19/06/2026 21:04 - Politica
Escena política formal con banderas argentinas y dos figuras de espaldas frente a un monumento histórico, una mujer política desafiante mirando hacia adelante, atmósfera de tensión política
Vice President Victoria Villarruel announced on June 18, 2026 that she will travel to Rosario to participate in the Flag Day ceremony, even though Secretary General Karina Milei (the President's sister) removed her from the official guest list. This decision represents a significant act of defiance within President Javier Milei's administration.
Flag Day (Día de la Bandera) is one of Argentina's most important national holidays, celebrated annually on June 20. It commemorates the death of Manuel Belgrano (1770-1820), the Argentine lawyer, military leader, and politician who created the national flag during Argentina's War of Independence against Spain in 1812.
The ceremony takes place at the Monument to the Flag in Rosario, Argentina's third-largest city, located in Santa Fe province. This monument was built on the exact spot where Belgrano first raised the Argentine flag along the Paraná River. Following extensive renovations costing over $4 billion pesos, the monument was recently reinaugurated for the 206th anniversary of Belgrano's death.
Karina Milei serves as Secretary General of the Presidency and is considered one of the most influential figures in her brother's administration. This isn't the first time she has excluded Villarruel from official ceremonies.
In May 2026, Karina also removed Villarruel from the guest list for the May 25 Te Deum, a traditional religious ceremony marking Argentina's 1810 Revolution. The Vice President was forced to organize her own separate events.
This pattern of exclusion reflects a growing rift between the Vice President's conservative nationalist faction and the President's inner libertarian circle.
Sources close to Villarruel indicated she received invitations from Governor Maximiliano Pullaro and Mayor Pablo Javkin. However, Santa Fe provincial officials denied handling national protocol:
This bureaucratic response suggests provincial leaders are unwilling to intervene in the national government's internal conflicts.
Adding to the tension, Villarruel's presence at the ceremony raises questions about her relationship with Manuel Adorni, the Chief of Staff who faces accusations of illicit enrichment. As President of the Senate, Villarruel has facilitated opposition efforts to investigate Adorni.
Adorni admitted to omitting USD 500,000 in his financial disclosure. His declared assets grew from $20 million to $944 million pesos—an increase of 775%—raising serious questions about the source of his wealth. A censure motion against him has gathered 120 of the 129 signatures needed for passage. His testimony before Congress has been rescheduled for June 25, 2026.
Anniversary of Manuel Belgrano's Death
Adorni's Asset Increase Under Investigation
Signatures for Adorni Censure Motion
This isn't the first time Argentina's libertarian administration has faced Flag Day complications:
The progressive deterioration of relations between the Milei siblings and their Vice President has become increasingly public, suggesting deeper ideological and power-sharing conflicts within Argentina's ruling coalition.
Rosario's Government Secretary Sebastián Chale outlined the ceremony schedule: events begin at 10:00 AM with flag-raising, the national anthem, and military oath ceremonies. Speeches are expected from Mayor Javkin, Governor Pullaro, and President Milei.
The municipality has requested attendees bring only Argentine flags without partisan identification—a delicate request given the political tensions surrounding the event.
Breaking: On June 19, 2026, President Milei appointed Adrián Ravier as new presidential spokesperson, signaling an attempt to reset the administration's communication strategy following the Adorni controversy.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
