Sandra Pettovello

Pablo Rago

​

​

(m. 1993;div. 1994)​

Sandra Pettovello
Pettovello in 2024
Minister of Human Capital
Incumbent
Assumed office 10 December 2023
Children	1
Alma mater	University of Belgrano Austral University International University of Catalonia
Occupation	Journalist • Politician

Sandra Viviana Pettovello (born 6 April 1968) is an Argentine journalist, consultant, and politician who has served as the Minister of Human Capital since 10 December 2023 under the appointment by President Javier Milei. ^{[3] [1] [2] [4]}

Pettovello has previously served as a vice president of the Union of the Democratic Centre political party in Buenos Aires from 2021 to 2023. ^{[5] [4] [6]}

Early life and education

Sandra Viviana Pettovello was born on 6 April 1968. ^{[1] [2]}

Pettovello earned a licentiate in journalism from the University of Belgrano in 2003, and a licentiate in family sciences from Austral University in 2019. ^{[5] [4]} She has completed postgraduate work in family policies at the International University of Catalonia. ^{[5] [2] [4]}

Pettovello has also reported taking additional courses in varied subjects, including cyberpsychology, neuropsychoeducation, public administration, and reiki. ^[5]

Career

After graduating from the University of Belgrano, Pettovello worked as a columnist at Radio El Mundo  [ es ]. ^{[5] [4]} She was also a producer of the television news program La Cornisa  [ es ] before she returned to university for her degree in family sciences. ^{[5] [4]}

From 21 August 2021 to 21 August 2023, Pettovello served as a vice president of the Union of the Democratic Centre of the city of Buenos Aires. ^{[7] [5] [4] [6] [a]}

On 10 December 2023, Pettovello was appointed by President Javier Milei to head the newly created Ministry of Human Capital, which combined the former ministries of culture, of education, of labor, and of social development. ^{[3] [8] [1] [9]} She was the first minister that Milei named while he was campaigning for the presidency. ^[10] Pettovello has stated that she sees herself as a coordinator, as it is impossible for her to have expertise in all four areas. ^{[1] [5]}

In her first public appearance as human capital minister, Pettovello announced that any protesters who tried to block the streets during a then-upcoming protest would be cut off from social welfare. ^{[11] [b]}

Conflict with Soup Kitchens

On February 1, 2024, Sandra Pettovello took to the streets to personally confront a demonstration by the Union of Popular Economy Workers (UTEP), which accused her of cutting off the supply of food to government funded soup kitchens since she took office. The minister declared that she would personally receive anyone who is hungry. ^{[13] [14]} On February 5, 2024, a line of approximately 40 blocks of people willing to meet with the minister formed, but she refused to receive them. ^{[15] [16] [17]} This phenomenon became known as "the hunger line." ^[18] On the same day, February 5, Pettovello was criminally charged with "breach of public duties" and for suspending the delivery of basic food to dining halls. ^{[19] [20]}

Controversies

The Argentine Episcopal Conference issued a strong statement to the minister on February, stating that "hundreds of thousands of families find it increasingly difficult to eat well." ^[21]

Amid the food crisis, the minister agreed to allocate 177 million pesos to the Christian Alliance of Evangelical Churches of Argentina (ACEIRA) for the purchase of food modules. ACEIRA supported Javier Milei's presidential campaign, and the daughter of the organization's pro-secretary, Nadia Márquez, is a national deputy for La Libertad Avanza. ^{[22] [23] [24] [25]}

Regarding her public image, journalists Jorge Lanata and Marina Calabró criticized Minister Pettovello for flaunting a Hermès Birkin handbag, priced between 18,000 and 28,000 euros, amidst protests for food emergencies and the President's austerity measures. ^{[26] [27] [28]}

Personal life

Her marriage to the actor Pablo Rago during the 1990s ended in divorce. ^{[5] [4]} They were married in 1993, and had separated by 1994. ^[29]

Notes

1. Pettovello was the vicepresidente segundo ('second vice president') of the organization in Buenos Aires. ^[6]
2. The protest in question was an annual event held in honor of 39 people who were killed during protests over two days in late 2001. ^{[11] [12]}

References

1. "¿Quién es Sandra Pettovello? – Chequeado".
2. "Quién es Sandra Pettovello, la posible ministra de Capital Humano de Javier Milei".
3. "BOLETIN OFICIAL REPUBLICA ARGENTINA – MINISTERIO DE CAPITAL HUMANO – Decreto 11/2023".
4. "Quién es Sandra Pettovello, posible ministra de Capital Humano de Milei: Matrimonio con Pablo Rago, consultora en psicología y reikista".
5. "Quién es Sandra Petovello, ministra de Capital Humano de Javier Milei".
6. "Poder Judicial de la Nación Argentina".
7. "Explainer: Who's Who in Javier Milei's Cabinet? | AS/COA".
8. "BOLETIN OFICIAL REPUBLICA ARGENTINA – LEY DE MINISTERIOS – Decreto 8/2023".
9. "OAS – Organization of American States: Democracy for peace, security, and development".
10. "El Gabinete de Milei: Reducido, heterodoxo, veterano y con más hombres que mujeres".
11. "Government says it will take away welfare from protesters who block streets | Buenos Aires Times".
12. "Argentinian protest organisers will have to cover security costs, government says".
13. "Sandra Pettovello salió a la calle en medio de una protesta: "Voy a recibir a la gente que tiene hambre, no a los referentes"" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-02-01.
14. "Pettovello: "Chicos, los que tienen hambre vengan de a uno que les voy a anotar el DNI"" (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-02-01.
15. "La ministra Pettovello no recibirá a los que hacen cola frente al Ministerio de Capital Humano" (in Spanish). Perfil. 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
16. ""Fila del hambre" de 40 cuadras: esperan que los reciba Petrovello" (in Spanish). Perfil. 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
17. ""La fila de la pobreza" | Organizaciones sociales hicieron una hilera de 20 cuadras desde Capital Humano para ver a Sandra Pettovello, que no los recibió" (in Spanish). La Nación. 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
18. "Sandra Pettovello, sobre la "fila del hambre": "Los dirigentes usan a la gente"" (in Spanish). Letra P. 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
19. "Juan Grabois denunció penalmente a Sandra Pettovello: "El que las hace las paga"" (in Spanish). Perfil. 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
20. "Denuncia penal a Sandra Viviana Pettovello" (PDF) (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-02-05.
21. "Fuerte advertencia de la Iglesia a Pettovello: "La comida no puede ser variable de ajuste"" (in Spanish). La Política Online. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
22. "Milei entrega más de 170 millones al pastor evangélico que lo apoyó en la campaña y agrava la tensión con la Iglesia Católica" (in Spanish). La Política Online. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
23. "Ayuda para intermediarios evangelistas" (in Spanish). Página/12. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
24. "Pettovello cambia de interlocutores: afuera movimientos sociales, adentro iglesias evangélicas" (in Spanish). LetraP. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
25. "Quién es la pastora de Milei que suma feligresía libertaria en Neuquén" (in Spanish). LetraP. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
26. "Pettovello por usar una cartera de lujo: "Es raro que la ministra de 'la gente que peor anda' ande con una cartera de 30 lucas"" (in Spanish). Radio Mitre. 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
27. "Lanata cruzó a Pettovello por su cartera de 30.000 dólares" (in Spanish). Border Periodismo. 2024-02-05. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
28. "Cuánto cuesta la cartera de lujo que usa Sandra Pettovello que indignó a Jorge Lanata y qué detalles únicos tiene" (in Spanish). Radio Mitre. Retrieved 2024-02-06.
29. "Sandra Pettovello sería la Ministra de Capital Humano en la gestión de Javier Milei y fue pareja de Pablo Rago".