MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Massa stays in office for “an orderly transition” but no Milei-Alberto meeting yet

Until Dec. 10, President Fernández and Massa are responsible for the Argentine people, Milei's camp stressed

After it was reported in the wee hours of Monday that Sergio Massa would be seeking a leave of absence as Argentina's Economy Minister following his defeat at Sunday's presidential runoff, he announced during Monday's national holiday that he would be staying on his job until Javier Milei's inauguration.

 Massa, who admitted he had reached the end of “a stage” in his “political life,” appointed a team within the Ministry to start the transition with representatives of the future administration, although he pledged not to “make any decision” until [President] “Alberto [Fernández] and Milei meet.” Such an encounter was heralded to have been scheduled for Monday but in the end, the “Office of the President-Elect” (OPEArg) issued a statement denying those reports.

The sitting official also spoke of an “orderly transition” after summoning his inner circle to a building in San Fernando on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. “We have asked the president-elect and the current president to put in place mechanisms for the transition so that in the next 19 days there are no doubts,” Massa said.

Milei's La Libertad Avanza said anything published by OPEArg is to be deemed “official.”

“Today, the President-elect, Javier Milei, held from early hours of the morning telephone conversations with foreign dignitaries who communicated with the purpose of expressing their support to the new President. The President-elect ratified the desire to work in defense of democracy and free trade with all the countries of the world,” OPEArg's statement read.

“There will be no announcements of appointments regarding positions in the future government until the day of the inauguration,” it went on despite some names already circulating, particularly those of the future Foreign Minister (Diana Mondino) and Justice Minister (Mariano Cúneo Libarona).

“Until December 10, President Alberto Fernández and the Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, are constitutionally responsible for the situation of the Argentine people,” OPEArg insisted.

“Up to this moment, there is no meeting scheduled between President Alberto Fernández and President-Elect Javier Milei,” the announcement also pointed out.

Regarding the venue for such a gathering, LLA sources in Buenos Aires were quoted as saying that the future head of state would rather meet at a “neutral” place, meaning neither the Olivos presidential residence nor the Casa Rosada.
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