​The cabinet of Alberto Fernández

ARGENTINA - In Brief 08 Dec 2019 by Esteban Fernandez Medrano

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In line with the electoral campaign, in which Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) kept a relatively low profile, the recently announced cabinet, that will be sworn in on Tuesday, December 10, reflects to a large extent the signature of Alberto Fernandez (AF), more than that of the elected vice-president. Most members embody a politically moderate position with, more often than not, academic backgrounds. This contrasts with the more sanguine election mechanisms of Cristina (CFK), which gave priority to militancy and loyalty. No doubt this is, politically speaking, positive, in particular because after the elections, CFK had raised her profile in the media, generating some concern about her “muscle-flexing” before the new government takes over. Of course, the new cabinet does include some key positions that are closely linked to Kirchnerism. The clearest example is that of Carlos Zannini, who will be the next head of the National Treasury Procurement. As such, Zannini will be in charge of the “National Audit Department” and the “National Directorate of Summaries and Administrative Investigations”[1]. Needless to say, influencing the lawyers who make up the State Bar is something that CFK might find very convenient. Also, the National Treasury Procurement controls the “Legal and Technical Secretary” of all the other Ministries, so this is a convenient way to remain informed about their decisions. The other two Kirchnerists are the next Defense Minister, Agustin Rossi, and the Interior Minister, Eduardo Wado de Pedro. In the case of Agustín Rossi, this would be his second time as Minister of Defense, as he held this position during the second term of CFK (2013-2015). Howe...