The ongoing controversy over the so-called ‘VIP tent’ at Pope Leo XIV's historic Mass in Buenos Aires this week is going all the way to Argentina’s courts, with a national lawmaker filing two criminal complaints seeking investigations into the organisation of the event and contracts worth more than 20 billion pesos (approximately US$14 million).
Dissident libertarian national deputy Marcela Pagano has asked judges to investigate possible abuse of authority and irregularities in the allocation of preferential access to celebrities, politicians and businessmen at Monday's Mass, which drew more than two million people to the Monument to the Spaniards in the City neighbourhood of Palermo.
Pagano’s complaints target national government and Buenos Aires City officials, as well as the direct award of an 8.69-billion-peso contract to leading entertainment production company DF Entertainment.
The lawmaker also calls for scrutiny over the hired private security and cleaning companies allegedly linked to the family of Lower House Speaker Martín Menem.
The move comes amid growing criticism over the contrast between the privileges enjoyed by special guests and the conditions faced by thousands of worshippers, volunteers and members of the clergy who endured long waits in the sun to attend the celebration.
President Javier Milei’s national government, City Hall and event organisers are all facing questions over who authorised the arrangements, how the guest lists were drawn up and who ultimately paid for the services.
Celebrities, catering, prime seating
Reports emerged quickly that a VIP area with food and refreshments was available during the Mass, which was attended by personalities from entertainment and the media.
Guests reportedly included Ana Carolina Ardohain, known as Pampita, Valeria Mazza, Yanina Latorre and Analía Franchín, among others.
Journalist Eduardo Feinmann attributed the invitations to the Buenos Aires City government, although other accounts suggested national officials had been involved in distributing some passes.
Social media posts gradually revealed more details. Latorre described how her driver dropped her directly at the entrance to the reserved area, adding that invitations included a dress code and specific protocol requirements.
Other figures reportedly present included Zulemita Menem, Zulema Yoma, Gabriela Michetti, Patricia Bullrich and Horacio Rodríguez Larreta.
Model and influencer Angie Landaburu also published photographs from the VIP area, helping to bring attention to the different arrangements enjoyed by special guests.
The images and reports of catering prompted criticism on social media. Journalist Nacho Otero wrote: "What a lack of respect to have assembled a VIP playpen for 'celebrities', with seats and a 'dress code', at today's Mass, while leaving nuns, priests and elderly people sitting on the ground."
Writer Claudia Piñeiro also highlighted the contrast between the arrangements for special guests and the difficulties experienced by ordinary worshippers.
Discontent extended to volunteers who had spent long hours helping organise the event. One complained on X that while celebrities were seated three metres from the Pope, volunteers who had been working since 8pm on Sunday had to watch the Mass standing behind barriers 2.3 kilometres from the altar.
The dispute over the guest lists has exposed conflicting accounts between the national government and City authorities.
Journalist Gonzalo Prado said the Presidential Chief-of-Staff's office and Foreign Ministry had sent guest lists to the production company responsible for issuing QR accreditation codes. According to his account, City Hall had a quota of 250 invitations for officials and representatives of the executive, legislative and judicial branches, decentralised institutions and neighbourhood councils.
His account differed from Feinmann's, who attributed invitations to entertainment personalities to the Buenos Aires City government.
The controversy also involved Vice-President Victoria Villarruel, who said she had not received the QR code required to enter the event, although the Casa Rosada maintained that an invitation had been sent.
Villarruel has long been at odds with President Javier Milei, her former running-mate, and has been sidelined during much of the papal visit.
US$14-million operation
The scale of the public spending involved emerged in an investigation published by the El Disenso website in a piece by journalists Mariana Escalada and Agustín Ronconi.
It identified seven direct procurement procedures resulting in eight individual awards worth a combined 20.477 billion pesos, approximately US$14 million. The contracts covered production, staging, television broadcasting, sound, lighting, electricity, screens and the preparation of venues for the pope's activities.
DF Entertainment received the largest award, worth 8.69 billion pesos, 42.4 percent of the total. Nuevos Aires Producciones received 4.55 billion pesos (22.2 percent), while Recordvision was awarded 3.09 billion pesos (15.1 percent). Together, the three companies accounted for almost 80 percent of the contracts identified.
The DF Entertainment contract covered production and overall coordination of the Mass and the youth vigil. According to El Disenso, its specifications included a 30-by-40-metre VIP tent, air conditioning, flooring, carpets and furniture, alongside 3,500 chairs, sofas, tables, floral arrangements, separate toilets and catering services.
The documents also provided for accreditation arrangements for approximately 4,000 special guests.
Buenos Aires City Mayor Jorge Macri subsequently acknowledged that some catering items had been excessive, although he disputed descriptions of the arrangements as a display of luxury.
The investigation also raised questions over private security company TechSecurity and cleaning contractor Purgato, which it linked to the family circle of Martín Menem.
The investigation also questioned the government's decision to use direct procurement procedures on grounds of urgency.
The Holy See confirmed the Pope's visit on August 5, but the procedures identified by El Disenso began in mid-October, raising questions over why the government did not organise competitive tenders despite having several months' notice.
Pagano's first criminal complaint targets officials who allegedly authorised preferential access for people who held no public office and were not members of official delegations, the diplomatic corps or Church representatives.
She has also asked judges to investigate possible abuse of authority, misappropriation of public funds and fraudulent administration. The complaint also seeks to establish who authorised the 250 invitations allocated to the national government.
A second complaint challenges the direct award of the DF Entertainment contract for the Mass and the preceding youth vigil.
Pagano argues that the authorities should explain when they identified the need to hire the company, when the procurement process began and whether the claimed urgency resulted from objective circumstances or administrative delays.
She also called for scrutiny of the involvement of TechSecurity and Purgato, asking investigators to establish whether their selection was influenced by public officials.
According to the Noticias Argentinas news agency, the complaints were assigned to Federal Court No. 5, presided over by María Eugenia Capuchetti, and Federal Court No. 7, headed by Sebastián Casanello.
Meanwhile, Socialist deputy Esteban Paulón has requested information from the national government and called for Presidential Chief-of-Staff Karina Milei and Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno to explain the invitations, accreditation arrangements and financing of the VIP areas.