President Javier Milei decided this Saturday to remove Manuel Adorni from the position of Chief of Staff, after 100 days of management marked by public scorn and internal pressure. In his place, Deputy Diego Santilli, known as «Colorado,» will take over, in a move that responds to the request of his sister and Secretary General of the Presidency, Karina Milei, to balance power within the «iron triangle» of the ruling party.
The decision was made while Milei was traveling in Spain. It was Karina who, on Friday, informed Adorni that he had to resign, and who convinced the president that a change was necessary. According to sources from the Casa Rosada, Karina argued that Adorni had lost support in the Cabinet, in Congress, and in society, and that even senators from La Libertad Avanza had expressed their discomfort after a meeting at the Casa Rosada.
Furthermore, PRO president Mauricio Macri had decided that the yellow legislators would support a request to interpellate Adorni, which accelerated the timeline. Milei, who until that morning had defended Adorni by saying he would only kick him out «if there was a judicial prosecution,» eventually yielded to his sister’s arguments.
On Saturday, after arriving at the Olivos residence, Milei met with Adorni and asked for his resignation. Then, he received Santilli, who entered at 7:20 PM and spoke via WhatsApp with someone he had saved as «Mauri.» Minutes later, Milei gave him his blessing as the new Chief of Staff. At 8:02 PM, the president posted a photo alongside Karina and the now-former Interior Minister, announcing that Santilli would take office on Tuesday at 4 PM.
With this move, Karina Milei reinforces her power in the Cabinet, while presidential advisor Santiago Caputo had gained ground with the appointment of Adrián Ravier as the new spokesperson and Fabián Fernández as Press Secretary. Adorni’s departure seeks to rebalance the base of the «iron triangle» with the entry of Santilli, a leader already considered a first-rate «violeta punzó» and a Karinist.
Adorni leaves amid strong discredit. The opposition is calling for him to also be removed from the YPF board, and the judicial case for alleged illicit enrichment continues. Prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita plans to ask him to explain the monumental movement of dollars in his assets and how he obtained them. Additionally, on his record are having taken his wife on the presidential plane to New York after banning family travel, having lied about his sworn statements, and having mistreated the press by temporarily closing the Press Room at the Casa Rosada.
Santilli, for his part, will have the mission of not interfering in the internal libertarian contest in the province of Buenos Aires, where party leader Sebastián Pareja still aspires to be a candidate to succeed Axel Kicillof. Karina chose him for his quiet work with «allied» governors and his ability to block Kirchnerism in Congress. Now, the new Chief of Staff will also have to craft, after the World Cup, the gubernatorial candidacies for next year.
Para mí Milei es un títere de los K, Santilli es la misma basura de siempre. Karina mueve los hilos y este gobierno de derecha solo profundiza el ajuste. ¡Volve Cristina, carajo! Esto huele a pacto de la Rosca.
para mi la hermana de milei le metio el perro al titere de adorni viva la libertad carajo santilli es un trosko encubierto pero mejor que ese inutil que solo sabia leer el discurso los zurditos de mierda deben estar llorando