominating Ariel Lijo to the Argentine Supreme Court last month.
This comes as the Buenos Aires federal judge has overseen several high-profile cases against leading politicians that were either tabled or ended in controversial sentences.
The Spin
Narrative A
Milei has pledged to fight the corrupt elite that has long ruled Argentina and clean house, so his odd decision to pick establishment-linked Ariel Lijo is both disappointing and concerning — to the extent that even his vice president, Victoria Villarruel, has questioned his suitability for the high court — because it goes in the opposite direction. While there is still time, the Argentine president must withdraw this nomination.
Narrative B
Despite being popular with libertarians abroad, Milei has already shown troublesome tendencies to populism and nepotism. Therefore, his decision to nominate a judge to the Supreme Court who has thrown out cases against politicians comes as no surprise to those closely following his presidency. After all, he is not even the first "caste" member that Milei has appointed during his time in office.