José Luis Espert’s decision to step down as La Libertad Avanza’s lead deputy candidate for Buenos Aires province in Argentina’s mid-term elections leaves far more questions than answers.

The libertarian lawmaker pulled out of the race on Sunday evening, around a week after documents from a judicial investigation in the United States showed that he had received a payment from Fred Machado, an Argentine who is facing an extradition request to the U.S. on drug trafficking and money laundering charges.

The national ruling party is in a very delicate position. Espert has denied allegations of impropriety, and President Javier Milei has stood by him, calling the scandal a political operation.

Now, the open questions are who will replace Espert as LLA’s lead candidate and what will happen with the ballots with his name on them.

Espert’s current term as national deputy ends on December 10, although the lower house could vote to expel him earlier. On Monday, Espert announced that he was resigning from his role leading the lower house budget........

© Buenos Aires Herald