BUENOS AIRES, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- Argentine Defense Minister Luis Petri submitted his resignation on Monday, effective Dec. 9, before taking his seat in Congress as a national deputy.

The official made his resignation public with an open letter addressed to Argentine President Javier Milei, in which he expressed his gratitude for the honor of serving in his cabinet and the mission of rebuilding the operational capacity of the defense system and modernizing the army forces.

Petri had served as head of the Defense Ministry since Dec. 10, 2023, when Milei assumed the presidency of the South American country.

The outgoing official will be succeeded by the Chief of the General Staff of the Army, Lieutenant General Carlos Presti. ■