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Argentina: Espert steps down as chairman of Lower House's Budget Committee

Argentina: Espert steps down as chairman of Lower House's Budget Committee Congressman José Luis Espert has resigned as chairman of the Budget and Finance Committee in Argentina's Lower House, just hours after withdrawing his reelection candidacy amid a scandal linking him to a drug trafficker wanted in the State of Texas. His bid had further tarnished the already dire situation that President Javier Milei's La Libertad Avanza (LLA) is going through. “I am writing to inform you of my resignation from the Budget and Finance Committee of this Honorable House. Sincerely,” Espert wrote to House Speaker Martín Menem. By stepping down from the committee's top spot, Espert preempted a certain scandal next Wednesday, as multiple opposition blocks had planned to formally demand his removal when the 2026 Budget needs to be ruled upon before Nov. 20. Milei proposed Congressman (and drummer) Bertie Benegas Lynch as a likely replacement. Until the situation is resolved, the committee will be temporarily led by Vice Chairman Carlos Heller of the opposition Unión por la Patria. Espert's move also resulted in efforts to expel him from Congress altogether losing momentum, since his term expires on Dec. 9. Although he remains a sitting lawmaker for the time being, he is expected to remain away from the spotlight ahead of the Oct. 26 midterm elections, not to further damage the ruling party's image. However, not all Deputies agree on letting Espert off the hook. Facundo Manes and Victoria Tolosa Paz -for instance- have been reported to remain interested in his dismissal. Other press reports in Buenos Aires mentioned Espert as a likely replacement for Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, who is running for the Senate and would leave her post starting Dec. 10.