Argentina: Chief of Staff Santilli expands outreach to provincial governors

Diego Santilli, Argentina's Chief of Staff, is actively broadening his network by engaging with provincial governors, including a recent meeting with Maximiliano Pullaro of Santa Fe. This encounter marks their first since Santilli assumed his current role in the national cabinet, highlighting his efforts to build consensus beyond the administration's core allies.

Santilli's agenda includes securing support for key legislative changes, notably reforms to the cold zones regime for gas tariffs, which has already passed the Chamber of Deputies, and electoral reform. However, in each meeting, he also listens to the governors' persistent demands for increased federal funding and public works, issues that have remained consistent since Javier Milei's presidency began.

The Chief of Staff also plays a role in mobilizing gubernatorial support for presidential events. Invitations were extended for a recent event in San Miguel de Tucumán, with Santilli facilitating contacts to ensure broad institutional representation. Governors attending included those from Mendoza, Corrientes, San Juan, Salta, Catamarca, Jujuy, Entre Ríos, Neuquén, Chubut, Santa Cruz, and Chaco, alongside the host governor.

In his interactions with governors, Santilli serves as a crucial intermediary with Economy Minister Luis Caputo, who ultimately controls the allocation of federal resources. During the meeting with Pullaro, the governor reiterated the province's claim regarding outstanding pension debt from the national government and stressed the need for clarity on road maintenance funding. Santilli's engagement with governors like Pullaro and Martín Llaryora of Córdoba, despite past tensions, underscores the administration's strategy to foster broader political alliances.