Argentina says it’s withdrawing from the WHO, blames COVID-19 response

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By Craig Nigrelli (Anchor), Evan Hummel (Producer), Kaleb Gillespie (Video Editor)

Argentina’s President Javier Milei’s administration announced on Wednesday, the Latin American nation is withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO). The move follows the United States’ own withdrawal.
Manuel Adorni, a spokesperson for Bueno Aires, told The Associated Press it was because of “profound differences in health management” with the United Nations health agency.
Adorni said Argentina would not allow the U.N. organization to interfere in its sovereignty “and much less health.”

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Following the Trump administration’s move to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO), another country is cutting ties with the global agency. Argentina announced Wednesday, Feb. 5, it would also withdraw from the organization.

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Why is Argentina leaving the World Health Organization?

Manuel Adorni, a spokesperson for Buenos Aires, told the Associated Press that the shutdown is due to “profound differences in health management, especially during the [COVID-19] Pandemic,” with the United Nations health agency.

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He claimed WHO guidelines during COVID-19 led to the largest shutdown “in the history of mankind.”

Adorni added that Argentina would not allow the U.N. organization to interfere in its sovereignty, “much less health.”

The WHO, however, has no power to force countries to take specific health actions.

When will the decision be implemented?

Argentina’s President Javier Milei’s administration did not disclose when the withdrawal decision would be implemented.

How is WHO responding?

The WHO responded to Argentina’s announcement, saying it is reviewing the decision.

What is Milei’s history with the COVID-19 pandemic?

Milei previously criticized the pandemic lockdowns under his predecessor, former President Alberto Fernandez. He alleged the lockdowns hurt Argentina’s economy and was used as “repression” against Argentinians.

Last year, Milei’s administration refused to sign a WHO agreement to provide the structure for managing future pandemics, claiming it threatened Argentina’s sovereignty.

What does it mean for the organization?

Milei’s latest decision mirrors that of the U.S., which began the process of leaving the WHO with an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on Monday, Jan. 20.

The loss of Argentina means the WHO will lose roughly $8 million from its nearly $7 billion 2024-2025 budget. This is another blow to global cooperation on global health emergencies, including work to fight outbreaks of new diseases and ongoing threats like Ebola, AIDS and Mpox.

Milei’s decision comes before US trip

Milei’s decision comes ahead of his trip to the U.S. later this month, which coincides with the Conservative Action Conference in Washington.

His administration has not revealed whether the Latin American leader will attend the summit or meet with Trump during his visit.

Tags: Argentina, COVID-19, Donald Trump, Health, Health Care, Javier Milei, Pandemic, World Health Organization

[CRAIG NIGRELLI]

FOLLOWING THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S MOVE TO WITHDRAW THE U-S FROM THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION, ANOTHER COUNTRY IS CUTTING TIES WITH THE GLOBAL AGENCY.

ARGENTINA’S PRESIDENT JAVIER MILEI’S ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCED WEDNESDAY THE COUNTRY IS WITHDRAWING FROM THE W-H-O.

A SPOKESPERSON FOR BUENOS AIRES TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS IT’S BECAUSE OF QUOTE:

“PROFOUND DIFFERENCES IN HEALTH MANAGEMENT, ESPECIALLY DURING THE PANDEMIC,” WITH THE U-N HEALTH AGENCY.

HE CLAIMED W-H-O GUIDELINES DURING COVID-19 LED TO THE LARGEST SHUTDOWN “IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND.

THE SPOKESPERSON ALSO SAID ARGENTINA WOULD NOT ALLOW THE U-N ORGANIZATION TO INTERFERE IN ITS SOVEREIGNTY “AND MUCH LESS HEALTH.”

THE W-H-O, HOWEVER, HAS NO POWER TO FORCE COUNTRIES TO TAKE SPECIFIC HEALTH ACTIONS.

MILEI’S ADMINISTRATION DID NOT SAY WHEN THE WITHDRAWAL DECISION WILL BE IMPLEMENTED.

THE W-H-O SAYS IT IS CURRENTLY REVIEWING ARGENTINA’S MOVE.

MILEI WAS A MAJOR CRITIC OF LOCKDOWNS UNDER HIS PREDECESSOR – FORMER PRESIDENT ALBERTO FERNANDEZ – DURING THE PANDEMIC.

ALLEGING THE MOVE HURT ARGENTINA’S ECONOMY AND WAS USED AS “REPRESSION” AGAINST CITIZENS.

MILEI’S GOVERNMENT, LAST YEAR, WOULD NOT SIGN A W-H-O AGREEMENT TO PROVIDE THE STRUCTURE TO MANAGE FUTURE PANDEMICS, SAYING IT THREATENED ARGENTINA’S SOVEREIGNTY.

MILEI’S LATEST DECISION MIRRORS THAT OF THE U-S, WHICH BEGAN THE PROCESS OF LEAVING THE W-H-O WITH AN EXECUTIVE ORDER SIGNED BY PRESIDENT TRUMP ON JANUARY 20TH.

THE LOSS OF ARGENTINA MEANS THE W-H-O WILL LOSE ROUGHLY EIGHT MILLION DOLLARS FROM ITS NEARLY SEVEN BILLION DOLLAR 2024-2025 BUDGET. FOR COMPARISON, THE U.S., THE WHO’S BIGGEST DONOR, PUTS IN AN ESTIMATED $988 MILLION.

CRITICS SAY ARGENTINA’S WITHDRAWALIS ANOTHER BLOW TO GLOBAL COOPERATION ON WORLDWIDE HEALTH EMERGENCIES.

INCLUDING WORK TO FIGHT OUTBREAKS OF NEW DISEASES AND ONGOING THREATS LIKE EBOLA, AIDS AND M-POX.

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