Overview

• On July 28, Vice President Victoria Villarruel issued her first public message since the La Rural incident, praising the “Centinelas de la Patria” and reaffirming the Gendarmería’s role in defending Argentina’s territory and borders.
• Her camp insists Presidential Protocol wrongly barred her and her entourage from the rural exposition, while Casa Rosada contends her staff failed to comply with accreditation procedures.
• Deputy José Luis Espert and Karina Milei have publicly declared that Villarruel is “no longer part of the project,” highlighting sharp divisions among libertarian allies.
• Observers warn the dispute over ceremonial access at La Rural reflects broader internal conflicts that could jeopardize the coalition’s slim majority and complicate upcoming legislative battles.
• Despite tensions in Buenos Aires, Villarruel has pursued an independent federal agenda with visits to governors in Santa Fe, Tucumán, Catamarca and Santiago del Estero to shore up regional support.