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The Minister of Health, Mario Russopresented his resignation from the position and will be replaced by the cardiologist Mario LugonesThe Government confirmed last night. Officially, it was reported that the official’s departure was due to “strictly personal issues.” In the Casa Rosada they denied reports of a displacement, although at the last minute they revealed differences of opinion regarding the distribution of dengue vaccines.
Lugones, cardiologist and strong man of the Güemes Group, is the father of Rodrigo Lugonespersonal and extremely trusted friend of the presidential advisor, Santiago Caputo. With a low profile, Mario Lugones was identified from the beginning of the administration as a virtual minister in the shadows, while from the portfolio they denied that version and pointed to his role as an advisor to the chief of staff.
Before the confirmation of Lugones’ arrival, the Government sought to reject the versions that indicated that Russo was fired from the Ministry of Health. Although other sources admitted that the official had strong disagreements over the distribution of dengue vaccines and the budget allocation of the ministry, which led him to have differences with a sector of the Government.
The Health portfolio is, after Human Capital, Security y Defensethe ministry that was allocated the most money in the budget 2025if you look only at the absolute amounts. However, proportionally, the 6.2% budget increase is the lowest compared to the other Cabinet ministries.
In the last hours of this Thursday, since Russo’s departure became known, the name of Mario Lugones He had grown strongly as Russo’s possible successor in Health. A second candidate was Cecilia Loccisanoalso from the ranks of Lugones, a portfolio official and ex-wife of former Macrista minister Jorge Triaca and with whom Russo would have maintained strong differences during his administration. But finally the name of Lugones, who has experience in managing private medicine, prevailed.
Mario Lugones will be the new Minister of Health
Late on Thursday, the government itself came out to confirm Lugones as the next Minister of Health. In an official statement, he highlighted his “extensive career in the field of health,” both for having presided over the Güemes Sanatorium and for being the creator of the Güemes Foundationwhich he defined as “focused on medical teaching and clinical research.”
Russo is the second minister to leave the national Cabinet. The first exit was Guillermo Ferraro (Infrastructure) last January, 45 days into the government. Unlike Russo’s, Ferraro’s departure was due to a displacement decided by the president Javier Miley. The same thing happened four months later, when the departure of the head of ministers was recorded in May, Nicolas Posse.
The statement that formalizes the departure of Mario Russo and the landing of Mario Lugones in Health
As he was able to reconstruct THE NATION From sources aware of what happened in the last hours, Russo personally went to the Casa Rosada on Thursday evening, where he informed the Chief of Staff of his decision, Guillermo Francosand the presidential advisor Santiago Caputo. “It was all on good terms,” official sources explained.
With good treatment and a low profile, Russo informed them of the decision and left the government headquarters after 8 p.m. After that he chatted with Milei himself. “Everything was perfect, everyone understood their position,” they added about Russo’s decision to leave in the midst of what would be differences of opinion regarding health management.
Russo experienced the wear and tear of public administration. Last April, with the dengue epidemic Among the main social concerns, all eyes were pointed towards the health authorities. The shortage of repellent in the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires lasted for weeks and ended up exacerbating the mood against the “low profile” of the Ministry of Health officials.
The shadow of dengue loomed again in recent days and according to what was revealed from the libertarian ranks, it was behind his departure. A tweet with a complaint from the former Minister of Health Daniel Gollan The distribution of vaccines drew attention in the Government. “The Milanese pact between Milei and Jorge Macri, in addition to giving the co-participation to CABA, included giving vaccines against dengue to the richest city in the country, leaving aside the others,” stated the Kirchnerist deputy.
The tweet would have revealed, according to important libertarian sources, a situation that the government was unaware of and would have added differences between Russo and the Casa Rosada.
Added to this was another from Pablo Yedlin from Tucumán, who pointed in the same direction and reported that the national government was directing vaccines to the City of Buenos Aires. “Without federal, health, or equity logic, or anything. The government of @JMilei gives free vaccines to CABA. The provinces with more cases, fewer resources and more population with Exclusive Public Coverage do not receive or receive crumbs and have to buy. “Government for the few,” stated Yedlin.
The internal noise grew and in parallel the differences became greater and greater and Russo moved forward with his decision to leave. He announced it at the end of the day and shortly after his replacement was decided. Lugones’ appointment seemed obvious and logical considering his omnipresence in Health in particular and in the area in general.
Conocé The Trust Project
