MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei creates Ministry of Deregulation and Transformation of the State

Presidential Advisor Sturzenegger has been chosen for the new position

The Government of Argentina announced Thursday the creation of a Ministry of Deregulation and Transformation of the State to be headed by Economist and former Central Bank (BCRA) President Federico Sturzenegger, who will be sworn in Friday.

The decision was made public through the appearance in Friday's edition of the Official Gazette of Decree 586/2024, bearing the signature of President Javier Milei, Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos, and all the other ministers.

Sturzenegger's role will be “to assist the President of the Nation and the Chief of Cabinet of Ministers, in order to their competences, in all matters concerning the courses of action for the implementation of the deregulation, reform and modernization of the State with a view to resizing,” through “reducing public spending and increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of the agencies that make up the National Public Administration, management transformation, simplification of the State, design and implementation of policies related to public employment,” the document states.

Both Sturzenegger and Economy Minister Luis Toto Caputo held key positions during former President Mauricio Macri's administration (2015-2019).

Sturzenegger has been acting as an advisor to Milei and was actively involved in drafting the so-called Bases Law and the Emergency Decree issued right after the president's inauguration to change the country's economic board game.

With Sturzenegger's appointment, Milei's government will have a total of eight ministries: Foreign Affairs; Defense; Economy; Justice; Security; Health; Human Capital, and now Deregulation and Transformation of the State.

Meanwhile, Caputo picked former YPF CEO Daniel González for the position of Deputy Energy and Mining Minister following Joaquín Cottani's resignation.

González holds a degree in Business Administration from the Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA). He joined YPF in 2012 after the nationalization of the company and served in different positions. He was for years the CFO of the company and then acted as interim CEO. Prior to joining the oil company, he worked at Merrill Lynch/Bank of America in Buenos Aires and New York.