ARGENTINA · POLITICS
Key Facts
- The story Allies of Santiago Caputo, a Milei adviser, want him to run the president’s re-election campaign.
- The trigger The push followed Trump aide Stephen Miller’s promotion to chief of staff on 6 November 2026.
- The limit Caputo holds no official post, and Diego Santilli has been chief of cabinet since June.
- Prediction markets Polymarket, a prediction market, gives Milei 44.5% to win the next election (10 November, 4:04 a.m. Eastern Time).
- Power Index Argentina ranks 4th of 14 in The Rio Times Latin America Power Index, with 60.2 points (November 2026 edition).
An Argentine presidential adviser with no official title is angling for a bigger job, and his allies found inspiration in Washington. People close to Santiago Caputo, the political strategist who advises President Javier Milei, cheered the rise of US presidential aide Stephen Miller and now want Caputo to run Milei’s re-election campaign, according to one local political report.
For US readers, the story shows how closely Buenos Aires watches the White House. Milei is a close ally of President Donald Trump, and a shake-up of the team around Trump is already shaping who gets power around Milei.
What Happened
Trump announced on Friday 6 November 2026 that Miller, until then his deputy chief of staff and the architect of his immigration crackdown, would replace his previous chief of staff, Susie Wiles. Miller took over on Monday 9 November.
Within days, members of Las Fuerzas del Cielo, Spanish for the Forces of Heaven, reacted in Buenos Aires. The group is made up of officials and activists loyal to Caputo, according to that report.
The activists call themselves “Miller’s intellectuals,” a nod to Milei, and one aide pointed out that both Miller and Caputo are 41 years old. Some of them floated the idea that Milei could name Caputo as his chief of cabinet, the Argentine job that runs the government day to day.
Why the Cabinet Job Is Not on the Table
The job is already filled. Diego Santilli, until then interior minister, became chief of cabinet at the end of June 2026 after Manuel Adorni, the previous holder, resigned, under Decree 548/2026 in the national gazette.
People close to Caputo now say they are not after that post. One member of the group said the chief of cabinet chapter “passed long ago” and that the fight is now over the story the government tells and over the candidate lists for re-election, according to the report.
The government’s line, as reported, is that Caputo’s hopes of the job faded after Milei’s party, La Libertad Avanza (Freedom Advances), lost the Buenos Aires province election in September 2025. Caputo has no formal post even though the report says he influences key areas of the state.
Who Is Who in Plain English
Santiago Caputo is a political consultant who advises Milei and holds no formal government post. He is not the economy minister, Luis Caputo.
Karina Milei is the president’s sister and secretary general of the presidency. Her circle competes with Caputo’s for influence over how the government presents itself.
What Prediction Markets Say
Polymarket, a crypto-based prediction market, gives Milei a 44.5% chance of winning the next presidential election, ahead of Buenos Aires governor Axel Kicillof at 33.5% and former economy minister Sergio Massa at 14.5%. About US$1.44 million has been traded across the whole election-winner event, as of 4:04 a.m. Eastern Time on Tuesday 10 November 2026.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What It Means for You
If you hold Argentine bonds or stocks through US funds, the contest over who runs the campaign matters because Milei’s coalition decides how fast reforms move. Open feuds inside his team can slow decisions or delay policy.
Travellers face no change to entry rules or prices from this story. Companies with Argentine staff should expect more political noise as the 2027 election nears, not new regulation.
What Is Not Known
It is not known whether Milei will give Caputo a role in the campaign or an official title. The government has not confirmed that Caputo asked for one, and his allies say he does not want a formal post.
The claims about the group’s plans come from one local political report and unnamed members, not from Caputo or the presidency. Neither had commented publicly on the campaign idea in the reports we reviewed.
More: Argentina news in English, every day from The Rio Times. Also read Trump picks Stephen Miller as chief of staff.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who Is Santiago Caputo?
He is a political strategist who advises President Javier Milei and has no official government post. He is not the economy minister, Luis Caputo.
What Are Las Fuerzas del Cielo?
The name means Forces of Heaven. One local report describes it as a group of officials and activists loyal to Santiago Caputo.
Who Is Argentina’s Chief of Cabinet?
Diego Santilli has held the job since late June 2026, when he replaced Manuel Adorni. The change was formalised by Decree 548/2026.
Why Does Stephen Miller Matter in Argentina?
Miller, Trump’s new chief of staff, is admired by Caputo’s allies, who see his rise as a model. One local report says they want Caputo to run the campaign.
Sources: Argentina Official Gazette (Boletín Oficial), Decree 548/2026, 30 June 2026; President Donald Trump, announcement on Truth Social, his social network, 6 November 2026; Polymarket, Argentina Presidential Election Winner market, 10 November 2026.
In depth
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. The Rio Times also runs Ask Rio Times, which answers from 100,000+ of our own articles, the daily Latin America Power Map, and prediction-market odds on elections and markets.. How we use AI · Report an error