Argentina to Exit WHO Following Trump’s Departure, Citing ‘Deep Differences’
Argentina will withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), as announced by a presidential spokesperson on Wednesday. This move follows former President Donald Trump’s executive order last month to pull the United States out of the global health body.
Trump, a close ally of Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei, initiated the U.S. withdrawal on his first day in office, January 20.
Milei’s decision to exit the WHO was driven by “deep differences” over the organization’s handling of health issues, particularly the COVID-19 pandemic, according to presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni. He also highlighted the long lockdown Argentina endured under the previous left-wing government.
Adorni additionally mentioned concerns over the WHO’s lack of independence from the political influence of other countries.
Similarly, Trump had criticized the WHO for mishandling the pandemic and other global health crises, accusing it of requiring “unfairly onerous” financial contributions from the United States, its largest donor.
