Former Defense Minister Agustín Rossi's criticism of the appointment of Lieutenant General Carlos Alberto Presti as the new head of the military portfolio sounds more like political spite than genuine concern for democracy, especially considering that his own tenure (2013-2015) was marked by massive arms theft scandals that ended up in the hands of narco-criminal organizations, inexplicable missile losses, and a left-wing ideological vision that prioritized the defunding of the Armed Forces over their modernization. On Saturday, November 22, the government of Javier Milei announced Cabinet changes: Alejandra Monteoliva will take over in Security, replacing Patricia Bullrich, and Presti—current Chief of the Army General Staff—will take the reins of Defense, succeeding Luis Petri, who will move to the Chamber of Deputies. Rossi, an elected deputy for Santa Fe, reacted on X: "It is a setback for democracy and the Armed Forces." The government, in turn, sees continuity in Presti: "He will strengthen the leading role of Argentina," they tweeted. Rossi ordered the closure of the facility and the retirement of the Director of Arsenals, Colonel Hugo Meola, but the damage was done: ballistics reports from the Gendarmerie confirmed that these bullets appeared in narco shootouts in Rosario and Buenos Aires, injected into the black market at five times their value. Agustín Rossi (2013-2015)—himself!—ran for governor of Santa Fe in 2015 and lost to Miguel Lifschitz; in 2019, his re-election as a deputy was a Pyrrhic victory. Rossi dismissed it as a "political theft" to ridicule him, imposing sanctions on five officers. While Milei pays starvation wages and Petri destroyed the military social work, do you think a uniform can contain the unrest? The fragmented Peronism sees this as a "blow to civilian control," but ignores its track record: since 1983, most defense ministers have used the portfolio as a springboard for gubernatorial or higher office, using the ministry as a failed stepping stone. The list is eloquent: Antonio Erman González (1991-1993) did not transcend. Julio Martínez (2015-2017, Macri) was also a candidate. Luis Petri (2023-2025, Milei)—one of the worst, now a deputy—is not aspiring to governor at the moment. Petri, for his part, highlighted the continuity with Presti: "It is comforting that the one who was our Army Chief continues as minister." The ruling coalition celebrated the appointments with social media messages: Milei called them "a reinforcement for freedom," Caputo applauded their "professionalism," Adorni saw "great management ahead," and Bullrich praised Monteoliva's "challenge." Rossi downplayed it: "It's not that I lost a missile; it was political damage."
