President Javier Milei tapped a seasoned politician he once openly insulted on the campaign trail to become the fourth Cabinet chief of his government plagued by corruption scandals.<\/p>\n
Diego Santilli will officially be sworn in as Milei\u2019s Cabinet chief on Tuesday after outgoing aide Manuel Adorni, one of the President\u2019s most faithful followers, resigned this weekend after months of corruption allegations.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It marks a shift toward the centre\u00a0for Milei. As a candidate in 2023, the libertarian outsider vowed to eradicate entrenched politicians like Santilli, yet he appointed him last year to lead his party\u2019s ticket in the midterm race and later named him interior minister.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI take on the most important challenge of my life with the commitment to keep working so that this government keeps making history,\u201d Santilli said Sunday evening in a post on X.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In a rare break from Argentine history, Milei\u2019s political drama since March hasn\u2019t spilled over into the economy. The peso has remained relatively stable, the government\u2019s debt rating was upgraded and economic growth surpassed expectations. \u00a0<\/p>\n
Santilli\u2019s ascent revives a narrative that Milei\u2019s outsider fa\u00e7ade contrasts with a team that resembles former president Mauricio Macri\u2019s political party, known as PRO. The libertarian\u2019s economy minister, Central Bank chief, Senate leader and foreign minister all served in Macri\u2019s government, and Santilli was a senior official in the government of Buenos Aires City run by PRO.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Like Adorni, Santilli has also faced criticism, including from Milei himself in 2023, for a lavish lifestyle. Santilli welcomed news cameras that year to show his home in a posh gated community outside Buenos Aires. With a career spanning the political spectrum over decades, Santilli brings the dealmaking experience that Adorni lacked. He\u2019ll also have more support from Macri\u2019s lawmakers in Congress, which could prove crucial for Milei\u2019s legislative agenda that stalled amid Adorni\u2019s downfall.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s also the second time in less than a year that Santilli steps up for Milei in a big moment. After Milei\u2019s top candidate for midterm elections dropped off the ticket due to alleged ties to a drug trafficker under investigation in the US, Santilli ran for Milei and created colorful campaign ads. Milei\u2019s party won last October\u2019s midterm elections, notching a pivotal victory.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Although Milei is seeking to turn the page on Adorni, he also continues to deny his loyal deputy did anything wrong as the former cabinet chief was accused of illicit enrichment.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cI continue trusting in Adorni\u2019s innocence,\u201d Milei said Sunday night in a TV interview. \u201cHe\u2019s a honest person.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n by Patrick Gillespie, Bloomberg<\/p>\n \t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\nrelated news<\/h6>\n<\/p>\n<\/section>\n