Argentina’s President Milei Fires Foreign Minister After Vote Against US Embargo on Cuba

Argentine President Javier Milei dismissed his Foreign Minister Diana Mondino on Wednesday, hours after the country voted in favor of lifting the US economic embargo on Cuba at the UN General Assembly, The Associated Press reports.

The dismissal was confirmed by Milei’s spokesman, Manuel Adorni, on X (formerly Twitter), who did not elaborate on the reasons behind the decision. However, the President’s office later issued a press release stating that the vote at the UN was the cause.

“Our country is categorically opposed to the Cuban dictatorship, and it will remain firm in promoting a foreign policy that condemns all regimes that perpetuate the violation of human rights and individual freedoms,” the release said.

The vote at the UN saw 187 nations, including Argentina, condemn the US embargo on Cuba, with only the United States and Israel voting against it.

Since taking office in December 2023, Milei has shifted Argentina’s foreign policy towards closer alignment with the US and Israel. He has publicly expressed strong support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, even amidst criticism from other Latin American countries.

Mondino’s tenure as Foreign Minister has been marked by controversy. Last week, her office removed a press release after it referred to the Falkland Islands as “Falklands” instead of “Malvinas,” as Argentina calls the British-controlled archipelago. In May, she traveled to China seeking to improve bilateral relations, despite Milei’s previous criticisms of the Asian giant. However, her visit was marred by a media interview where she made a controversial comment about Chinese physical features, drawing widespread criticism.

Milei’s office has announced an internal audit at the Foreign Ministry “with the aim of identifying promoters of agendas opposed to freedom.”