Corruption in Argentina is structural and has become deeply entrenched over the years. From a political leadership that uses state institutions for personal benefit, to a slow and inefficient judiciary that coexists with impunity, this has created a climate of distrust in which society’s perception of those involved in politics and justice grows increasingly negative.
The results of the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI), conducted annually by Transparency International, highlight the country’s negative trend. The 2025 index results, the latest available, place Argentina 104th out of 180 countries, worsening from the 99th position achieved the previous year.
Scandals such as the $Libra cryptocurrency case directly involving Javier Milei, the alleged bribery payments from suppliers of the National Disability Agency to public officials, or the supposed illicit enrichment of Manuel Adorni, Chief of Staff and former government spokesperson—one of the visible faces of an administration that promised to “fight the caste”—have deepened perceptions of corruption.
The return of $Libra
In 2025, Javier Milei promoted a cryptocurrency that collapsed after attracting investors, leaving users with total losses and profits for its creators. Journalistic investigations revealed an alleged multimillion-dollar agreement linked to the president, the project, and his close circle.
This case exemplifies the failures of the system of checks and balances. The Chamber of Deputies created an investigative commission, but it lacks the authority to compel officials to testify. At the same time, the judiciary was accused by this same commission of delaying the investigation. Meanwhile, the Executive Branch created its own Investigative Task Unit, which was later dissolved after having supposedly “completed its work.” The results of the investigation, allegedly sent to the courts, were not shared with civil society organizations, constituting a possible violation of the right to Access to Public Information.
This case reflects the failures of oversight among the branches of government, as well as the lack of tools to investigate and punish crimes linked to corruption. Therefore, Argentina’s negative position in the index is not due solely to the scandal itself, but also to the poor response of the State, which deepens the sense of impunity.
The public ethics law under strain
The rise of Manuel Adorni to Chief of Staff can be interpreted as the consolidation of his integration into the core circle of power surrounding Javier Milei, where proximity to key ruling-party figures functions as the main criterion for accumulating influence. More than a trajectory based on technical expertise, his career demonstrates the weight of personal loyalties within a highly concentrated decision-making structure.
The controversies linked to official and private trips, together with inconsistencies in the explanations regarding their financing, raise doubts about transparency in the exercise of public office. The lack of supporting documentation, combined with relationships involving actors connected to state contracting, suggests possible gray areas in the management of resources and in the separation between public and private functions.
In this context, asset irregularities and indirect benefits within his close circle reinforce the hypothesis of conflicts of interest, putting the principles of public ethics under strain. The possible violation of rules — such as the prohibition against receiving undue benefits or engaging in incompatible activities — not only compromises individual responsibilities, but also exposes institutional weaknesses in oversight and accountability mechanisms.
In this context, the government faces the challenge of adhering more strictly to the current law, as it often engages in and justifies behaviors that could run contrary to public ethics and lead to the degradation of the quality of democratic institutions. A better understanding of the Public Ethics Law and its strict enforcement would imply a more robust integrity system and could finally allow Argentina to improve its position in the index.
Alejandro Román holds a degree in Political Science from the National University of La Matanza, is a journalist trained at TEA, and is pursuing a master’s degree in International Relations at the University of San Martín. He works at Poder Ciudadano, the Argentine chapter of Transparency International.
Autor
Licenciado en Ciencia Política por UNLaM y periodista por TEA. Trabaja en Poder Ciudadano, capítulo argentino de Transparencia Internacional, como responsable del área de Comunicación y como Responsable de Proyectos del área de Sector Público y Fortalecimiento Institucional.
