Argentine Presidential Office restricts media access, cites 'illegal espionage' investigation
The Argentine presidential office has restricted media access to the Casa Rosada, citing an investigation into "illegal espionage activities." This move has raised concerns about press freedom, with some media outlets drawing comparisons to the military regime of 1976. President Milei has reportedly favored social media for communication and has been critical of the press.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 29, 2026 at 09:26
- 🔍 Collected: April 29, 2026 at 09:31 (5 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 29, 2026 at 10:40 (1h 8m after Collected)
BUENOS AIRES (Central News Agency reporter Huang Yun-ju, April 28) – Several Argentine media outlets have recently criticized the government for restricting journalists' access to the Casa Rosada, the presidential office, and have drawn parallels to the military government period after the 1976 coup, raising concerns about press freedom. However, the presidential office stated that the related measures are linked to an investigation into "illegal espionage activities."
The Argentine government has banned accredited journalists from entering the presidential office since the 23rd and stated that the measures are related to an "illegal espionage activity" investigation. The presidential office pointed out that a journalist from the all-news channel TN was suspected of using Meta smart glasses to film and broadcast internal footage of the presidential office without authorization.
The Argentine Forum of Journalism (FOPEA) condemned this move, stating that it alters the fundamental conditions for news reporting by the executive branch and directly affects citizens' right to access information on government actions.
Several media reports indicated that such restrictions on journalists entering the presidential office are rare during democratic periods and referenced the military government period from 1976 to 1983, following the 1976 military coup, as a historical comparison.
Before the 1976 Argentine coup, the country was governed by an elected government led by Isabel Perón (Martinez de Peron, Isabel). After the coup, Argentina entered a period of military rule from 1976 to 1983, during which political activities and public discourse were strictly restricted.
Furthermore, the Argentine presidential office had previously revoked the credentials of several media journalists. The presidential office stated that these measures were related to information content, alleging that some journalists were involved in disseminating content related to specific international issues that harmed the national image.
Argentine President Javier Milei, an economist who rose to fame through television commentary, has had less direct interaction with journalists through presidential press conferences since taking office in December 2023. However, he still accepts interviews with streaming platforms, radio, and television programs, and publishes commentary articles in traditional media outlets such as La Nación, Clarín, and Infobae.
According to La Nación, Milei continues to post media-related content on the social platform X. During the Easter holiday in April, Milei posted approximately 80 messages and reposted over 800 messages within four days, criticizing journalism and the role of the media.
Additionally, Milei shared AI-generated memes on social media, suggesting the death of journalism and commenting with hashtags like "#NOLSALP" (We don't hate journalists enough).
On April 27, Milei retweeted statements supporting the government's use of social media to disseminate information and reduce reliance on press conferences. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) publicly expressed concern and urged the Argentine government to review the restrictions, requesting adjustments in accordance with international standards. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150429
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The Argentine government has banned accredited journalists from entering the presidential office since the 23rd and stated that the measures are related to an "illegal espionage activity" investigation. The presidential office pointed out that a journalist from the all-news channel TN was suspected of using Meta smart glasses to film and broadcast internal footage of the presidential office without authorization.
The Argentine Forum of Journalism (FOPEA) condemned this move, stating that it alters the fundamental conditions for news reporting by the executive branch and directly affects citizens' right to access information on government actions.
Several media reports indicated that such restrictions on journalists entering the presidential office are rare during democratic periods and referenced the military government period from 1976 to 1983, following the 1976 military coup, as a historical comparison.
Before the 1976 Argentine coup, the country was governed by an elected government led by Isabel Perón (Martinez de Peron, Isabel). After the coup, Argentina entered a period of military rule from 1976 to 1983, during which political activities and public discourse were strictly restricted.
Furthermore, the Argentine presidential office had previously revoked the credentials of several media journalists. The presidential office stated that these measures were related to information content, alleging that some journalists were involved in disseminating content related to specific international issues that harmed the national image.
Argentine President Javier Milei, an economist who rose to fame through television commentary, has had less direct interaction with journalists through presidential press conferences since taking office in December 2023. However, he still accepts interviews with streaming platforms, radio, and television programs, and publishes commentary articles in traditional media outlets such as La Nación, Clarín, and Infobae.
According to La Nación, Milei continues to post media-related content on the social platform X. During the Easter holiday in April, Milei posted approximately 80 messages and reposted over 800 messages within four days, criticizing journalism and the role of the media.
Additionally, Milei shared AI-generated memes on social media, suggesting the death of journalism and commenting with hashtags like "#NOLSALP" (We don't hate journalists enough).
On April 27, Milei retweeted statements supporting the government's use of social media to disseminate information and reduce reliance on press conferences. The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) publicly expressed concern and urged the Argentine government to review the restrictions, requesting adjustments in accordance with international standards. (Editor: Wei Shu) 1150429
Choose to stand with facts, every sponsorship is the power to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's "Firsthand News" APP to get the latest news in real time.
The text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and utilized without authorization.