Juan Manuel Rossi posted on X on September 22, insisting the object in the video was a pen he used to scratch his belly button, calling the allegations a smear campaign.
The clip, recorded during a July 29 session of the Entre Ríos Chamber of Deputies, shows Rossi beside fellow legislator María Elena Romero as she speaks. The footage, which has been widely shared, shows a hand bringing an unidentified object near the nose, but the video itself does not prove drug use.
Rossi, a member of the Juntos por Entre Ríos bloc allied with President Javier Milei, has faced earlier accusations of mistreatment and harassment, which his office says were politically motivated. The video has also spurred claims from opposition figures that it was manipulated with artificial intelligence, though no independent verification has emerged.
The chamber has announced it will review the footage and consider disciplinary measures; Rossi has agreed to a toxicology test to corroborate his denial.
María Elena Romero, who appears in the clip, tweeted that she had no knowledge of any wrongdoing and that the footage likely misrepresented the situation.
As the investigation proceeds, voters in Entre Ríos are watching closely, with some calling for a formal inquiry into Rossi’s conduct.