The internal struggle behind Milei's shifts: the power of Karina, Sturzenegger, and the leaders resisting his filter

President Javier Milei is increasingly struggling to balance internal power dynamics within his administration. Constant friction, especially with his sister Karina, compels him to make frequent adjustments to safeguard key figures and maintain his political ecosystem. Last week, Milei delivered three fiery speeches filled with strong statements that ignited new conflicts with allies, economists, media, and journalists. These remarks also contained internal contradictions, undermining the coherence of his narrative.

One notable contradiction involved Milei's public endorsement of minister Federico Sturzenegger. This support came after reports from Milei's own circle suggested the President was displeased with Sturzenegger, minister of Deregulation. The discontent reportedly stemmed not from Sturzenegger's push for deregulation, but from his perceived independent actions, failing to politically coordinate with Karina on his ministry's measures.

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The truth is that when you see a piece of shit, a human piece of shit, criticizing Federico, it's because he is touching the business of a prebendary, a thief, and a corrupt person.

Sturzenegger's presence at a political meeting two weeks prior highlighted this tension. Milei had endorsed the meeting, called by the Secretary General of the Presidency, forcing Sturzenegger to align himself and outline future initiatives. An agreement was reached to postpone some of his proposals and route all measures through that meeting. Despite this concession, Sturzenegger continued to face internal criticism.

Milei then leveraged public criticisms, including those from Kirchnerists, political allies, and journalists he labels as part of the "95 percent" he opposes, to shield Sturzenegger. "The truth is that when you see a piece of shit, a human piece of shit, criticizing Federico, it's because he is touching the business of a prebendary, a thief, and a corrupt person," Milei stated at the Council of the Americas.

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Javier almost always agrees with Sturze (sic) on the spirit of what he wants to do, that's why he supports him in everything, but the difference is that to move forward he wants everything to be defined with Karina, who is the political architect and measures the timing. And perhaps that's what angered him. Once that is resolved, he believes there is no reason for them to continue attacking him.

Within Milei's circle, individuals who had previously acknowledged Milei threatening to "kick him out" if he didn't align with his sister, interpreted the sudden shift as a strategy to protect Sturzenegger from "friendly fire." Sturzenegger is even involved in Milei's upcoming book, "The Morality as State Policy." "Javier almost always agrees with Sturze (sic) on the spirit of what he wants to do, that's why he supports him in everything, but the difference is that to move forward he wants everything to be defined with Karina, who is the political architect and measures the timing. And perhaps that's what angered him. Once that is resolved, he believes there is no reason for them to continue attacking him," a source explained to Clarín. This sentiment extends to "El Jefe," who is known not to favor the deregulation minister. This pattern also affects other leaders who have a direct relationship with Milei but do not pass through his sister's vetting process, such as Santiago Caputo and Patricia Bullrich.

Santiago Caputo, as reported by journalist Manuel Jove, authored the speech Milei delivered last Monday commemorating General San Martín. While limited to specific presidential requests and distanced from the daily communication managed by Karina's allies, Santiago Oría and Lilia Lemoine, Caputo's text strongly defended the economic direction. It also aimed to connect with government supporters who had not yet seen recovery signs from the plan. This message was later reflected in newspaper headlines, signaling a different government stance amid the debate over millions of indebted citizens. In the speech drafted with Caputo, Milei acknowledged the risks to his project: "Freedom to survive requires a prosperous and thriving people, because the inten

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Freedom to survive requires a prosperous and thriving people, because the inten