Argentine President Javier Milei was evacuated by his security detail during a campaign event on August 27 in Lomas de Zamora, a municipality south of Buenos Aires, after stones and other objects were hurled at his motorcade amid escalating political tensions.

Video footage captures the president ducking to avoid being struck while standing in the back of a pickup truck, surrounded by his team and accompanied by his sister and chief of staff, Karina Milei. The convoy was soon cleared, and Milei was escorted to safety, unharmed, in a black van or armoured vehicle, depending on different accounts.

Presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni confirmed that there were no injuries and attributed the assault to militants aligned with the opposition Peronist movement. The administration described the episode as an expression of politically motivated violence.

At the time of the incident, the Milei administration was grappling with fresh allegations of corruption involving Karina Milei and other senior figures, including accusations of bribery tied to the National Disability Agency. The president has dismissed these claims and launched legal action against the accuser. The confrontation occurred against the backdrop of an intensely polarised campaign season, ahead of upcoming legislative elections on September 7 and national midterms on October 26.

This event underscores the high-stakes environment in which Milei’s reformist agenda is being tested, as he seeks to maintain public support while navigating growing resistance to his stringent economic policies.

Context and Political Climate

• Lomas de Zamora is considered a stronghold of Argentina’s left-wing Peronist opposition, underscoring the symbolic weight of the attack.
• President Milei has pursued aggressive fiscal austerity measures—earning the nickname "chainsaw economics"—that have lowered inflation while drawing criticism for their social impact.
• The administration remains in legal and political crosshairs amid multiple probes and mounting public scrutiny.
• The upcoming elections in September and October are seen as critical tests of Milei’s political resilience and capacity to continue steering his reform agenda.