Argentine Foreign Minister Asks Vice President to Resign Over Milei Comments

Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno publicly called for Vice President Victoria Villarruel to step aside, escalating a political dispute over her public comments questioning President Javier Milei's mental health. Quirno's demand follows similar sentiments expressed by Chief of Staff Diego Santilli, highlighting a significant rift within the administration.

Quirno stated that Villarruel's remarks, which suggested Milei experiences "imaginary persecutions" and expressed "genuine concern for his state," were "very unfortunate." He argued that as part of the governing formula, the vice president's role is to accompany and support the president. "If she does not agree or thinks the President is in that condition, which is also a pseudo-coup comment, she should step aside," Quirno declared in an interview with A24.

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if there is a person who does not agree, they should step aside. They should form their own project and compete.

The Foreign Minister accused Villarruel of attempting to destabilize the government, which he described as a team working with great effort to improve Argentina's standing. He asserted that her constant comments are contrary to presidential authority and that she has allegedly sought to create instability since the beginning of their term. "We are a government team trying to lead Argentina somewhere, with great effort from Argentines. This is not what is appropriate for a vice president, who should be accompanying," Quirno said.

This political friction began when Villarruel expressed concern over Milei's mental state in a social media exchange with lawmaker Lilia Lemoine. Chief of Staff Santilli had previously stated that anyone disagreeing with the president should "step aside" and pursue their own political project. Villarruel responded sharply to Santilli, accusing him of conspiring against the republic and calling him an "exponent of the political caste" defeated in 2023. She defended their "mixed formula" as a spontaneous choice to break the "hegemony of these parasites" and urged him to respect the popular vote.

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One of the exponents of the political caste that we confronted in 2023 and defeated, seeks to harm the institutional order and conspire against the republican order of our Homeland. This was a mixed formula that arose spontaneously to break the hegemony of these parasites. Be democratic and respect the popular vote.