Who is Luis Petri, Javier Milei’s choice for the Ministry of Defense?

A few days after formally becoming President of the Nation, Javier Milei made official this Monday Luis Petri as Minister of Defense, the only area that still remained vacant after the arrival of Patricia Bullrich in Seguridad.Su appointment had been confirmed last week when the future Minister of the Interior, Guillermo Francos, revealed that talks with Bullrich’s former vice-presidential candidate “were advanced”. The presidential ticket presented by JxC in the general elections in October was one step away from being integrated into the elected government.” He who does them, pays for them”: Bullrich’s message after his appointment in SecurityWith his confirmation, the heads of the eight ministries that make up the structure that the president-elect designed for his administration were defined, although it is not ruled out at this time that Health and Modernization will also have that rank, which would make there ten portfolios of the Government that will begin on December 10. Luis Petri, 46, received his law degree from the National University of the Litoral and began his political career as vice president of the Radical Youth of his province. He became a national deputy for Mendoza in the 2013 legislative elections and was re-elected in 2017, already within the Cambiemos alliance. He left his seat in 2021 and in 2023 he was a pre-candidate for governor for Mendoza, but lost the internal election to Alfredo Cornejo, who would be elected months later in the general elections. Weeks later, Petri was confirmed by Patricia Bullrich as her running mate for the presidential election. After Together for Change was left out of the second round, the radical bowed to the support that the former candidate for president of the opposition alliance and Mauricio Macri gave to Milei in the runoff on November 19, where the libertarian won by 11 percentage points over the ruling party Sergio Massa. As the weeks went by, and as Bullrich’s actions to return to the Ministry of Security grew, his name began to sound strongly to succeed Jorge Taiana as head of the Defense portfolio. Today, finally, his appointment was formalized.” I thank President-elect Javier Milei for giving me the opportunity and confidence to be the next Minister of Defense of the Nation. As of today, we begin to work on a change that will allow us to once again value the role of our Armed Forces. Pride of our country. We are going to honor its essential purpose, which guarantees the sovereignty and independence of the Nation, its territorial integrity; that protects life, liberty and contributes to the development of the Homeland,” was Petri’s first message minutes after the Office of the President-Elect confirmed his appointment. I thank President-elect @JMilei for giving me the opportunity and confidence to be the nation’s next Minister of Defense. As of today, we begin to work on a change that will allow us to once again value the role of our Armed Forces. Pride of our country…. https://t.co/C6Uc1A2WLV— Luis Petri (@luispetri) December 4, 2023

Original source in Spanish