Gerardo Werthein

Gerardo Werthein
Werthein in 2024
Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship
Assumed office
30 October 2024
PresidentJavier Milei
Preceded byDiana Mondino
Argentine Ambassador to the United States
In office
18 April 2024 – 30 October 2024
PresidentJavier Milei
Preceded byJorge Argüello
Succeeded byAlec Oxenford
President of the Argentine Olympic Committee
In office
15 June 2009 – 4 October 2021
Preceded byAlicia Masoni de Morea
Succeeded byMario Moccia
Personal details
Born (1955-12-03) 3 December 1955 (age 69)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Political partyIndependent
Alma materUniversity of Buenos Aires
OccupationVeterinarianPolitician

Gerardo Werthein (born 3 December 1955)[1] is an Argentine businessman and diplomat serving as the minister of foreign affairs, international trade and worship of Argentina since 30 October 2024.[2] He previously served as the ambassador of Argentina to the United States from April to October 2024.[3][4]

Biography

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Werthein was born into a Russian family of Jewish origin. His great-grandfather, Leon Werthein, emigrated from Bessarabia to Argentina in 1904 with his wife Ana Jajam and their four children, Gregorio, Elisa, Numo, and Israel, fleeing the persecution of Jewish people by the Russian Empire.[5][6] The Werthein family began extensive livestock activities in the country, eventually forming one of Argentina's most important economic conglomerates, the Werthein Group, which, among other things, became owners of the telecommunications company Telecom Argentina.

Werthein served as president of the Argentine Olympic Committee from 2009 to 2021. He has also been a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Olympic Broadcasting Services since 2011, joining the IOC Executive Board as an "Executive Member" in 2020.[7] During his tenure as president, Buenos Aires was selected as the host city for the 2018 Summer Youth Olympics, which took place in October of that year.

Ambassador to the United States (2023–2024)

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Following Javier Milei's electoral victory in the 2023 Argentine presidential elections, Werthein accompanied Milei on a trip to New York and was present at the meetings Milei held with various figures, including Bill Clinton.[8] After Milei's presidential inauguration, he nominated Werthein as the Argentine ambassador to the United States. His appointment was finally approved by the Argentine Senate on April 18, 2024.[3]

Foreign Minister (2024–present)

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Werthein was appointed foreign minister by President Milei on 30 October 2024 following the dismissal of Diana Mondino.[9] Wethein's inauguration featured a Torah, on which Werthein swore to uphold his position faithfully.[10]

References

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  1. ^ "Dr Gerardo WERTHEIN". International Olympic Committee. Archived from the original on 16 December 2023. Retrieved 16 December 2023.
  2. ^ "Milei sacks Argentina's Foreign Minister Mondino after Cuba embargo vote". Buenos Aires Times. Retrieved 30 October 2024.
  3. ^ a b Casal, Por Mariano (2024-04-18). "El Senado aprobó por unanimidad los pliegos de los embajadores que propuso el gobierno de Javier Milei". infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2024-04-28.
  4. ^ "Quién es Gerardo Werthein: empresario, dirigente deportivo y ahora nuevo embajador argentino en Estados Unidos". Página 12. 30 November 2023. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  5. ^ "Un grupo inversor encabezado por dos argentinos se quedó con El Observador". El Cronista (in Spanish). 11 May 2022. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  6. ^ "Our story". Werthein Agro. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  7. ^ Buenos Aires appoint Vero Communications for 2018 Summer Youth Olympic Games bid
  8. ^ LPO. "Werthein arrastró a Milei a una foto con Clinton y le mete ruido a la relación con Trump". www.lapoliticaonline.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-04-29.
  9. ^ "Argentina's president fires his foreign minister after vote in favor of ending US embargo on Cuba". Associated Press. 2024-10-31. Retrieved 2024-10-31.
  10. ^ www.israelhayom.com https://www.israelhayom.com/2024/11/05/argentinas-president-swears-in-minister-on-torah-scroll/. Retrieved 2024-11-18. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
Sporting positions
Preceded by President of Organizing Committee for Summer Youth Olympic Games
2018
Succeeded by