Legal probe accuses Macri of ‘abuse of power’ over IMF loan

Federal prosecutor Jorge Di Lello is pushing for charges as he investigates an accusation of “abuse of power” against President Mauricio Macri over his government’s decision to agree a US$50-billion standby loan with the International Monetary Fund.

Di Lello, a member of the Justicia Legitíma Kirchnerite legal grouping, has also asked for Argentina’s IMF agreement to be suspended until a decision is made whether to proceed with a case against Macri and other officials.

“There’s a formal accusation because there’s an attribution problem and it’s possible that the president and his ministers did not have the right to sign such an accord,” Javier Delio, the federal prosecutor’s secretary, told the AFP news agency.

The case stems from a complaint made by former Popular Unity deputy Claudio Lozano and Jonatan Baldiviezo, of the City rights observatory, who accuse members of the executive of “abuse of power and violation of public duties in bypassing Congress to sign an accord with the IMF.”

The plaintiffs claim that Argentina’s 2018 Budget Law does not authorise the Executive to sign agreements with the IMF.

The case has been passed to federal Judge Julián Ercolini to study the evidence and decide whether or not to proceed with an investigation. Ercolini would have the power to suspend the deal, should he attempt to move forward.