One of Argentina's most popular journalists sued President Javier Milei for the crime of libel after the president accused him of being a liar and extortioner for his criticism of the Israeli ambassador's participation in a cabinet conclave.
Jorge Lanata, founder of a newspaper, author of several books and currently host of one of the most listened to current affairs radio programs in the country, filed through his lawyers a criminal lawsuit for libel and another civil lawsuit for reparation against Milei this Thursday in the Buenos Aires courts, the journalist himself confirmed.
He is the first to sue the libertarian president since he took office on December 10, although not the only one Milei criticized for his opinions.
Lanata, 63, had questioned the presence of the Israeli ambassador in Buenos Aires, Eyal Sela, at a cabinet meeting of ministers called urgently by President Milei on Sunday after the drone and missile attack launched by Iran against Israel, a country with which Argentina established a close diplomatic alliance after Milei came to power.
“It seems good to me that Milei is concerned about the Israel issue, in any case it is a foreign policy issue. What doesn't seem right to me is that a foreign ambassador, whether from Israel or Belgian, is at a cabinet meeting in Argentina,” Lanata reflected on her radio show. “Because it seems to me there are ways to maintain. It doesn't have to. If she meets the guy later, everything will be fine. May he be found sooner, all good. But I don't agree with him being part of a cabinet meeting in Argentina.”
In response to Lanata's statements, Milei published a harsh message on the social network X, formerly Twitter. “Jorgito, don't lie. At the meeting the ambassador told Israel's official vision and then left, thus beginning the formal meeting of the CC (crisis committee). Criticisms yes. Not lies. Does telling the truth require about?”, in reference to a bribe.
Strikingly, it was the presidency of Argentina that had reported in a statement that Sela “described the events and the position of the Israeli government” during the meeting with members of the cabinet of ministers. The diplomat also “personally thanked President Milei for Argentina's support.”
This was the last in a series of exchanges that the president had with renowned journalists in recent weeks. He even celebrated the possibility of the newspaper Perfil declaring bankruptcy due to financial problems.
Milei argues that the questions to his government are not honest but rather a retaliation for the decision to end payment for official advertising in the media within the framework of its adjustment policies.
He also maintains that journalists have to accept criticism of their work like him.
Lanata had given the president a period of 48 hours to retract his statements, which did not happen.
“It seems outrageous to me that the president is accusing journalism of illegal acts,” Lanata said the day before when justifying his decision. “Deep down, being called ensobrado (bribed) is accusing you of an illegal act.”
“Journalists have to unite and put a point on Milei,” claimed the founder of the newspaper Página/12 and documentary filmmaker who was awarded for uncovering high-profile cases of corruption during the center-left governments of Néstor and Cristina Kirchner (2003-2015).
The complaint fell on federal judge Ariel Lijo, whom Milei himself promoted as a candidate to join the Supreme Court of Justice.
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