Milei finalises Cabinet line-up ahead of inauguration

The final pieces of Javier Milei’s government are falling into place – with just a few key slots left to fill.

All eight members of the president-elect’s Cabinet have now been either publicly named by the libertarian leader or confirmed in statements from his office published on social media.

However, at press time, there was still no word as to who will take on the Health portfolio. The heads of the AFIP tax bureau, National Migration Directorate or the AFI intelligence services had also been named. Despite rumours, a mining secretary had also yet to be named.

The most recent names to be confirmed were incoming Central Bank governor Santiago Bausili, new Banco Nación chief Daniel Tillard and Belén Stettler as the new communications secretary.

Their profiles, however, fail to reach the heights of the highest-profile appointees who were formalised this week: Milei’s former rival Patricia Bullrich and her running-mate Luis Petri. Their appointments as Security minister and Defence minister respectively means the president-elect has incorporated both members of the opposition presidential ticket.

Milei will make his debut as president tomorrow, surrounded by a Cabinet very different from the circles around him in the campaign leading to his November 19 run-off victory over ruling coalition candidate Sergio Massa.

A number of libertarian allies expected to take key posts in his government – including his vice-presidential running-mate Victoria Villarruel – seem to have been passed over in favour of candidates with fuller CVs and career experience related to their positions.

It will be a Cabinet of eight ministries: Defence, Justice, Economy, Human Capital, Foreign Relations, Infrastructure, Security and Interior. This represents a major overhaul from the 19 portfolios of the Alberto Fernández government.

Some ministries will now become secretariats such as Social Development, Work and Education, all forming part of the new Human Capital Ministry. Other areas such as Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation; Culture; Housing (Desarrollo Territorial y Hábitat); Women, Gender & Diversity, Transport; and Tourism & Sports are all being downgraded.

Speculation still remains over the future of the Health Ministry. Though Milei said he would downgrade it, unconfirmed reports say that the president-elect is now reconsidering his position and may keep it separate from the Human Capital Ministry, its original intended destination.

Though the leaders of all the eight ministries are now covered, doubts also remain over the future mining secretary. While that seemed heading to Sergio Arbeleche, future Infrastructure minister Guillermo Ferraro’s companion in transition talks, outgoing Energy Secretary Flavia Royón, looms on the horizon.

The future heads of AFIP (Administración Federal de Ingresos Públicos (AFIP) tax bureau, the Immigration Department and AFI (Agencia Federal de Inteligencia) are yet to be confirmed. 

Confirmed Cabinet names

- Nicolás Posse, as Cabinet chief

- Luis "Toto" Caputo, as Economy minister

- Guillermo Francos, as Interior minister

- Patricia Bullrich, as Security minister

- Mariano Cúneo Libarona, as Justice minister

- Sandra Pettovello, as Human Capital minister

- Guillermo Ferraro, as Infrastructure minister

- Luis Petri, as Defence minister

- Diana Mondino, as Foreign minister

Key positions, secretariats, state bodies, state firms

- Manuel Adorni, presidential spokesperson

- Eduardo Rodríguez Chirillo, as energy secretary

- Leonardo Cifelli, as culture secretary 

- Gustavo Morón, as labour secretary

- Franco Mogetta, as transport secretary

- Belén Stettler, as communications secretary 

- Osvaldo Giordano, head of ANSES social security agency 

- Santiago Bausili, Central Bank governor

- Daniel Tillard, president of the Banco Nación

- Marco Lavagna, head of INDEC national statistics bureau

– TIMES/NA