A “family” benefit
The Menem surname is once again at the center of controversy, but this time not because of traditional politics, but because of a series of mortgage loans granted by the Banco Nación (BNA) which raised suspicions of preferential treatment. The beneficiaries are two members of the new generation of the «clan»: Sharif and Nazarena Menem.
Adding both cases, the family agreed to a total of $594.000.000 in financing under conditions that, for any common citizen, would be practically unattainable.
The scandal numbers
- Nazarena Menem (26 years old): Employee of the General Auditor’s Office of the Nation with just four years of experience. Received a credit $237 million in August 2025.
- Sharif Menem (24 years old): He works in the Chamber of Deputies alongside his uncle, Martín Menem. Got a loan from $357 million despite having a temporary position.
- Record time: The approval and deed procedures would have been carried out in a few weeks, contrasting with the six months that a normal procedure usually takes for the rest of the clients.
Exclusive window for officials?
The controversy does not end with the Menems. According to data managed by the opposition, it is estimated that 10% of the recently granted credits were specifically allocated to officials and legislators, mostly from La Libertad Avanza.
Deputy Mónica Frade has filed a judicial complaint pointing to an alleged «misappropriation of objectives» and violation of the Public Ethics Law. The central argument is that those who run the State should not receive preferential loans from the public bank itself, due to the obvious conflict of interest.
The official defense
From Banco Nación, its president Darío Wasserman assured that «there were no irregularities» and that all applicants complied with the usual credit scoring. However, specialists question how young people in their early 20s, with incomes that are barely around $2.5 million, qualify for loans of such magnitude.
Between the «chainsaw» and the benefits
For many, the scandal lies in the contradiction: while the Government preaches austerity and cutting public spending, a sector of officials and associates seems to have found in Banco Nación a quick way to capitalize in record time.
Justice now has the task of investigating whether these credits were granted under market rules or if, in fact, there was a «VIP window» for the power environment.
