Argentina's libertarian president Javier Milei contributed $350,000 to fund a disinformation campaign targeting progressive leaders across Latin America, according to leaked audio obtained by Colombian investigative outlet La Silla Vacía.
The recordings, published Monday, feature former Honduran president Juan Orlando Hernández describing a coordinated effort to undermine Mexico's Claudia Sheinbaum and Colombia's Gustavo Petro through media operations designed to amplify criticism and spread disinformation about their governments.
Hernández, who was convicted of drug trafficking by a U.S. court and sentenced to 45 years in prison before receiving a pardon from Donald Trump in 2025, allegedly detailed the funding scheme in conversations intercepted by Colombian authorities. The former president revealed that Argentina's government provided substantial financing for what he described as a "media project" aimed at destabilizing left-wing governments in the region.
The investigation represents the first concrete evidence of cross-border political interference by Argentina's new administration, which swept to power in late 2023 on a platform of radical economic reform and fierce opposition to regional progressivism. Milei has made no secret of his disdain for leftist leaders, regularly attacking Petro and Sheinbaum on social media and in public speeches.
According to the leaked recordings, the campaign planned to establish media outlets and amplify content critical of the targeted leaders, particularly focusing on economic policy failures and allegations of corruption. The operation reportedly coordinates with conservative media networks across Latin America and draws support from U.S.-based political operatives aligned with the Trump administration.
Colombia's government has not yet issued an official response to the revelations, though sources close to President Petro told El Espectador that the administration is reviewing the evidence. Mexico's Foreign Ministry declined to comment, citing the ongoing nature of the investigation.
The disclosure comes as Latin America's left-right divide has sharpened dramatically, with leaders increasingly viewing one another as ideological adversaries rather than regional partners. Milei's administration has aligned closely with U.S. and Israeli interests while openly antagonizing neighbors including Brazil, where President Lula da Silva has criticized Argentina's "economic extremism."
La Silla Vacía, a respected Colombian investigative journalism outlet known for exposing corruption and political manipulation, obtained the recordings through confidential sources with access to Hernández's communications. The outlet has published the audio files with analysis contextualizing the broader campaign.
The $350,000 figure represents a significant investment in regional political interference, particularly for a government facing severe budget constraints. Milei has imposed brutal austerity measures domestically, slashing public spending by more than 30% and eliminating thousands of government jobs.
Twenty countries, 650 million people, and an ideological war fought with checkbooks and keyboard warriors. This isn't Washington's backyard anymore—it's nuestra América, and we're writing our own stories. Even when our neighbors are trying to rewrite them for us.
