Former president Mauricio Macri has exposed his disagreements with President Javier Milei after an unsuccessful dinner at the Olivos presidential residence last Friday night.
In a post on social media, Macri reignited doubts about the government’s ability to work with allies, openly criticising the appointment of Manuel Adorni as Cabinet chief following the resignations of Guillermo Francos and Interior Minister Lisandro Catalán.
Macri shared his remarks in a lengthy post on his official X account, in which he revealed details of his dinner with the President.
“I was invited to dinner by President Milei at Olivos, in appreciation for the support I gave him during the most difficult week of his government before the elections. During the meeting we discussed the pending issues. The idea was to find the best way to strengthen the teams and prepare for this second stage, but we couldn’t reach an agreement,” wrote the ex-president.
The chair of the PRO party, which is allied with Milei’s La Libertad Avanza, wrote that “the departure of a capable and balanced man like Guillermo Francos – who for the public represented common sense – to be replaced by someone without experience does not seem to be good news” – a clear reference to Adorni.
He added that there had been the option of appointing “another suitable person from his team, with a more technical profile and greater leadership and coordination capacity, such as Horacio Marín,” the current president of YPF, Argentina’s state-run energy company, who Macri said “has all the right qualities given his previous experience.”
Macri stressed that “the Cabinet Chief is an essential figure” who “coordinates the political and management teams around a shared agenda and strategy.” He warned that this “misguided decision” should be seen in line with “the lack of resolution of the government’s well-known internal disputes, which are key to its future roadmap.”
The Macri-Milei meeting took place amid a fresh wave of resignations, with both Francos and Catalán stepping down while the ex-president was dining with the current head of state.
The reshuffle consolidates the influence of Milei’s sister, Presidential Chief-of-Staff Karina Milei, and top adviser Santiago Caputo, who is likely to be named interior minister.
PRO nominees who had been floated for ministerial posts are expected to be left out entirely.
With the changes, the President’s so-called “Iron Triangle” – made up of Karina Milei, Santiago Caputo and the PResident – emerges as the dominant force inside the new government, further marginalising Macri’s allies. Adorni, now named Cabinet chief, now joins that close inner circle.
Macri concluded his statement by insisting he is not seeking any personal benefit from his political involvement. “As the President has publicly said, I have not asked for, nor will I ask for, anything for myself, but I feel compelled to make my contribution and express my concerns because we share responsibility for the country’s future,” he wrote.
The exchange marks the clearest sign yet of strain between Milei and Macri, whose uneasy alliance has underpinned the government’s misfiring congressional strategy since December 2023.
– TIMES/NA/PERFIL
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