Senate: The ruling party seeks to shield Adorni and avoid his interpellation amid a fierce tug-of-war

The Senate is preparing for a key session this Thursday, amid political uncertainty that keeps the ruling party on edge. The Casa Rosada seeks to shield Chief of Staff Manuel Adorni from opposition demands for his interpellation over the notable increase in his assets over the past year. The tug-of-war promises to be fierce, with a scenario of tight numbers and shaky alliances.

The session is called for 11 a.m., and everything indicates that the ruling party has closed ranks with the necessary number of radical senators and provincial forces to prevent Adorni from being subjected to an interpellation on July 2. If successful, they would also avoid a possible motion of censure that could imply a loss of confidence in him by the upper house.

Last night, shortly before the vote on the Super RIGI in the Chamber of Deputies, the Secretary General of the Presidency, Karina Milei, appeared in one of the boxes. When they spotted her, legislators from La Libertad Avanza began to chant: “Adorni is not leaving, Adorni is not leaving.” She smiled and celebrated the outburst, making clear her support for the official.

In the Senate, the decision will come at the start of the session, when the necessary majority to enable debate on the chief of staff’s appearance is discussed. Positions are divided: the ruling party argues that two-thirds of those present are required to address the issue out of order, since the projects lack committee approval. The opposition, on the other hand, claims that an absolute majority of 37 affirmative votes is enough, based on an operative constitutional clause.

The head of the ruling party caucus, Patricia Bullrich, is confident of having the support of radicals and provincial forces to impose her stance. However, in some sectors of the dialoguing opposition, social pressure has begun to take its toll over the possibility of protecting an official who lied when he said in the Chamber of Deputies that he had not omitted information in his sworn statement.

The head of the Pro bloc, Martín Goerling, announced that he will push for the processing of a resolution project calling for Adorni’s interpellation on July 2, and challenged the other blocs to support his initiative. “From Pro we will do what we said from day one. Tomorrow there will be no room for gray areas: on the board it will be seen which senator is in favor and who is against,” he declared. However, Goerling’s shift is striking: he supported Bullrich’s proposal to require two-thirds to enable debate, which makes it difficult for his own project to prosper.

In addition to Pro and Kirchnerism, it is estimated that at least half a dozen UCR senators would be willing to allow Adorni to have to give explanations. They would be joined by Córdoba’s Alejandra Vigo, who has already publicly called for the removal of the chief of staff. The official’s weak explanations open a rift even within the ruling party caucus: it is possible that Luis Juez and Francisco Paoltroni would prefer to be absent so as not to go against the order handed down by Karina Milei to defend Adorni through thick and thin.

Bullrich, who took up the banner of criticism of Adorni demanding that he explain his assets, seems to have changed sides and adopted the criteria of the Casa Rosada. However, one must not forget that the senator has already distanced herself from Karina Milei’s orders by abstaining in the vote on the nomination of María Verónica Michelli, the candidate for judge vetoed by Javier Milei.

Thursday’s session will define Adorni’s political future. If the ruling party manages to impose the two-thirds requirement, the official will breathe easy. But if the opposition achieves an absolute majority, the door will open to an interpellation that could further expose the government’s contradictions.

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