Kast Distances Himself from Cerimedo, Yet Lawmakers Spotlight Ties with Irarrázaval and Costabal: «We Don’t Believe the President»

Original article: Kast toma distancia de Cerimedo, pero diputados ponen el foco en los vínculos del argentino con Irarrázaval y Costabal: “No le creemos al Presidente”

President José Antonio Kast addressed growing concerns about his connections with controversial Argentine consultant Fernando Cerimedo, known as «the king of trolls«. While he admitted to knowing Cerimedo, he denied any collaboration during campaigns or an ongoing working relationship. However, opposition lawmakers argued that they «do not believe» him and have approached the General Comptroller’s Office to investigate the ties between government officials, such as the chief adviser of La Moneda’s Second Floor, Alejandro Irarrázaval, and the head of the Communications Secretariat (Secom), Felipe Costabal, with the far-right political operator.

Following Cerimedo’s arrest in Bolivia, where he faces up to four charges including attempted femicide against his ex-partner Nadia Beller, money laundering, domestic violence, and alleged cover-up of flights linked to drug trafficking, alarms have been raised regarding his influence in Chile and the use of fake accounts and trolls to manipulate algorithms and shape public opinion.

The consultant himself admitted to working on Sebastián Sichel’s candidacy and later supporting Franco Parisi’s presidential campaign. However, his involvement in the campaign against a new Constitution has sparked significant controversy.

Through his company Numen Spa, founded in Chile by lawyer Enrique José García Arancibia, he was hired in 2020 by the so-called «Casa Común,» a command supporting the Rejection campaign, where he worked alongside Irarrázaval, Costabal, and Ignacio Dülger, a former advisor and ex-regional council member. His primary task was to support campaigns advocating for the Rejection option, both for the entry and exit plebiscites.

Questions regarding his influence in Chile have also emerged, raising suspicions about his connections with José Antonio Kast, his inner circle, and even the President’s campaign for 2025. Furthermore, Beller confirmed the «closeness» of the Argentine far-right figure to the President, stating that after Kast’s election, he expressed interest in attending the change of command ceremony.

In light of these factors, a series of legal and fiscal actions have unfolded, including a formal request to the General Secretary of Government (Segegob), complaints lodged with Servel and the Public Prosecutor’s Office, and summoning of Irarrázaval and Costabal by the Chamber of Deputies’ Science Committee.

In response to the controversy, Kast denied any direct ties to the consultant, asserting that they are acquaintances who have crossed paths at various political events. «In none of my campaigns have I worked with this man; the Government does not work with or engage him as an advisor,» he stated in an interview with Cooperativa.

Regarding Cerimedo’s participation in the campaign against a new Constitution, he distanced himself by arguing that this initiative did not involve his party. «In 2020, six years ago, he would have advised those leading the Rejection campaign, which was not the campaign of the Republican Party,» he emphasized.

«I Don’t Believe the President«

Nonetheless, Kast’s statements have not convinced deputies Juan Santana (PS) and Luis Cuello (PC), who have opted to approach the General Comptroller’s Office to request an investigation into ties between Kast’s administration officials and Fernando Cerimedo.

«I will echo the words of candidate Evelyn Matthei, I do not believe the President of the Republic when he claims to have no ties with Mr. Fernando Cerimedo,» Santana stated, as reported by Diario U de Chile.

The aim of this action is twofold: to ensure the agency audits the response expected from Segegob to the submitted request, and to obtain a statement regarding possible administrative sanctions that could be applied for «violating the principle of administrative integrity if a connection exists between government officials and Mr. Fernando Cerimedo».

Santana grounded his skepticism in comments from Cerimedo’s own circle, emphasizing that this is not an accusation fabricated by the opposition.

«The director of the President’s digital campaign (Javier) Milei and current deputy in Argentina, Agustín Romo, was the one who indicated and made clear that Mr. Fernando Cerimedo participated in José Antonio Kast’s presidential campaign,» the lawmaker argued.

He also recalled that the political operator was hired «to conduct a survey in the first constituent process, a survey that significantly diverged from the final results of that plebiscite. This survey was published by a national circulation newspaper, and that was no coincidence; it was a strategy, and someone financed it. In that same command space, there are three government officials who participated alongside Mr. Cerimedo, one of whom is the current director of Secom, Mr. Felipe Costabal, and another, Alejandro Irarrázaval, chief adviser of the Second Floor.»

«Thus, when President Kast distances himself and disengages from this type of consulting or individuals, we frankly do not believe President Kast,» he emphasized, justifying the recourse to public institutions to clarify the facts.

Chamber to Vote on Establishing Investigative Committee for Cerimedo Case

The political dimension of the conflict is set to escalate this Tuesday in Congress, as opposition deputies have collected the 62 signatures needed to vote on the creation of a Special Investigative Committee concerning the Cerimedo case. The initiative, spearheaded by lawmaker José Montalva (PPD), aims to clarify the use of bots, fake accounts, and disinformation campaigns, as well as to determine potential funding and coordination, and to establish whether the State possessed tools to detect these practices.

Montalva confirmed to Mostrador that the proposal will be voted on at 10:00 AM, and while the signatures guarantee its arrival in the Chamber, its approval requires 62 favorable votes, equivalent to two-fifths of the deputies. With this move, the opposition seeks not only to oversee government management but also to press for the clarification of political and administrative responsibilities in this case.