The move follows the steps of the United States, whose president, Donald Trump, recently made a similar decision.
"Out of WHO...!!! Long live freedom, damn it," President Javier Milei posted on his X account (formerly Twitter), after his spokesperson formalized the country's exit. The decision has sparked criticism from the opposition, warning about the impact on the Argentine health system.
Presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni explained that Milei instructed Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein to initiate the withdrawal from the WHO, arguing that the organization "lacks independence" and allowed "the longest lockdown in human history" during the Covid-19 pandemic.
From the opposition, leaders like Fernán Quirós, Health Minister of Buenos Aires, warned that "health coordination policies are essential in pandemic periods." They also raise concerns about the potential loss of access to vaccines at preferential prices and the country's isolation in global health decision-making.