Javier Milei taps lifetime politician Diego Santilli to lead his Cabinet after scandal

President Javier Milei tapped a seasoned politician he once openly insulted on the campaign trail to become the fourth Cabinet chief of his government plagued by corruption scandals.

Diego Santilli will officially be sworn in as Milei’s Cabinet chief on Tuesday after outgoing aide Manuel Adorni, one of the President’s most faithful followers, resigned this weekend after months of corruption allegations. 

It marks a shift toward the centre for Milei. As a candidate in 2023, the libertarian outsider vowed to eradicate entrenched politicians like Santilli, yet he appointed him last year to lead his party’s ticket in the midterm race and later named him interior minister. 

“I take on the most important challenge of my life with the commitment to keep working so that this government keeps making history,” Santilli said Sunday evening in a post on X. 

In a rare break from Argentine history, Milei’s political drama since March hasn’t spilled over into the economy. The peso has remained relatively stable, the government’s debt rating was upgraded and economic growth surpassed expectations.  

Santilli’s ascent revives a narrative that Milei’s outsider façade contrasts with a team that resembles former president Mauricio Macri’s political party, known as PRO. The libertarian’s economy minister, Central Bank chief, Senate leader and foreign minister all served in Macri’s government, and Santilli was a senior official in the government of Buenos Aires City run by PRO. 

Like Adorni, Santilli has also faced criticism, including from Milei himself in 2023, for a lavish lifestyle. Santilli welcomed news cameras that year to show his home in a posh gated community outside Buenos Aires. With a career spanning the political spectrum over decades, Santilli brings the dealmaking experience that Adorni lacked. He’ll also have more support from Macri’s lawmakers in Congress, which could prove crucial for Milei’s legislative agenda that stalled amid Adorni’s downfall.

It’s also the second time in less than a year that Santilli steps up for Milei in a big moment. After Milei’s top candidate for midterm elections dropped off the ticket due to alleged ties to a drug trafficker under investigation in the US, Santilli ran for Milei and created colorful campaign ads. Milei’s party won last October’s midterm elections, notching a pivotal victory. 

Although Milei is seeking to turn the page on Adorni, he also continues to deny his loyal deputy did anything wrong as the former cabinet chief was accused of illicit enrichment. 

“I continue trusting in Adorni’s innocence,” Milei said Sunday night in a TV interview. “He’s a honest person.”