Donald Trump's representative for Latin America, Mauricio Claver-Carone, announced in a recent interview with CNN en Español that the United States will initiate an investigation into the $LIBRA crypto-scandal. Claver-Carone highlighted the seriousness of the situation by mentioning the alleged scam that has affected a significant number of American citizens, calling the issue complex and suggesting that there will be judicial investigations.
These statements have raised concerns in Washington and have impacted the Argentine government, particularly in the Casa Rosada, which had previously tried to downplay the crisis. Claver-Carone, who was previously ousted from the IDB amidst an internal scandal, is considered one of Javier Milei's harshest critics within Trump's circle, which could have implications for bilateral relations.
Claver-Carone's stance complicates Milei's aspirations to receive support from the State Department and Donald Trump, posing challenges in relations with the U.S. government. Amid the controversy, Mauricio Novelli, the businessman pointed out by The New York Times, defended himself calling the situation "nonsense."
According to Claver-Carone, there will be judicial investigations into the $LIBRA crypto-scandal, and the FBI has already begun investigating the crypto-scam, which could affect the Argentine government in an election year in the United States. Although contracts worth millions of dollars in cryptocurrency are mentioned, the former IDB director emphasized that U.S. justice will not ignore the case.
Finally, the Republican official indicated that while there might be a possibility of agreements for more investments in Argentina, the financial scandal generated by $LIBRA could become a serious obstacle for the relationship between Washington and Buenos Aires. The situation is still developing, with new revelations from outlets like The New York Times, as it is expected that the judicial investigation in the United States will shed more light on the case.
