MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Daniel Scioli leaves Brasilia for a Secretariat position in Milei’s team

Francos made the announcement on social media and posted a picture of himself together with Milei and Scioli

Former Argentine Vice President Daniel Scioli will leave his post as Ambassador to Brazil to join President Javier Milei's team as Secretary of Tourism, Environment, and Sports, it was announced Tuesday in Buenos Aires after a meeting which was also attended by Interior Minister Guillermo Francos, who served on Scioli's cabinet when the latter was Governor of the Province of Buenos Aires.

The news took Libertarian voters by surprise given Milei's campaign motto that his administration would tackle the political caste and Scioli was on the brink of running for president again last year on behalf of the then-ruling Unión por la Patria movement but eventually stepped down for Economy Minister Sergio Massa to run in the primaries and eventually reach the runoff against Milei. In 2015, Scioli headed the Kirchnerite ticket that lost to Mauricio Macri.

“Together with President Javier Milei, we met with Daniel Scioli, who will assume the Secretariat of Tourism, Environment and Sports of the Ministry of the Interior,” Francos wrote on X together with a photograph of the three of them.

“Thank you Daniel for the great work done for our country as Ambassador in Brazil, recognized by all sectors, and for leaving that destination, to join our team where we are sure you will make a huge contribution,” Francos added. Scioli has already served as Tourism and Sports Secretary under Presidents Adolfo Rodríguez Saa and Eduardo Duhalde.

Under President Alberto Fernández, he briefly left the Embassy in Brasilia to become Productive Development Minister for 43 days after which he returned to his diplomatic post where he had been ratified by the current administration.

Scioli's replacement at the Argentine Embassy in Brasilia is yet to be announced. 

Junto al presidente @JMilei nos reunimos con @danielscioli, quien asumirá en la Secretaría de Turismo, Ambiente y Deportes de @MinInteriorAR. pic.twitter.com/uxTtBwfQeC

— Guillermo Francos (@GAFrancosOk) January 30, 2024