Argentina: Ministers sworn in unbroadcast ceremony

Argentina: Ministers sworn in unbroadcast ceremony

“The forces of heaven are going to make us the best government in history,” Milei stressed

Argentina’s new President Javier Milei Sunday signed his first urgency decree cutting down the number of ministries from 21 to 9, it was reported in Buenos Aires. The Libertarian leader had insisted throughout his campaign that there were going to be 8 such agencies in addition to the Office of the Cabinet Chief -which is created by the Constitution- but changed his mind to keep Health a separate issue from Human Capital as previously announced.

The new officials will be:

• Cabinet Chief: Nicolás Posse
• Interior: Guillermo Francos
• Foreign Affairs: Diana Mondino
• Defense: Luis Petri
• Economy: Luis Toto Caputo
• Infrastructure: Guillermo Ferraro
• Justice: Mariano Cúneo Libarona
• Security: Patricia Bullrich
• Health: Mario Russo
• Human Capital: Sandra Pettovello

At the same event, Milei’s sister Karina was sworn in as Secretary General of the Presidency after repealing a decree by former President Mauricio Macri banning the appointment of blood relatives up to the second degree.

Milei then made an appearance at the legendary Casa Rosada balcony, sang a song and delivered yet another speech:

“First of all, I wish to thank each one of you for the affection shown and for accompanying us in these hours of so much joy that has to do with the arrival of a libertarian liberal president,” he said.

“We, the good Argentines, have decreed the end of the populist night,” he added. “I prefer to tell you an uncomfortable truth than a comfortable lie,” he went on. “I have built my political career on always telling you the truth,” he also explained.

“Although we are going to have to endure a period of hardship, we are going to get through it. There is no night that has not been defeated by the day,” Milei insisted flanked by Karina and his romantic partner Fátima Flórez.

Then he echoed Libertarian thinker Alberto Benegas Lynch Jr. in hhis defense of “our freedom” and “the unrestricted respect for the life project of others, based on the principle of non-aggression, the right to life and property.”

“The forces of heaven are going to make us the best government in history,” Milei stressed before moving on to the Buenos Aires Catholic cathedral for an interfaith ceremony with Archbishop Jorge Ignacio García Cuerva, Greek Archbishop Iosif Bosch; Anglican Bishop Brian Williams; Pastor Christian Hooft; Rabbi Shimon Axel Wahnish; and Doctor Shaykh Salim Delgado Dassum of the Islamic community.

Rabbi Axel Wahnish, Milei’s religious confidant, said that “God has faith in the President.” He also thanked “the Forces of Heaven” for their intercession in the victory of the libertarian. The rabbi then asked for “Wisdom, Temperance and Courage” for Milei.