Cabinet Shakeup: Minister Cúneo Resigns as Milei Faces Elections Amidst Internal Strife

Original article: Gabinete en fuga (acto II): Ministro Cúneo se va y Milei llega a las urnas sin Justicia

The President of Argentina, Javier Milei, announced plans to revamp his cabinet after the legislative elections taking place this Sunday. However, several of his ministers have jumped ship ahead of the polls, revealing the internal tensions within the ‘liberatory’ government.

The confirmed resignation of Mariano Cúneo Libarona from the Justice Ministry, effective early next week, follows the unexpected departure of Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein, creating an atmosphere of institutional fatigue that Milei must navigate while awaiting election results that will define his legislative latitude.

Cúneo publicly confirmed his exit from the ministry through the media, stating he would step down on Monday.

«I leave happy. I gave my all in this role,» Cúneo told Infobae, although, according to Página/12, people within the Justice Ministry believe that his role had become merely ceremonial, with decisions being made by his deputy, Sebastián Amerio, a close ally of presidential advisor Santiago Caputo.

Libertarian Manual Followed, Yet Insufficient to Retain Position

According to the aforementioned media outlet, during his tenure as minister, Cúneo adhered strictly to the tenets of La Libertad Avanza, having «fired state employees, harassed human rights organizations, and disparaged women.» Nonetheless, he gradually lost real influence within the Justice Ministry.

Sebastián Amerio, the Secretary of Justice and Caputo’s delegate in the area, emerged as the effective judicial operator behind the scenes. This loss of power became evident when, during the presentation of the ultra-punitive reform of the Penal Code, Cúneo had to listen from the audience as the Security Minister, Patricia Bullrich, sat next to the President.

The departing minister publicly acknowledged that he believed he had achieved all his goals and highlighted, among other accomplishments, the implementation of the accusatory system in fourteen jurisdictions, which assigns prosecutors the role of leading investigations while judges ensure that guarantees are upheld.

However, he failed to implement this in the country’s most politically charged jurisdiction: the federal courts of Comodoro Py, where prosecutors revolted against him.

Cúneo’s Scandals

The primary scandal Cúneo faced was the leak of a video where he was seen meeting with Timothy Ballard, a former U.S. intelligence officer who claims to be a fighter against human trafficking but has numerous allegations against him for alleged sexual abuses.

In the footage broadcasted by C5N, Cúneo was heard promising «tailored laws» to Ballard and offering him contact with journalists to rehabilitate his image. Bullrich later blocked the potential sale of technology by Ballard to the Argentine government.

In recent weeks, it also became known that the minister’s interests were not solely focused on his ministry. He attempted to gain admission to the exclusive Jockey Club, but the members rejected him.

Mariano Cúneo leaves the ministry with 33% of positions vacant in the justice system and without having submitted papers to fill these vacancies, despite the promises he made at the beginning of his tenure.

This figure could rise to as high as 50% by the year’s end, as a report from the Judiciary Council indicates that 142 judges are reaching retirement age or have enough years of service to retire.

Post-Electoral Chess Names

Cúneo’s departure accelerates internal negotiations for the future of the Justice and Security ministries, the latter of which will also be vacant if Patricia Bullrich wins her seat in the Senate.

According to Página/12, three names stand out among potential candidates for the Justice portfolio:

Sebastián Amerio: The Secretary of Justice and Caputo’s confidant is seen as a natural candidate to head the ministry, although some suggest he has his sights set on the Attorney General’s office, vacant since 2017.

Guillermo Montenegro: The mayor of Mar del Plata, and one of the earliest PRO leaders to align with Milei, is a strong contender. According to the digital media outlet, he aims to oversee a super-ministry that combines Justice and Security.

Manuel García-Mansilla: Milei’s former commissioner to the Supreme Court is also on the «shortlist.» He currently coordinates teams to draft reform projects for the government and was a featured speaker at the Faro Foundation, Milei’s think tank.

Milei Navigates Elections with a Fractured Crew

Milei had announced he would reshape his cabinet after the elections, but he likely did not expect two of his ministers to jump ship before the results were known. «Starting Sunday, Argentina will change for real,» asserted the libertarian during his campaign closing in Rosario.

The far-right leader heads into elections with two vacant ministerial positions and an urgent need to reconfigure a government team that allows him to advance his second-generation reforms, in a political landscape that will largely depend on the voters’ decisions this Sunday.