MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Purge in the Argentine foreign ministry: Cristina Fernandez loyal are back

Ex ambassador in UK Alicia Castro most probably will be appointed to Moscow

Even when Argentine president Alberto Fernandez could come across the Prince of Wales during the World Holocaust Forum in Jerusalem, which convenes some fifty world leaders, this did not prevent him from signing several decrees before leaving for Israel removing ambassadors, two of them closely linked to the Foradori/Duncan communiqué of 2016 which was considered the start of a new constructive page in bilateral relations between UK and Argentina.

In effect Renato Sersale di Cerisamo, ambassador in London, and Carlos Foradori in Geneva have been called back to Buenos Aires and most probably will be retiring. Likewise three other retired ambassadors who were appointed to active service by ex president Mauricio Macri, have also had their contracts dropped.

They are Roberto García Moritán, Jorge Herrera Vegas and Fernando Enrique Petrella. All very experienced and knowledgeable diplomats. The first two members of the Maritime Front Joint Technical Commission and the River Plate Administration Commission, while Petrella, ex deputy of Guido Di Tella was head of the Argentine Foreign Service Institute.

According to Buenos Aires media sources no possible names have been floated regarding a successor for Sersale di Cerisamo, but it is clear that the next ambassador will have a more aggressive stance in support of Argentine claims over the South Atlantic islands and surrounding maritime spaces.

The name of the ex union leader of Argentine stewardesses, (“chicken or pasta”) and former ambassador in London during the second mandate of president Cristina Fernandez, Alicia Castro has emerged, but she most probably will be head of the representation in Moscow.

Although when a new government takes office it is understandable that some key diplomatic posts are exposed to changes particularly when it involves a different foreign policy emphasis, the current Alberto Fernandez administration seems a repeat of the names that surrounded Cristina Kirchner.

In effect Jorge Argüello returns as ambassador Washington; ex governor of Buenos Aires province Daniel Scioli was appointed to Brasilia; ex Labor minister Carlos Tomada to Mexico City; Pablo Grinspun in the European Union; Carlos Raimundi at the Organization of American States and ex foreign minister Rafael Bielsa in Santiago de Chile.