MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Are Argentine Cabinet Chief's days numbered?

Posse is said to be at odds with Milei and also with “The Boss” (the president's sister, who is said to call most shots at Casa Rosada)

Rumors are mounting in Buenos Aires that Cabinet Chief Nicolás Posse's remaining days in office are numbered and that his exit is already a matter of when and not of if, despite the Libertarian Government of President Javier Milei repeatedly denying the possibility. Posse did not attend Milei's rock star event this week and would not be traveling to Córdoba for Saturday's main May 25 national holiday celebrations.

According to Presidential Spokesman Manuel Adorni, “it is absolutely false” that plans were being made in Casa Rosada for after Posse's resignation. Adorni insisted that these speculations added to others he had been confronted with since the Dec. 10, 2023, presidential inauguration involving the imminent replacement of Ministers Guillermo Francos (Interior), Sandra Pettovello (Human Capital), Luis Toto Caputo (Economy), Patricia Bullrich (Security) “and myself” that never happened.

Posse chaired Thursday's cabinet meeting but failed to go less than one kilometer away to the Luna Park stadium for Milei's performance.

Five months into the Libertarian administration, some hardline Mileists are said to be unhappy with Posse's shortcomings, particularly Presidential Secretary Karina Milei, the head of state's sister and former tarot reader now known as “The Boss” with a masculine prefix.

In addition to skipping the Córdoba event, it is yet to be determined whether Posse will attend the traditional TeDeum at Buenos Aires' cathedral. According to local media, his absence would further fuel the rumors.

President Milei explained that every minister was under scrutiny, “not only Posse” because “our first management milestone would end with the outcome of the Bases Law, which may or may not be successful” and “this situation will lead to the fact that, after this milestone, we will have to make an evaluation of results.” The president also hinted that Economist Federico Sturzzenegger might come on as a replacement minister anytime soon.

“From there, we will evaluate what worked and whatever didn't, we will change,” he added.

“When this evaluation shows that someone is not up to the task or we have completed a cycle and the President considers that there is someone better to fill the position, he will make the corresponding decision. If there is any change, it will be communicated,” Adorni said Friday in his morning press briefing.

Versions of uneasiness within Milei's inner circle came just one day after Caputo praised the LLibertarian administration for its non-deficit management in the first four months of the year with figures also in the black forecast for May.

Caputo also said a fresh cash flow might be arriving after new arrangements to be made with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) shortly. However, the minister failed to explain why the “blue” (black market) dollar kept soaring this week amid gruesome projections for most of Argentina's SMEs that may result in layoffs or closures. In this scenario, a trade surplus of US$ 1.82 billion in April was of little consolation to families unable to make ends meet.