President Javier Milei said he would root out diplomatic personnel that promote "agendas that are enemies of freedom" after firing Foreign Minister Diana Mondino for voting against the United States’ trade embargo against Cuba at the United Nations.
The La Libertad Avanza leader wasted no time on Wednesday in sacking Mondino, the country's top diplomat, after Argentina joined 186 other UN members who voted in favour of lifting the embargo imposed on Communist-run Cuba since 1962.
Mondino has been replaced by Argentina's Ambassador to the United States, Gerardo Werthein.
On Wednesday night, the Presidency said it would "audit" all Foreign Ministry personnel, "with the objective of identifying promoters of agendas that are enemies of freedom."
Only two countries, the United States and Israel voted against Wednesday's resolution on the Cuban embargo, while one country, Moldova, abstained.
Argentina has traditionally voted against the embargo on Cuba.
Milei’s office said Wednesday it "categorically opposes the Cuban dictatorship" and "condemns all regimes that perpetuate the violation of human rights and individual freedoms."
Local media quoted Foreign Ministry sources as saying that while it was awkward diplomatically for Argentina's current Washington-allied government to oppose the United States 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 Islands.
Milei, who is seeking closer rapprochement with the United States and Israel, has broken with Argentina's historic support for various international left-wing causes.
In May, Argentina was one of just nine countries to vote against a UN resolution in support of Palestinian membership of the world body.
Two weeks ago Milei dismissed Argentina's ambassador to the UN, Ricardo Lagorio, and replaced him with a former charge d'affaires in Israel.
Milei caused further unease in the diplomatic corps by sending diplomats a letter demanding they align themselves with his foreign policy priorities or "step aside.
Presidential Spokesperson Manuel Adorni on Thursday invited staff unhappy at Argentina’s new direction to “withdraw from the government.”
“President Milei's position is clear, it is not necessary to understand that the President's alignment is with the United States and Israel,” he said at a press conference.
“We are here to promote the President's agenda, not to draw our own conclusions in terms of decisions to be taken,” he added.
‘We are all invited, within our individual freedoms, to withdraw from the government and follow our own paths outside the President's agenda,” the spokesman insisted.
Adorni said Mondino’s departure was due to differences, stating her positions were “not in line with what the President thinks and what we all know he thinks.”
Regarding Werthein’s replacement, he said a new ambassador to the United States had yet to be chosen.
– TIMES/AFP/NA
