On 8 November a federal prosecutor in Argentina revealed a vast illegal spying network targeting politicians, judges, journalists, and businesspeople, with alleged links to Kirchnerista officials.
Analysis:
The attorney general’s office is investigating illegal intelligence reports on over a thousand targets including President Alberto Fernández, current presidential candidates Sergio Massa and Javier Milei, and senior members of the judiciary. The scandal, coming less than two weeks before the presidential run-off on 19 November, could harm Massa who is running for the ruling Peronist coalition Unión por la Patria (UP) given the implication of officials from the left-wing Kirchnerista faction of Peronism led by Vice President Cristina Fernández. Although Massa has distanced himself from Kirchnerismo, Milei and his right-wing La Libertad Avanza (LLA) party will likely use the scandal to highlight the need for change.
- Federal prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita revealed the spying network in a report widely accessed by the local press. The report states that Ariel Zanchetta, a former police officer, obtained personal information on thousands of individuals.
- Zanchetta, who is suspected of working as an undeclared intelligence officer during the government of Cristina Fernández (2007-2015), was arrested in June accused of participating in hacking the phones of two supreme court judges.
- The ensuing investigation into Zanchetta revealed the spying network. According to the investigation, Zanchetta has links to two Kirchnerista officials – national deputy Rodolfo Tailhade and Fabián Rodríguez, an important figure within the radical Kirchnerista La Cámpora faction and a deputy director in Argentina’s tax authority (Afip). Pollicita transcribes messages between Zanchetta and Rodríguez, in which the official asks for information about social development minister, Victoria Tolosa Paz. A separate report allegedly depicts similar requests from Tailhade.
- On social media, Patricia Bullrich, the eliminated presidential candidate from the right-of-centre opposition coalition Juntos por el Cambio (JxC) who is now backing Milei, proclaimed that: “Massa spied on us using the Afip… Let’s vote for change if we do not want to be hostages of this perverse regime.”
- This all comes as the elections loom. Yesterday, the vice-presidential candidates Agustín Rossi (UP) and Victoria Villarruel (LLA) took part in a heated debate which covered the economy, security, education, and human rights.
Looking Ahead: The investigation into the spying scandal is ongoing, with Pollicita calling for further action, including potential new raids and interrogations. The allegations will likely be addressed at the next debate between Massa and Milei on 12 November.
