Milei may remove ambassador in Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba – 12/19/2023 – World

Javier Milei’s government may withdraw Argentine ambassadors from countries with dictatorial regimes such as Nicaragua, Venezuela and Cuba, according to local press. The measure would represent a diplomatic shift in relation to the management of Peronist Alberto Fernández, who maintained names in these nations.

When questioned, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that, “so far, no appointments of ambassadors have been made that can be informed, as the process is ongoing” and that “Chancellor Diana Mondino’s intention is to announce them as soon as she has a significant number of appointments”.

According to the Infobae portal, the minister has already discarded these three countries from the list of ambassadors around the world that she is preparing. Bilateral diplomatic relations would be maintained only through a chargé d’affaires —a position also occupied by a diplomat, but more formal—, as is already the case with Iran.

The Clarín newspaper, in turn, states that the government has already made the decision regarding Nicaragua, but still has doubts whether it will do the same with Venezuela and Cuba. The regime of the Nicaraguan dictator, Daniel Ortega, also withdrew its ambassador from Argentina on the 4th, the week before Milei took office.

“Faced with repeated statements and expressions from the new rulers, the government decided to withdraw its ambassador, fellow writer and communicator Carlos Midence,” said the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Managua, Denis Moncada, in a brief statement released by the country’s government media.

This Monday (18), Milei’s government announced that it will return to a group of countries formed within the United Nations to put pressure against the Ortega regime and the violation of human rights. The announcement was made at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland.

Argentina was one of the nations that led a first resolution on Nicaragua in 2019, then under the Presidency of Mauricio Macri, alongside other countries in the region such as Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay and Peru. In 2020, however, Fernández’s management surprised by taking the decision to withdraw from the group.

Now, in their return speech, Argentine representatives argued to the council that “they will not accept that national sovereignty or economic sanctions are invoked as justification for not guaranteeing the full validity of human rights.”

Alberto Fernández had sent Daniel Capitanich (Nicaragua), Oscar Laborde (Venezuela) and Luis Alfredo Ilarregui (Cuba), who according to the press stood out for their silence or for their controversial role in complex geopolitical episodes during that period.

Milei has already confirmed some of his new ambassadors, including those from Brazil, who will continue to be the Peronist Daniel Scioli, and from the United States, businessman Gerardo Werthein, criticized for having financed the Argentine president’s campaign and having lent his plane after he was elected.

The United Kingdom and Israel also have designated names, but Milei has not yet given any signal about China.

Argentina is experiencing a new tense moment with China

The two countries are experiencing a new tense moment, after a warm start to the government that contrasted with the atmosphere of the presidential race, in which Milei said he would cut ties with the country for being a “communist dictatorship”.

Beijing decided to freeze the so-called “swap” of US$6.5 billion (R$32 billion) that it had negotiated in October with former Economy Minister Sergio Massa, Milei’s political rival, according to the agency’s announcement this Tuesday (19). North American REDD Intelligence.

The measure consists of an exchange of currencies and is very important for Argentina because it allows the country to pay part of the installments of its debt with the IMF (International Monetary Fund) in yuan, the Chinese currency, and preserve its scarce reserve of dollars in the coffers. public.

The decision would have been taken after unease over the ongoing purchase of American-made F-16 fighters, according to Infobae. The new Minister of Defense, Luis Petri, met this Monday with the head of the Argentine Armed Forces and reportedly decided to move forward with the acquisition, to the detriment of a Chinese offer.

Now, Wang Wei, the Chinese ambassador in Buenos Aires, has been summoned to return to Beijing to present a report on relations with Milei, says the portal “El Diario”. For now, Argentina’s representation in China is handled by a secretary, Valeria Varone, a diplomatic position considered too low for China’s commercial and strategic importance.

Chancellor Diana Mondino had also confirmed that Argentina will not accept the invitation to join the Brics, a bloc currently formed by Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa.