Argentina “cleans up” the portfolio that voted in favor of Cuba at the UN

Argentina’s new Foreign Minister, Gerardo Werthein, was sworn in this Monday (4) by the country’s president, Javier Milei, and, in a move that was already expected by the local press, called for the resignation of all secretaries and undersecretaries who were part of the previous administration, led by then minister Diana Mondino.

The decision taken by the new chancellor comes amid Milei’s discomfort with the ministry and its members. Last week, the Argentine president decided to fire Mondino after she voted in favor of lifting the United States embargo against Cuba at the United Nations (UN) General Assembly.

As reported by the Argentine newspaper ClarionWerthein requested the departure of several senior officials from the ministry, including Eduardo Bustamante, number 2 in the chancellery, who Mondino had appointed just two weeks ago. In addition to him, other names who left their positions include Marcelo Cima, Secretary of International Trade; Paola Di Chiaro, sector secretary for discussion on the Falklands; and Ernesto Gaspari, Secretary of Coordination and Planning of the Chancellery. The resignation also extended to undersecretaries Mariano Vergara (Latin American Affairs), Marcia Levaggi (Foreign Policy), Gabriel Martínez (International Economic Negotiations) and Ramiro Velloso (Export Promotion).

According to the Clarion, Werthein is trying to “appease” the situation at the ministry, after Milei classified the ministry’s employees as “traitors to the country”, due to their position at the UN. In addition to the layoffs, the Clarion mentioned that the new chancellor will also study the possibility of closing Argentine representations in countries with little diplomatic activity. This possibility is part of a broader restructuring of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.