Official argument

The origin of the measure points to security reasons. The Secretary of Communication, Javier Lanari, maintained that the decision responds preventively to a complaint for ““illegal espionage” presented by Casa Militar, in charge of presidential custody. According to him, the objective is “guarantee national security”.

The trigger was the complaint against journalists Luciana Geuna and Ignacio Salerno, from the TN channel, after the broadcast of a report with images recorded within restricted areas of the facility. The Argentine government maintains that it was filming obtained without authorization that could violate regulations related to State security.

The government had previously warned about alleged operations against them. Official sources have linked the investigation to an alleged Russian spy network that would have promoted media campaigns against Javier Milei in 2024.

Milei himself publicly supported the complaint with a message on social networks, where he stated that ““impunity is over” and described the journalists involved in harsh terms.

“DIGUSTING GARBAGE. I would love to see those filthy garbage who carry journalists’ credentials (95%) come out to defend what these two criminals did. I hope this reaches those responsible. CIAO!”the president wrote on the social network X last Wednesday, while he was in Israel.

It is not the first time that the president has resorted to this tone: since coming to power, in December 2023, he has maintained a harsh relationship with the media, which he accuses of promoting campaigns against him. In dozens of publications, Milei repeats the acronym “NOLSALP”which means ““We don’t hate journalists enough.”.

In 2025, the president filed complaints of insults against several journalists and media figures, although some of them were dismissed by the Court. In its recent world report, Amnesty International warned about the “criminal proceedings and judicial harassment maneuvers” against journalists in Argentina.

Conflict escalation

The Argentine analyst and political scientist Santiago Rodríguez Rey points out to El Comercio that this is not an isolated episode, but rather part of an escalation in the relationship between the government and the media, and defines this tension as a kind of “cold war”. Along these lines, and following the metaphor, he suggests that ““Now we are in a missile crisis.”in reference to the highest point of tensions.

The analyst agrees with the perception of accredited journalists and emphasizes that this is an event without recent precedents. “(Since we are in democracy, the fact that the restriction is generalized—that no one enters the Government House—is what makes it unprecedented.”he claims.

Along these lines, he considers that the decision to block access to the press transcends the security argument. ““This is a reaction from the government to keep the media away and show them that, at some point, the Casa Rosada is their home and it is ordered in its own way.”he tells El Comercio.

Rodríguez Rey also notices a change in the way the Executive relates to the media. As he explains, in the first months there was a clearer channel of communication, channeled by Manuel Adorni, then presidential spokesperson, but that interlocutor has been diluted – amidst questions that reach the government leadership -, which has led to greater friction and a more conflictive management of the relationship with the press.

“In general, previous presidents have maintained a more fluid relationship with the press, either through direct dialogue – as in the cases of Carlos Menem, Raúl Alfonsín or Néstor Kirchner – or through clear intermediation, as occurred during the government of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, where communication fell mainly on her chief of staff”he points out.

In the current scenario, that role appears blurred or absent, which has contributed to a higher level of friction.

Is the government’s measure justified? From an institutional perspective, the expert considers that a limit could have been exceeded. “Not allowing accredited journalists to enter the areas designated for them within the Casa Rosada is crossing a line.”he warns.

The analyst explains that, although there were rules about where journalists could move, in practice they were applied with greater flexibility. In the current administration, that dynamic changed: first spaces were cut, then a stricter stance was adopted and now a total blockade has been reached.

The problem, he maintains, is not the existence of rules, but the abrupt change from a flexible model to a restrictive one.

Furthermore, the timing of this episode aggravates its impact. “If this happened in a moment of strength, it would be a drop in the bucket. The problem is that today it occurs in a context of questions about growth, with an economic fall of more than 2% year-on-year in February and inflation that remains above 3% without continuing its decline.”comments.

The relationship between Javier Milei and the media shows no signs of relaxation. According to the analyst, although the confrontation was part of the current president’s campaign narrative, in its beginnings it was directed at specific sectors. ““It was not just questioning for the sake of questioning, but responding to what was considered unrestricted support for Kirchnerism by an important part of the press.”explains Rodríguez Rey. However, he warns that the scenario has changed: “Today they also position themselves against journalists who previously maintained a more moderate stance in criticism.”.