MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine President reshuffles cabinet to overcome electoral defeat

Argentina's president hands over cabinet leadership to his vice-president's nominee and reaches a truce in the political crisis

Argentine President Alberto Fernández Friday announced a major cabinet reshuffle in an attempt to build up a new government team with which to reverse last Sunday's loss at the Open, Mandatory and Simultaneous Primary (PASO) elections.

As suggested by Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Juan Manzur will become the new Cabinet Chief in place of Santiago Cafiero, who will take up Foreign Affairs.

Among the most resounding changes is the return of Former Cabinet Chief Aníbal Fernández to the centre stage, as he will be the new Security Minister instead of Sabina Frederic, while Malvinas (Falkland) Islands Secretary Daniel Filmus will leave his job to become the new Science and Technology Minister.

Meanwhile, Interior Minister Wado De Pedro, who had been the first to submit his resignation, will remain Interior Minister.

The new officials will take their oaths of office Monday afternoon at Casa Rosada, it was announced.

Those who will no longer have a place within the new government are Felipe Solá (Foreign Affairs), Sabina Frederic (Security), Luis Basterra (Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries), Nicolás Trotta (Education) and Roberto Salvarezza (Science).

Also resigning Friday was Presidential Spokesman Juan Pablo Biondi, who had been the target of harsh criticism from CFK, who accused him of masterminding media campaigns against the former two-time President. Biondi is one of the men closest to Alberto Fernández.

“Always together with Alberto Fernández towards the life we want,” wrote Biondi wrote on social media. “I am offended and I regret the misinterpretations made about me by the Vice President of the Nation, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner,” he added.

President Alberto Fernández will travel to La Rioja Saturday, where he will have lunch with several governors with whom he plans to build up a new consensus to further reconfigure his government as well as to join he is not alone at the helm of the country.

These will be the new ministers as of Monday:

• Cabinet Chief: Juan Manzur
• Foreign Affairs: Santiago Cafiero
• Security: Aníbal Fernández
• Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries: Julián Domínguez
• Education: Jaime Perzyck
• Science and Technology: Daniel Filmus
• Secretary of Communication and Press: Juan Ross

The ministers who remain in office are:

• Juan Cabandié: (Environment)
• Tristán Bauer: (Culture)
• Jorge Taiana: (Defense)
• Martín Guzmán: (Economy)
• Matías Kulfas: (Productive Development)
• Juan Zabaleta: (Social Development)
• Jorge Ferraresi: (Territorial Development and Habitat)
• Eduardo De Pedro: (Interior)
• Martín Soria: (Justice and Human Rights)
• Elizabeth Gómez Alcorta: (Women, Gender and Diversity)
• Gabriel Katopodis: (Public Works)
• Carla Vizzotti: (Health)
• Claudio Moroni: (Labor)
• Alexis Guerrera: (Transport)