The government of Javier Milei has intensified the internal investigation into the National Disability Agency (ANDIS), considered the fifth most significant fund of the State, which was under the direction of former vedette Paula Martínez during Alberto Fernández's administration. The justice system is investigating the details of what is considered a "business" related to disability pensions.
According to the investigations, ANDIS partnered with the National Ministry of Security and discovered that among the beneficiaries of disability pensions were 212 people who were incarcerated, meaning they were prosecuted and convicted. This agency managed the notable sum of 3.4 billion dollars allocated for disability pensions throughout Argentina, positioning itself as the fifth most important entity in the country in this area, alongside ANSES, PAMI, the Superintendency of Health Services, and the defunct Ministry of Social Development of Victoria Tolosa Paz.
One of the cases that generated the most controversy is that of a person who, just three days after starting the procedure in November 2023, received the pension despite not meeting the necessary medical requirements. Another concerning example is a 41-year-old man from Quilmes, who, while applying for the disability pension, was already under house arrest.
The head of ANDIS, Diego Spagnuolo, has stated that 331 fugitives receiving disability pensions have been identified, of which 200 were already imprisoned at the time of receiving the benefit. The agency cooperated with the justice by providing the names of 33 fugitives in this situation, leading to the capture of 14 of them in an operation.
The internal investigation revealed that 212 holders of disability pensions are involved in legal situations incompatible with the benefit. So far, these beneficiaries have been directly removed. During the previous administration, 300,000 new pensions were granted, many of them in the last days of Alberto Fernández's administration. Additionally, the legal investigation into the easing of controls that took place which caused some disorder in the allocation of pensions is ongoing.
Paula Martínez, former National Director of Economic Support and Assignment of ANDIS, is at the center of the controversy due to her role in a series of irregularities within the agency. The agency's internal audit procedures have come under the scrutiny of the Comodoro Py courts in order to clarify these cases.
