Argentina has announced its decision to exit the World Health Organization (WHO), following the lead of the United States, due to disagreements over the agency’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Government spokesman Manuel Adorni confirmed on Wednesday that President Javier Milei has directed Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein to begin the withdrawal process.
“The president has decided that Argentina will no longer be part of the WHO,” Adorni stated at a press conference, emphasizing that the government opposes international interference in national health policies.
The move comes just two weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump announced America’s departure from the UN health body on his first day back in office.
Like Trump, Milei has criticized the WHO’s pandemic response, arguing that it undermined national sovereignty.
During the early stages of the pandemic in 2020, Argentina imposed some of the world’s strictest lockdown measures, enforcing extended curfews and limiting movement to essential activities.
Milei, who took office in December, has positioned himself as a staunch advocate for reducing global institutional influence over Argentina’s domestic affairs.
