01/07/2026 18:15 - Politica
The appointment of Diego Santilli as Chief of Cabinet represents much more than a simple change in the government organizational chart. According to government sources, the administration is redefining its strategy for the 2027 elections, moving away from the foundational anti-establishment discourse to focus on concrete economic results and political agreements.
Note for international readers: The Chief of Cabinet (Jefe de Gabinete) is Argentina's second-highest government position, responsible for coordinating ministers and managing the administration's relationship with Congress. It's comparable to a Prime Minister role in parliamentary systems.
Inside the Casa Rosada (Argentina's presidential palace), officials acknowledge that the "original project has died" and the ruling party must reorganize its campaign around new guidelines that are less disruptive and more focused on predictability.
The change implies losing centrality on initiatives linked to fighting "political privileges," such as reforming the Public Ethics Law. The focus shifts to:
"Like Macrismo," government sources describe the new framework, referring to the political style of former President Mauricio Macri (2015-2019), though they clarify this doesn't mean political alignment with him.
The electoral reorganization establishes clearer roles:
| Official | Role |
|---|---|
| Karina Milei | National and provincial electoral operations, alongside Eduardo "Lule" Menem and Martín Menem |
| Santiago Caputo | Electoral advisor to President Milei, without provincial intervention |
| Diego Santilli | Relations with governors, legislators, and parliamentary agenda |
| Patricia Bullrich | Senate negotiations and territorial organization |
The Casa Rosada now recognizes it's closer to opening negotiations in Buenos Aires City and reorganizing the relationship with Patricia Bullrich under different terms. The senator has accumulated significant bargaining power through her role in the Senate, her autonomy regarding the Adorni case, and the government's need to avoid new fractures.
"We're going to have to reach an agreement with Patricia. Internally, everyone knows it."
Context: Patricia Bullrich is a veteran politician who served as Security Minister under Macri. She currently leads the PRO party, a key coalition partner. Her influence in the Senate makes her an essential ally for passing legislation.
The new scenario makes Bullrich a more difficult piece to limit than originally planned in Karina Milei's electoral strategy.
The new presidential spokesperson Adrián Ravier marked a visual and discursive difference from his predecessor, Manuel Adorni. His first press conference focused on defending the economic program, inflation reduction, and government data.
"Javier asked for everything to be economic," sources in the Executive Branch expressed. The internal assessment was positive: "Approved," according to government officials regarding his initial performance.
The new staging, use of presentation slides, and more technical tone seek to mark a difference from the previous confrontational style.
"The first stage was to bring order. The second must be to expand."
Synthesis of the new governmental approach
Santilli assumed office with the objective of rebuilding relationships with allies and sustaining agreements that allow approving projects before March 2027. Among the topics under discussion:
The Government plans to compete under the La Libertad Avanza (LLA) banner in most provinces, though without breaking dialogue channels with governors necessary for passing laws. The electoral strategy will be similar to 2025: competing without agreements with local ruling parties in much of the country while playing more intensively in districts with larger populations and party infrastructure.
Important context: Argentina has 23 provinces plus Buenos Aires City. Each has its own government and electoral calendar, making national electoral strategy complex. Milei's party, La Libertad Avanza, has limited territorial structure outside major urban centers.
Santilli's arrival is part of a series of departures that modified the original project: Nicolás Posse (former Chief of Cabinet), Guillermo Francos, Guillermo Ferraro, and Manuel Adorni. The names remaining from the first stage are Karina Milei (the President's sister and General Secretary), Santiago Caputo (political advisor), and the Menem family (Eduardo and Martín, legislators), though with different functions and an increasingly pragmatic internal balance.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
