Overview
- Argentina officially appointed Alejandra Monteoliva as security minister and Teniente General Carlos Alberto Presti as defense minister, with Patricia Bullrich and Luis Petri set to take congressional seats on December 10.
- Presti becomes the first active-duty military officer to lead Defense since the return of democracy, drawing immediate criticism from opposition figures and human-rights groups.
- The presidency framed both appointments as a continuation of the 'Doctrina Bullrich,' prioritizing a hard line against narcoterrorism, organized crime, and the enforcement of public order.
- Interior Minister Diego Santilli is courting governors and legislative blocs to line up votes for the 2026 budget and a package of tax, labor, and education reforms, including recent talks with leaders in Santiago del Estero and Misiones.
- In Peru, Congress’s Permanent Commission set a November 25 debate on a proposed 10-year disqualification for former president Pedro Castillo and ex-minister Willy Huerta, as Prime Minister Ernesto Álvarez denied any intent to curb press freedom in a separate request for powers that journalists’ groups fear could criminalize publishing reserved information.