On 27/8, President Milei, accompanied by his sister Karina Milei and security personnel, rode in the back of a pickup truck through a crowd in Lomas de Zamora, a city 20 km south of Buenos Aires. They were campaigning for the ruling party ahead of the midterm elections in October.

As President Milei waved to supporters, some individuals in the crowd threw stones, bottles, sticks, and other objects at the vehicle. At least one stone struck the hood, and other objects flew over the president's head.

The vehicle quickly departed amidst the chaos, escorted by security forces. A spokesperson for President Milei confirmed the attack and stated that no one was injured.

"Milei came to provoke, so of course he had to leave," said resident Ramon, describing Lomas de Zamora as an opposition stronghold.

Clashes subsequently broke out between supporters and opponents of the president. One Milei supporter sustained a rib injury and was taken away by ambulance.

Protesters throw a stick at Argentine President Javier Milei and his sister. Photo: _AFP_

Karina Milei, the president's sister and close advisor, is currently facing allegations of corruption related to the disability agency. Leaked recordings reported by Argentine media over the past several days feature former agency head Diego Spagnuolo, who was dismissed last week, accusing Karina of misappropriating funds intended for people with disabilities.

At the Lomas de Zamora rally, President Milei dismissed the allegations as "lies." "We will take him to court and prove that Spagnuolo is lying," he told reporters.

The October congressional elections will be the first test of President Milei's support since the libertarian economist took office in December 2023. He campaigned on promises to revive Argentina's struggling economy. He has achieved some progress, including lowering inflation and creating a budget surplus through significant public spending cuts, including those affecting disability services.

Huyen Le (According to AFP, Reuters)