Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein came out to support Javier Milei's aggressive mistreatment of Jorge Macri and Victoria Villarruel.

Following Javier Milei's snub of Vice President Victoria Villarruel and Buenos Aires Mayor Jorge Macri, Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein came out in support of the President's aggressive disrespect, which ignored both of them, and maintained that "it's neither realistic nor fair to salute someone who acted in bad faith out of obligation." "Actions have consequences," he emphasized.

"After having promoted a dirty campaign and having given rise to characters whose only objective was to harm Javier and, by extension, Argentina, one cannot now expect a gesture of courtesy as if nothing had happened," wrote the Minister of Foreign Affairs on his X account. He was referring to Jorge Macri, whom Milei himself points to for the hiring of the Catalan consultant Antoni Gutiérrez Rubí.

Although he didn't name anyone in particular, the official linked the president's mistreatment of the mayor of Buenos Aires to the incidents experienced during the campaign for the Buenos Aires elections, which took place on May 18.

"Javier represents a way of doing politics based on authenticity , truth, and consistency. Good people don't practice hypocrisy : they stand firm in their principles. Saluting someone who acted in bad faith out of compromise is neither realistic nor fair. Being genuine also means knowing how to set boundaries," the minister defended his boss.

The incident that led to Werthein's defense occurred at the Te Deum this Sunday, where Milei met his second-in-command with the public after several months. While there was uncertainty about how both would react, it was surprising that the head of the government chose not to greet his running mate at all .

In addition to avoiding Villarruel, she did the same with Macri at almost the same moment, who stood with his hand extended and received no gesture in return. The vice president was standing next to the mayor of Buenos Aires. In his case, the leader of the La Libertad Avanza party walked right past him.

In a similar tone to Werthein, the president of the National Tax Court, Miguel Nathan Licht , also defended Milei's actions: he defined the greeting as "very interesting" and offered an almost philosophical and religious analysis of the case.

As he summarized in a post on his X account, "in all traditions , denying greeting is not disruptive ." "For example, the Talmudic tradition understands that there are circumstances in which greeting is ethically unacceptable, given that, in moral terms, one cannot give in to hypocrisy . According to the Shulchan Aruch, a heretic, a traitor, a public apostate is not greeted . Because to greet is to validate, and to validate is to participate."

In that vein, he continued, quoting the Bible: "The greeting—when pronounced shalom—invokes the name of God. ' There is no peace for the wicked ,' says the Lord (Isaiah 48:22). From that perspective, it is appropriate not to greet the heretic."

The greeting is very interesting. In all traditions, refusing to greet is not disruptive.

For example, the Talmudic tradition conceives that there are circumstances in which greeting is ethically inadmissible, given that, in a moral order, one cannot yield to…

— Miguel Nathan Licht (@miguelnlicht) May 25, 2025

For his part, Economy Minister Luis Caputo described the President as "brutally honest," a quality that, he noted, "people value."

"I think there are a lot of people who are tired of political manners and of the fact that things are basically done wrong, and they much prefer a person like the President, who achieved a change that no one in Argentina or the world expected , and who also feels more represented, because what he does is more natural," he said in statements to LN+ .

From the government, another voice that came out in defense was that of the Undersecretary of Press, Javier Lanari , who is being rumored to be a possible replacement for Manuel Adorni as presidential spokesman.

"The kings of good manners are scandalized by a lack of greeting. But they find it perfectly normal to hire an expert in dirty campaigning to smear, defame, and lie. That's how hypocritical old politics is," he expressed, echoing the chancellor.

The kings of good manners are scandalized by a lack of greeting. But they find it perfectly normal to hire an expert in dirty campaigning to smear, defame, and lie. That's how hypocritical the old politics is...

— Javier Lanari (@javierlanari) May 25, 2025

Representative Lilia Lemoine , who is close to Javier Milei, also highlighted alleged contacts between Jorge Macri and him, which could have been the reason why the President refused to greet her.

"And... who knows where that hand was before ... Paying Massa's campaign advisor who ran the dirtiest campaign in history for Milei? Sending photos?" he suggested on the same social network, with elliptical references to the Catalan consultant for the PRO campaign.

And... who knows where that hand was before... paying Massa's campaign advisor who ran the dirtiest campaign in Milei's history? Sending photos? https://t.co/QkXjmP3fz0

— Lilia Lemoine 🍋 (@lilialemoine) May 25, 2025

Previously, without further explanation, Milei himself had alluded to the scene and summarized his actions with a forceful and well-known phrase: " Rome does not pay traitors ."

On the other hand, there were those who questioned the President's refusal to greet the vice president and the mayor of the city.

"Minutes after Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva called for an end to the constant harassment, aggression, and terrorism on social media, President Javier Milei posted from his account, calling them "traitors" and trash," said former congressman Alejandro "Topo" Rodríguez .

A QUARRELING AND ARrogant PRESIDENT

Minutes after Archbishop Jorge García Cuerva called for an end to the constant aggression, terrorism, and disqualification on social media, President @JMilei posted from his account calling them "traitors" and… https://t.co/XRYnTDvSbk

— TOPO Rodríguez (@TOPOarg) May 25, 2025

Disagreeing with the post, former Teatro Colón director Darío Lopérfido questioned Werthein's explanation. "Don't be so sly, man. You'll defend anything. It's all about being polite. Simple," he wrote.

Representative Marcela Campagnoli recalled that the president did not greet the vice president or the mayor of the city at the Te Deum. "No one is asking him to be their friend; as citizens, we demand that he respect the institution, and I won't say anything else because I'm sure I'll be in the crosshairs of the SIDE," she commented on the social network X.

It's as incredible (and worrying) that we have a President who refuses to greet the Mayor of Buenos Aires City, as it is that the latter's party is so eager to ally itself with LLA. Of course, this isn't a protocol concern, but a political one.

— Ricardo Alfonsín (@RICALFONSIN) May 25, 2025

Ricardo Alfonsín , former ambassador during Alberto Fernández's administration and a Radical by origin, described it as "incredible (and worrying)" that the head of the Executive "denies greeting the head of government of CABA and that the latter's party is so eager to ally with La Libertad Avanza."

"Of course, this is not a protocol concern, but a political one," he assessed.