Argentine President Javier Milei has dismissed Foreign Affairs Minister Diana Mondino after she backed a UN resolution to end the longstanding US embargo on Cuba.
Mondino’s firing was confirmed in a press release from Milei’s office, which, while not explicitly linking her dismissal to the UN vote, arrived shortly after and included a strong statement on Argentina’s position on Cuba.
The statement declared that Argentina is “firmly opposed to the Cuban dictatorship” and highlighted Milei’s commitment to a foreign policy that “condemns regimes hostile to freedom.”
It said that Argentina’s diplomatic decisions should reflect values aligned with “freedom, sovereignty, and individual rights” in line with Western democracies.
The statement also announced plans for an audit of the Foreign Ministry, aiming to identify and remove “promoters of agendas hostile to freedom.”
Mondino was a close ally of Milei during his presidential campaign and one of his initial cabinet picks. Her role will be taken over by Gerardo Werthein, Argentina’s former ambassador to the United States.
Earlier on Wednesday, the UN General Assembly overwhelmingly supported lifting the US embargo on Cuba, with 187 countries in favour, while only the US and Israel opposed, and Moldova abstained.
Since his December 2023 inauguration, Milei has pledged to align Argentina closely with the United States, steering away from alliances with Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua, whose leaders he has condemned as “despicable dictators.” He also withdrew Argentina from the BRICS alliance, marking a significant policy shift from his predecessor, Alberto Fernandez.
Milei’s tenure comes amid an economic crisis, with inflation soaring and over half of the Argentine population living below the poverty line. His administration’s attempts at “shock therapy” reforms to stabilise the economy have faced early challenges, as the nation’s GDP shrank by 1.7% in the second quarter of 2024.
Argentina news: Diana Mondino is leaving the government.
She was dismissed for voting in favor of repudiating the United States blockade of Cuba. pic.twitter.com/vy7IdLa6FY
— DutchLibertarian (@LibertarianDuty) October 30, 2024
