Budget 2026: Hard cut between Victoria Villarruel and Peronist senator

The Tierra del Fuego lawmaker, representative of the Unión por la Patria, denounced that “authoritarianism reigns in the Senate.” What did the vice president answer?

12/26/2025 – 3:33 p.m

The Senator for Tierra del Fuego Cristina López took aim hard at Vice President Victoria Villarruel and filed a privilege lawsuit against him after he reported that he had suffered “Physical attacks and indecent touching” weeks ago when she was removed from her position.

“I do it not out of personal opinion or anger, but as an expression of deep democratic concern.” What is happening in this house is serious and unbearable. Authoritarianism and abuse of power prevail in the Senate. I say it without hesitation and in front of you, Madam President: everything that has happened this past month is an act of political retaliation on your part for swearing on behalf of the 30,000 missing.” emphasized the legislator.

Budget 2026: Tough interface between Peronist senator and Victoria Villarruel

At the start of the meeting he said: “The mechanism of institutional violence that you have deployed, Madam President. I do not understand what the joke is that you are laughing at. It has its origins since you took office as President of this body.”

At that moment, López was interrupted by Villarruel to ask her not to read out her privilege question.

“Do you think anyone can feel free to say something after what they did?”The woman from Tierra del Fuego complained, to which Villarruel emphasized: “When you usurp the offices, these things happen.”

“You know it wasn’t like that. I had held this office for a month with Senator (Sergio) Leavy and there are witnesses to that,” López replied.

Far from reducing the tension in the situation, the Peronist MP insulted her PRO colleague Victoria Huala, who demanded that she not read at the time of her intervention. “Sorry, out of respect for all senators, I will ask the senator who is speaking not to read. I remind you that in this room, at the request of the Bank of the Unión por la Patria, the microphone of the senators who were reading was switched off. That’s why, as a senator, I demand the same respect from us, because if not with a constant double standard,” Huala said.

And he continued: “It is a constant double standard on the part of Kirchnerism, they are used to trampling all the time. So I ask you, Senator, out of respect for the rest of your colleagues, to read no further. Since you have had no respect for the workers of this House, I ask your colleagues for respect.”

“Shut up, you bastard.” was López’s reply, urgently.

It should be recalled that López found herself in the eye of the storm earlier this month when she was embroiled in a scandal along with her husband, MP Juann Carlos Pino. Both are said to have turned up at one of the House of Lords offices with a locksmith to try to force it open.