BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — President Javier Milei of Argentina took swift action on Wednesday by dismissing his foreign affairs minister shortly after the nation voted to support the lifting of the U.S. economic embargo on Cuba during the U.N. General Assembly.
The minister in question, Diana Mondino, has now been replaced by Gerardo Werthein, who was serving as Argentina’s ambassador to the United States. The change was communicated through a post made by Milei’s spokesperson, Manuel Adorni, on social media.
While Adorni did not provide specific details surrounding Mondino’s termination, the timing of the announcement clearly followed Argentina’s vote in favor of a U.N. resolution aimed at condemning the U.S. embargo on Cuba. A total of 187 nations, including Argentina, supported the resolution, with only the United States and Israel opposing it.
Since assuming office in December 2023, President Milei, who adheres to libertarian ideals, has noticeably aligned Argentina’s foreign policy more closely with U.S. and Israeli interests. His administration has openly backed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, particularly in light of the ongoing military actions in Gaza. This stance stands in stark contrast to the prevailing sentiments in much of Latin America, where countries such as Bolivia and Colombia have severed diplomatic ties with Israel. Furthermore, at least five nations in the region, among them Brazil, have withdrawn their ambassadors from Israel.