President Javier Milei confirmed Sunday that Diego Santilli will be his new Cabinet chief after Manuel Adorni stepped down while under investigation over alleged illicit enrichment. Milei announced the appointment on social media, posting a photograph of himself alongside Santilli and his sister, Presidential Chief-of-Staff Karina Milei. “Here I am with the new Cabinet Chief, Diego Santilli, and Presidential Secretary Karina Milei, outlining the foundations for an orderly transition. The swearing-in ceremony will take place on Tuesday at 4pm,” the President revealed. The announcement followed
a meeting at the Olivos presidential residence on Sunday between the trio to finalise the transition and discuss the incoming administration’s priorities. Local media said Santilli’s arrival is expected to restore the government’s focus on political negotiations with provincial governors and Congress, returning to a similar approach to that adopted during the tenure of La Libertad Avanza’s first Cabinet chief, Guillermo Francos. Karina Milei has summoned La Libertad Avanza deputies and senators to a meeting at Casa Rosada on Wednesday morning to coordinate the government’s
upcoming legislative strategy. The meeting, due to take place in the Salón Héroes de Malvinas, aims to reset the administration’s priorities in Congress after several key government initiatives stalled amid the political fallout surrounding Adorni’s resignation, reported Noticias Argentinas. President Milei is not expected to attend as he will be travelling to Paraguay for a summit of Mercosur heads of state. “I take on the greatest challenge of my life with the commitment to keep working so this government can continue making history. I believe
in collective projects, not individual ones,” Santilli wrote on social media, reacting to his appointment. He pledged to work “as part of a team” alongside “an outstanding Cabinet” led by the President, describing the administration as one with “a clear vision” and “the determination needed” to pull Argentina “once and for all out of the hole it was left in.” “I will give everything to ensure this government continues advancing the structural reforms Argentina has needed for decades. Thank you to the President and the
presidential chief-of-staff for your confidence,” said the former Interior minister. Speaking later in a television interview, Milei said Santilli’s political experience made him the ideal choice to replace Adorni, who leaves office facing a corruption investigation in the courts. “A large part of the job involves working with governors and requires political muscle. From my point of view, Santilli is a hard worker who understands politics very well,” the President said. Milei argued that Santilli would provide fresh momentum for the government’s agenda. “He will
breathe new life into everything we still have to do. Even though we’ve already delivered not only on everything we promised during the presidential campaign, but also on all the commitments we made during the midterm campaign,” he said.
Javier Milei, Diego Santilli, Manuel Adorni, Cabinet chief, Karina Milei, Olivos, Casa Rosada, La Libertad Avanza, Mercosur summit, illicit enrichment investigation, Congress legislative strategy