Javier Milei's approval rating drops to 35.5% amid corruption scandals

Argentina's President Javier Milei, who built his political identity on anti-corruption rhetoric, now faces a crisis as multiple scandals engulf his cabinet. Cabinet chief Manuel Adorni faced a congressional interrogation over a lavish lifestyle inconsistent with his $2,500 monthly salary, including private jet travel to Punta del Este, Uruguay, and high-end real estate purchases. Allegations of a $245,000 cash payment for renovations on a house purchased for less than half that price have also emerged. Separately, the head of Argentina's tax-collection authority faces indictment for omitting multimillion-dollar foreign properties from asset declarations, and a top economy ministry official was fired for failing to declare seven apartments in Florida. Milei has stood by Adorni and accused the press of corruption. Polls show corruption is a major concern for 50.3% of Argentines, and Milei's approval rating has fallen to 35.5%, the weakest point of his term. Economic discontent is also rising, with unemployment at 7.5% (highest in five years), real wages falling, and annual inflation around 30%. Despite a landslide midterm victory last year, Milei's re-election prospects are now in doubt.