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Cerimedo case puts South American right-wing government and campaign links under scrutiny
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Elections & Politics

Cerimedo case puts South American right-wing government and campaign links under scrutiny

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Newswire Named sources Under investigation
  • Argentine consultant Fernando Cerimedo remains in preventive detention in Bolivia while facing an investigation into attempted femicide and other alleged offenses involving his former partner.
  • The case has revived questions about Cerimedo’s work with Javier Milei’s 2023 campaign and his access to Argentina’s Casa Rosada after Milei took office.
  • Bolivia’s government has acknowledged Cerimedo’s campaign role and early collaboration with President Rodrigo Paz, while denying that he represented the government or held a formal position.

Fernando Cerimedo’s detention in Bolivia has opened a political front that extends well beyond the judicial investigations against him there. The Argentine consultant’s links to campaigns, officials and presidential circles are now being questioned in Argentina, Bolivia and elsewhere in South America.

Cerimedo remains in preventive detention in Bolivia in a case involving alleged attempted femicide against his former partner, Bolivian lawyer and political operator Nadia Beller. He also faces proceedings over alleged illicit enrichment and family and domestic violence.

In Argentina, Javier Milei’s government acknowledged that Cerimedo worked on the president’s 2023 campaign and entered the Casa Rosada at least 13 times during the first half of 2024. Presidential spokesman Adrián Ravier said last week that Milei had had no relationship with Cerimedo since 2023, while also acknowledging that the consultant held meetings at the executive headquarters after Milei came to power. Ravier said the meetings were not with Milei and ended with Cerimedo’s departure from the government.

Access records show that several visits were authorized by officials close to the presidency. On different occasions, Cerimedo was listed as a visitor to the office of the presidency’s general secretariat, led by Karina Milei. He had formed part of Milei’s communications strategy during the 2023 campaign.

Bolivia has also seen questions about Cerimedo’s relationship with President Rodrigo Paz. Paz acknowledged that Cerimedo helped with his 2025 runoff campaign and during the early days of his government, but said he never authorized him to represent the government or his family. Paz also said there was no contract or direct employment relationship. Cerimedo acknowledged a friendship with Paz and described his work as "collaborative," saying he had never been a government official and had no influence over the government or its ministers. Critics, including former President Evo Morales and Vice President Edmand Lara, have claimed he served as the president’s personal adviser. Lara has filed a criminal complaint against first lady María Elena Urquidi and Cerimedo over alleged influence-peddling offenses, citing an unverified audio recording.

collaborative

— Fernando CerimedoCerimedo’s description of his work with Bolivian President Rodrigo Paz.
About this summary

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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