MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Francos takes over as Argentine Cabinet Chief in lieu of Posse

Francos already chaired his first cabinet meeting on Tuesday

Nicolás Posse has ceased to be Cabinet Chief within Argentine President Javier Milei's administration. His position will be taken over by Guillermo Francos, who will not be relinquishing his role as Interior Minister, it was reported in Buenos Aires.

Posse's departure had been waiting to happen since last week but it did not materialize until late Monday when he turned in his resignation due to “differences of criteria and expectations in the progress of the Government and the tasks entrusted.”

According to Casa Rosada's Office of the President (OPRA), Francos' appointment would provide the Libertarian government with “greater political volume” to negotiate Congressional approvals.

Given Francos' new functions, Secretary of the Interior Lisandro Catalán is now expected to have a more prominent status.

Francos thanked Milei on X for the confidence placed in him for this new position and already chaired the first cabinet meeting on Tuesday, which was attended by Catalán and Ministers Mario Russo (Health), Sandra Pettovello (Human Capital); Patricia Bullrich (Security), Luis Petri (Defense), Mariano Cúneo Libarona (Justice); Diana Mondino (Foreign Affairs), and other officials such as Presidential Spokesman Manuel Adorni, Presidential Advisor Santiago Caputo, and Central Bank (BCRA) President Santiago Bausili. Economy Minister Luis Toto Caputo is in the United States with the head of state.

The Ministers then went over to a bar near Casa Rosada for coffee, catching the attention of the patrons.

In related developments, it was reported Tuesday in Buenos Aires that Economist Federico Sturzenegger, who is believed to have penned the Urgency Decree (DNU) 70/2023 with which Milei started off his presidency, will become a full-time minister to promote the “modernization of the State and economic deregulation.” The exact name of the new Ministry was to be announced “in the next few days,” Francos confirmed.

“It is a decision of the President that Federico will join the Cabinet in a ministry,” Francos said.

Sturzenegger has been BCRA president under Mauricio Macri and has been performing as an advisor to Milei but with no official appointment.