President Javier Milei confirmed on Sunday that Diego Santilli will assume the role of Cabinet chief following the resignation of Manuel Adorni, who is currently under investigation for alleged illicit enrichment. Milei disclosed the appointment via social media, sharing an image of himself with Santilli and his sister, Karina Milei, who serves as Presidential Chief-of-Staff. “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 came after a meeting at the Olivos presidential residence on Sunday, where the trio convened to finalise the transition and deliberate on the priorities of the incoming administration.
Sources indicated that Santilli’s arrival is anticipated to refocus the government’s attention on political negotiations with provincial governors and Congress, reverting to a strategy akin to that employed during the administration of La Libertad Avanza’s initial Cabinet chief, Guillermo Francos. Karina Milei has convened La Libertad Avanza deputies and senators for a meeting at Casa Rosada on Wednesday morning to align on the government’s forthcoming legislative strategy. The meeting, scheduled to occur in the Salón Héroes de Malvinas, seeks to realign the administration’s priorities within Congress following the stagnation of several critical government initiatives due to the political repercussions stemming from Adorni’s resignation, as reported by source.
President Milei is not anticipated to be present, as he will be travelling to Paraguay for a summit involving the heads of state of Mercosur. “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.” The former Interior minister said, “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.”
In a subsequent television interview, Milei remarked that Santilli’s political experience positioned him as the optimal candidate to succeed Adorni, who is departing from office amid 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 contended that Santilli would inject new vigour into 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.