BUENOS AIRES — The administration of Argentine President Javier Milei removed accredited journalists' fingerprint access to the Casa Rosada on April 23, 2026, restricting their entry to the presidential palace. Reporters who arrived that day attempted to enter through fingerprint scanning but were unable to pass the scan.

"The decision to remove the fingerprints of journalists accredited to the Casa Rosada was taken as a preventive measure in response to a complaint filed by the Military Household regarding illegal espionage," Secretary of Communication and Press Javier Lanari said. "The sole objective is to guarantee national security."

The administration accused two journalists from the Argentinian channel TN of endangering government security by showing parts of the Casa Rosada that were off limits. Last year, the administration capped entry to certain rooms in the palace and placed other areas off limits.

Milei wrote online, "I would love to see that filthy scum — the 95% who carry press credentials — come out and defend what these two criminals did." In a separate post, he wrote, "Someday, that filthy journalistic scum (95%) will have to understand that they are not above the law. They abused legal precedent."

Milei has repeatedly reposted messages critical of the news media accompanied by the acronym "NOLSALP" or "NOL$ALP," which stands for "We don't hate journalists enough." Milei took office in 2023.

Deputy Marcela Pagano, a member of Argentina's legislature, filed a criminal complaint against Milei over the decision to bar journalists from entering the building. "The Casa Rosada is not private property," Pagano said. "Still less does a head of state — or his henchmen officials — have the authority to decide whether the press may access the building. Prohibiting journalists from exercising their freedom of expression is the first step toward silencing any dissenting voice."