The Ministry of Human Capital led by Sandra Pettovello remains in turmoil, with a key advisor still not officially designated, Lucas Aparicio, amidst rumors of resignation. Opposition demands concerning food supplies and union calls for salary increases also remain unresolved.
In the past week, speculation arose about the potential resignation of Aparicio, a major recent addition to Pettovello’s team and a former official from Mauricio Macri’s labor secretariat. He is expected to step down less than a month into his role as deputy minister, a position yet to be officially confirmed.
According to libertarian sources, the idea of Aparicio’s resignation emerged from within the ministry itself due to disagreements among its members regarding his involvement. Initially slated to head the Chief of Staff position left vacant by Fernando Szereszevsky, Aparicio was instead to serve as an advisor. Rumors suggest dissatisfaction among some staff with his daily operations.
It’s noted that authoritarian figures disapprove of such actions.
The practice of professional and critical journalism is a cornerstone of democracy, which disturbs those who consider themselves the bearers of absolute truth.
Conversely, other libertarians argue that the issue lies not with Aparicio but with Pettovello’s leadership style. They claim that Sandra, aligned with Milei’s hardline approach, has uncovered various malpractices and continues aggressively. However, she struggles with building and leading effective teams, leading to numerous departures from the ministry.
PERFIL inquired within the ruling party, which affirmed that Aparicio remains firm in his role as Pettovello’s advisor. They clarified that he was never considered for the Chief of Staff position. Although he continues to work closely with various secretaries, his official appointment is pending, delayed by typical public administration processes.
The ministry has seen several resignations this year, including a scandal involving accusations of corruption and lack of transparency against former Subsecretary for Childhood, Adolescence, and Youth, Pablo de la Torre, a figure from the PRO. De la Torre avoided targeting Pettovello, aware of potential backlash from the administration, especially on social media.
The ministry, overseeing Education and Labor Secretariats, faces ongoing challenges with minimal time for resolution. Teacher unions under CGT demand salary negotiations for higher minimum wages, threatening a national strike if unmet. Sergio Romero, head of UDA, rejects the ministry’s offer to raise the minimum salary to 400,000 pesos, accusing the administration of education defunding nationwide.
Despite claims from Pettovello’s side of ongoing negotiations, Romero refuted these, highlighting budget cuts affecting infrastructure across jurisdictions.
Radical Civic Union (UCR) legislators persist in seeking clarity on food supply issues. They urge Pettovello to address the Health and Social Affairs Commission regarding stored food items not distributed to community kitchens, awaiting the ministry’s response following a court ruling mandating their distribution. Led by deputies Carla Carrizo, Danya Tavela, Lisandro Nieri, and Marcela Antola, they are pressing for Pettovello’s appearance before the commission, a move the government has sidestepped, citing procedural errors.
The administration shielded Pettovello, avoiding her exposure to escalating queries about the food supplies, initially denying their existence in storage, later acknowledging it without detailing distribution plans. They appealed to the Supreme Court to overturn the ruling that mandates providing these supplies to social organizations’ kitchens and child feeding centers.
UCR demands detailed explanations of stored food products, including quantities, types, production dates, procurement records, expiration dates, reasons for nondistribution, current ministry plans, and oversight actions. These requests continue amid plans to maintain pressure until answers are provided.
Other parliamentary blocs also plan to focus on this issue. Since December 10, social assistance programs have seen a 54% drop in real terms concerning food policy enforcement, with no upcoming ministry initiatives to continue these programs. Budget analysis reveals no expenses allocated for food purchases, urging social organizations to push for policy changes.
