President Javier Milei has sacked Foreign Minister Diana Mondino after Argentina voted to condemn the United States’ six-decade embargo of Cuba at the United Nations.
Mondino, 66, will be replaced as Argentina’s top diplomat by the nation’s current Ambassador to the United States, Gerardo Wertheim.
"The new foreign minister of Argentina is Mr. Gerardo Werthein," Presidential Spokesperson Manuel Adorni wrote on X.
The Office of the President issued a communiqué in which it states that Argentina "categorically opposes the Cuban dictatorship and will remain firm in promoting a foreign policy that condemns all regimes that perpetuate the violation of human rights and individual freedoms."
Argentina "will defend the aforementioned principles in all the international forums in which it participates and the executive branch will initiate an audit of the career staff of the Foreign Ministry, with the aim of identifying the promoters of agendas that are enemies of freedom," added the text, which said Mondino had "presented her resignation."
The foreign minister's firing comes after weeks of rumours of reported unrest within the government at her performance.
Mondino has not joined Milei's travels overseas in recent months, with the President's sister, presidential chief-of-staff Karina Milei, regularly accompanying him.
Wednesday’s vote at the United Nations, during which the Milei government voted for an end to the blockade of Communist-run Cuba, can be seen as the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Following this stance, Milei decided to immediately dismiss Mondino, the Casa Rosada confirmed.
Moments after the official's sacking was announced, the President retweeted a post by a lawmaker who said she was "proud of a government that does not support nor is an accomplice to dictators. Viva #CubaLibre."
The UN General Assembly overwhelmingly approved a new resolution against Washington’s blockade of the Communist island, which has been in force for more than six decades.
It called for “an end to the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States of America against Cuba” and was presented by Havana to the UN on Wednesday.
The resolution received 187 votes in favour, with only the United States and Israel voting against and Moldova choosing to abstain.
It is a diplomatic and moral victory for the island, though the resolution will have little effect in reality.
This is the 34th non-binding declaration presented by Havana against the six-decade blockade since 1992.
The position of Milei's government surprised some onlookers who had expected the La Libertad Avanza leader to shift Argentina’s historic position on the embargo.
It is the first time since Milei's arrival in office that Argentina has not aligned itself with the US and Israeli governments.
All Latin America and Caribbean nations expressed unanimous support for Cuba and condemned the trade embargo.
Local media quoted Foreign Ministry sources as saying that while it was awkward diplomatically for Argentina to have opposed the US and Israel, the votes of Cuba and its allies would be needed in any future resolutions on Argentina's claim of sovereignty over the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands, a British territory.
A fortnight ago Milei dismissed Argentina's ambassador to the UN, Ricardo Lagorio, and had sent a letter to the diplomatic corps urging it to align itself with his government's foreign policy.
Werthein, Mondino's successor, is a businessman and a vice-president of the International Olympic Committee.
– TIMES/NA/PERFIL/AFP
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