浪花直播

Argentine President Javier Milei, who promised during his campaign to take a 鈥渃hainsaw鈥� to the state, is turning his attention to his country鈥檚 diplomatic establishment. On October 30, he abruptly  Foreign Minister Diana Mondino with businessman Gerardo Werthein, his ambassador in Washington. His action reflects a broadening of his agenda, from dramatically shrinking government to putting his hard right imprint onto foreign policy and deepening Argentina鈥檚 alignment with Washington.

Mondino鈥檚 departure was triggered by Argentina鈥檚 vote in favor of an annual  at the UN General Assembly condemning the US embargo of Cuba, which apparently came as a surprise to Milei. Argentina has long supported this resolution, which passes nearly unanimously. Its position reflects longstanding practice and an interest in assuring continued approval for an annual resolution calling on Britain to negotiate over the ) Islands. Milei was clearly unpersuaded by that logic; he would have preferred Argentina to join the only two 鈥渘o鈥� votes, from the United States and Israel.

Though Mondino鈥檚 public dismissal was sudden, it was not entirely unexpected. Since Milei took office last December, he has leaned heavily on his sister, , his chief of staff, and senior adviser . Mondino, by contrast, has seen her portfolio shrink. Argentina鈥檚 export and investment promotion , for example, moved from the Foreign Ministry to the Casa Rosada presidential palace.

Though Mondino鈥檚 public dismissal was sudden, it was not entirely unexpected having seen her portfolio shrink.鈥�

Other than the vote on the Cuban embargo, Mondino, a conservative economist, did not appear to resist the conservative direction of Argentine foreign policy under Milei, who in recent months has denounced the UN 鈥淎genda 2030鈥� development goals and 鈥淧act for the Future鈥� as examples of 

But as foreign minister, Mondino had the unenviable role of cleaning up after Milei, who has the habit of traveling overseas to meet with conservative opposition figures. He has alienated several of his counterparts, including President Luiz In谩cio Lula da Silva of Brazil, Gustavo Petro of Colombia, and Pedro S谩nchez of Spain. The diplomacy required to mend relations might not have endeared her to Milei and his combative and ideological entourage.

Mondino鈥檚 removal, meanwhile, prefigured a broader shakeup at the Palacio San Mart铆n. Her replacement, , one of Argentina鈥檚 wealthiest businessmen, swiftly dismissed senior leaders. More changes are to come. Now that Milei has turned his attention to the Foreign Ministry, he is pursuing an  of the decision-making process to identify 鈥渆nemies of liberty鈥� and 鈥�.鈥� That has provoked fears of a 鈥減urge鈥� in the ministry.

Now that Milei has turned his attention to the Foreign Ministry, he is pursuing an 鈥�鈥� of the decision-making process to identify 鈥榚nemies of liberty鈥� and 鈥�.鈥欌赌�

Even more ominously for Argentina鈥檚 career diplomats, Milei is floating an  that would reduce staff and benefits. Today, Argentine ambassadors make as much as $220,000 per year in a country where the average income is around $4,500. Closing several embassies is also under consideration, a change that diplomats say would inhibit efforts to promote Argentine exports.

As a democratically elected leader, Milei has every right to expect Argentine foreign policy to reflect his views. And aligning with the United States may be helpful at the International Monetary Fund, where the United States has a 17.42% . But whether Argentine political support at the United Nations on issues such as Cuba is reciprocated by the United States at the IMF remains to be seen. In the meantime, Milei risks politicizing Argentine diplomacy at a moment of heightened global and regional uncertainty.