MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei holds private dinner with Macri as key ministers resign

The meeting between Macri and Milei was shadowed by the snap Cabinet reshuffle

President Javier Milei and former President Mauricio Macri held a private dinner at the Olivos presidential residence on Friday night. The gathering was shadowed by Guillermo Francos and Lisandro Catalán announcing their resignations as Cabinet Chief and Interior Minister, respectively.

The meeting, which lasted nearly two hours, was framed by Milei in a conciliatory tone. Ahead of the dinner, he expressed appreciation for the former president: “What I greatly appreciate about Mauricio Macri is that he always approached me with generosity, sharing elements of his experience with me,” Milei said.

Talks between Milei and Macri focused on the “second generation of reforms” the government plans to pursue, including major overhauls of labor, tax, and social security systems.

Absent Francos, it was speculated that power within Milei's inner circle shifted to Presidential Secretary (and sister) Karina Milei and advisor Santiago Caputo, who is reportedly about to be appointed to the Cabinet.

The rapprochement between Milei and Macri reignited rumors of the potential incorporation of officials from Macri's PRO into the government, putting Milei's La Libertad Avanza (LLA) on alert.

In this scenario, seven PRO lawmakers linked to Security Minister (and Senator-elect) Patricia Bullrich —including five incumbents and two to be sworn in on Dec. 10— announced they were defecting to LLA.

The move, led by Congressman Damián Arabia, signals a major realignment in Congress following the elections and strengthens LLA's legislative presence. The defectors argued that the decision reflected their shared conviction in the need for profound change and a preference for cooperation rather than opposition to the current administration.