Buenos Aires Herald 
Diana Mondino has been fired as Argentina’s foreign minister after voting against the United States trade embargo on Cuba in the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday.
The non-binding UN resolution garnered support from 187 countries, with only the United States and Israel voting against it. It’s the 32nd time the General Assembly has passed such a resolution condemning the embargo, a position Argentina has usually upheld.
Initial government confirmation came by way of an X post by Presidential Spokesman Manuel Adorni: “Argentina’s new Foreign Minister is Mr. Gerardo Werthein. The end.”
The Office of the President X account published a communiqué saying Werthein would “lead the continuity of our country’s foreign policy transformation.” The press release said the Argentine government “is categorically opposed to the Cuban dictatorship” and that it would “audit the Foreign Ministry’s career staff to identify promoters of anti-freedom agendas.” The government had already fired several career diplomats and Mondino’s allies in the ministry.
Werthein is currently serving as the ambassador to the United States. A trained veterinarian, the new Foreign Minister comes from a business family that owns Grupo Werthein, one of the biggest holdings in Argentina.
The Foreign Ministry did not immediately respond to the Herald’s request for comment.
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Mondino’s tenure
Clashes arose between Mondino and President Javier Milei earlier this year, and her office had been losing influence within the cabinet. As early as June, Mondino was snubbed from an official trip to a Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Italy, with Milei opting instead to travel with his sister, Presidency Secretary Karina Milei.
The president dismissed Francisco Sánchez, an official close to Mondino, from his post as Religion Secretary in August — a move resulting in the secretariat absorbing Foreign Ministry duties. Nahuel Sotelo, a far-right conservative provincial lawmaker close to Karina Milei, was appointed in his place. Earlier this month, Mondino’s number two, Leopoldo Sahores, left his position as Foreign Affairs Secretary.
Beyond government infighting, Mondino’s tenure also saw a flurry of controversies.
In November 2023, before taking office, Mondino said the legalization of an organ market would be “fantastic.” After the inauguration, Mondino faced nepotism accusations as media reported that her son, libertarian youth leader Francisco Pendas, would head the Foreign Ministry’s communications. Pendas had to step down. Early this month, he was indicted for minor injuries after hitting a young man who had attended an event in Pendas’ family bank wearing pro-choice handkerchiefs.
In May, as Foreign Minister, Mondino claimed Chinese people “look the same” during an interview regarding military bases the Asian country was accused of establishing in Argentina.
Talks with her British counterpart David Lammy about the Malvinas Islands sparked cross-party outrage in September, with Vice President Victoria Villarruel calling them “contrary to the interests of our nation.” Critics argued that renewed negotiations meant major concessions for the U.K. on the sovereignty of the islands. Opposition deputies called for her impeachment as a result.
Last week, an Argentine government website published a communiqué on a meeting between Mondino and a Red Cross representative naming the Malvinas Islands as “Falklands/Malvinas.” Mondino blamed the faux pas on “leftist ideology.”
Before going into politics, Mondino was a board member of the Silo/Roela bank, founded by her father. She gained public visibility due to jokes and observations she made on X defending far-right ideas. In early 2023, she resigned from the bank before she was named as a national deputy candidate — she was then elected to that office in October 2023. However, she turned it down to lead the Foreign Ministry.
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