Government: No transition talks ongoing with Alberto Fernández and team

Officials from the Mauricio Macri administration said today that there are no transition talks currently ongoing between the incoming administration of president-elect Alberto Fernández.

One official warned Tuesday that if talks don’t resume before 10 December, “papers will be left on the table.”

Defence Minister Oscar Aguad was the most blunt in addressing the issue, speaking after a Cabinet meeting led by President Mauricio Macri earlier today.

“The transition can only happen if there is a possibility of sharing and transmitting experiences. If not, there is no transition,” he said, flanked by Justice and Human Rights Minister Germán Garavano. 

The minister told journalists that transition talks “started with both presidents” during the Casa Rosda meeting hosted by Macri the day after the 27 October elections.

In this sense, he considered that “for some reason [transition talks] did not continue,” though he said he was not aware of the motive why.

Fernández and Macri have staked out markedly different positions in recent weeks over foreign policy, with unrest in Latin America sweeping the region.

Aguad said that the president had informed his officials after the election to “organise” each area and “convey” the government's experience over the past four years to the incoming administration. 

“The order that the president gave each minister is to organise [ourselves] to convey this experience,” stated Aguad, specifying that they would be left with no other option than to “leave papers on the table” unless the two sides started talking again.

Aguad said, however, that “we still have time” until 10 December, implying talks could resume. 

– Times/NA/Télam