MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Estrada: K team “has no environmental policy.”

Estrada: “Argentina has no environmental policy”

Argentina key negotiator in the Botnia pulp mill dispute with Uruguay was ousted from his Foreign Ministry post because of his disagreement with the official policy, according to the fired diplomat, Raúl Estrada Oyuela.

Last week, the Foreign Ministry troubleshooter for environmental negotiations had stated that the country "has no environmental policy," which allegedly triggered his dismissal. In a press release, the ex-official seized the opportunity to accuse Environmental Secretary Romina Picolotti of "incompetence" and "interfering with areas outside her jurisdiction," indirectly suggesting she might have been behind his ouster. After expressing his dissidence, arguing: "Argentina has no environmental policy," Estrada Oyuela told reporters that "instead of showing me there is such a policy," the official reaction was "to expel me." Only months ago, Picolotti's department sparked fierce criticism from the media for alleged irregularities in the hiring of staff. She had to be strongly defended by Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernández, who accused the media investigation of being "politically instigated." Estrada Oyuela, yesterday said bluntly that Picolotti should "answer to history for the things she is currently doing." Last week, during a press conference in the United Nations office in Buenos Aires, Estrada Oyuela had already questioned the environmental agency, with which he had "several differences" regarding the international negotiations to relocate the Botnia pulp mill under construction in Fray Bentos. During that occasion, the official admitted he had written letters to Picolotti warning her of the "bad things being done" by her office and anticipated what was about to happen, saying: "I have been separated from my functions." Buenos Aires Herald