- Argentina President sacks Foreign Minister over Cuba vote
- Argentina joined 187 nations favouring the non-binding resolution, while only the U.S. and Israel opposed it
- FM replaced by Argentina’s ambassador to Washington, Gerardo Werthein
Argentina President sacks Foreign Minister over Cuba vote
Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, has dismissed Foreign Minister Diana Mondino after Argentina supported a United Nations vote to lift the longstanding US embargo on Cuba. Argentina joined 187 nations favouring the non-binding resolution, while only the US and Israel opposed it. This marks the first instance since Milei took office that Argentina diverged from US and Israeli positions.
Following the firing, Mondino was replaced by Argentina’s ambassador to Washington, Gerardo Werthein. Milei’s administration emphasised its “categorical opposition to the Cuban dictatorship,” signalling a shift from the previous government’s supportive stance towards Cuba, which reciprocated by backing Argentina’s Falkland Islands claims.
President Milei’s office later issued a statement intended to outline the political vision behind his foreign policy.
“The country is going through a period of profound changes and this new stage requires that our diplomatic corps reflect in each decision the values of freedom, sovereignty and individual rights that characterise Western democracies,” it said.
The statement went on: “Our country is categorically opposed to the Cuban dictatorship and will remain firm in promoting a foreign policy that condemns all regimes that perpetrate human rights violations.”