the The nomination and subsequent victory of Louis Petrie As Mendoza’s national representative, they forced the government to identify a replacement for him in the Ministry of Defence, a position that would remain in government hands. Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto Prestithe current Chief of the Army General Staff. Before being sworn in as legislator, on December 10, Petrie celebrated the appointment and emphasized: “There is a paradigm shift and We are proud of the present And the past of our armed forces. The president’s decision in this sense seems to me more than correct and consistent with supporting the forces.”
By selecting Presti, management is deepening the vision Reevaluates the armed forces It deviates from the human rights policies promoted between 2003 and 2023, especially those that focused on prosecuting the crimes of the dictatorship, reviewing military actions and building a state narrative based on memory, truth and justice.
According to the minister, the arrival of the first man in uniform to occupy the ministry since the democratic return deepens the line that he himself defended: “In December, we also broke a tradition: it was to appoint civilians in charge of the Secretariat of Military Affairs. I appointed the person who had been commander of the army, Claudio Pasqualini, and then Colonel Rosa Garay. This goes in the same direction,” he noted, noting that An alternative to him “It will have a successful management“.
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The official transition will take place on December 10, and according to a government statement, “For the first time since the return of democracy, a person with an impeccable military record will take charge.” Who has reached the maximum extent of his power“He will be at the head of the Ministry in charge of National Defense.” There, in the same official memorandum the appointment was made Alejandra Monteoleva, Minister of Security To replace Senator-elect Patricia Bullrich.
Immediately after the announcement, the Executive requested that this standard be firmly maintained in future defense appointments, as a settled policy: “We are launching a tradition that we hope the political leadership will continue from now on, and ending the demonization of our officers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers.”
For his part, Petri publicly congratulated the new minister: “Thank you very much, dear Lieutenant General Carlos Presti. It is comforting to know that whoever is the commander of our army will now continue as the future Minister of Defense,” he wrote on the networks. He added: “I know that he will have a distinguished and successful management because, as part of the team that accompanied me, I know firsthand his abilityCommitment and loyalty to the homeland.”
Who is Carlos Presti, the army commander who will take over the political leadership of the Ministry of Defence?
Lieutenant General in the Argentine Army He trained at the National Military CollegeHe graduated in 1987 with the rank of Second Infantry Lieutenant. Throughout his military career, he held positions of great responsibility, including Commander of the 4th Airborne Brigade, Chief of the 601st Air Assault Regiment, and Director of the Military College.
His career also includes international experiences: he participated in and worked in peace missions in Haiti Defense attaché at several Central American embassiesincluding Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. On 29 December 2023, he was appointed Chief of the Army General Staff (JEMGE), a position he assumed on 10 January 2024 which included the retirement of 22 senior generals, while being promoted to military rank. The team became official in March 2025 Retroactive to January of that year.
now, President Javier Miley He announced that he would be the nation’s new Minister of Defense, replacing Louis Petrie, who will take up his position as National MP on 10 December. “He is a soldier with a tremendous career, very capable and professional, I am sure of that,” Petrie explained. His management at the head of the defense portfolio will be successful“.
Alejandra Monteoleva will replace Bullrich and a military man will lead the defense for the first time since 1983: “Continuity, of course”
Presti will officially take office on December 10, leaving the Army Command to assume this key role in the political and strategic leadership of national defence.
M.F.
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