The government of President Santiago Peña officially announced on Tuesday, May 19, the appointment of Mirtha Alzira Arias Noguera as a full member of the Board of Directors of the Institute of Social Welfare (IPS), representing insured workers. The measure was published through Decree No. 6,026, signed on May 13.
Arias, president of the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores (CUT), replaces Víctor Eduardo Insfrán Dietrich, who resigned amid questions about his management and an internal restructuring driven by the Executive.
In her inaugural speech, the new board member highlighted her background as a grassroots union leader and stated that she would maintain a close relationship with contributing workers. Among the announced priorities are accelerating bidding processes to improve the supply of essential medical inputs and reducing employer evasion of social security contributions, with a special focus on border cities.
President Santiago Peña stated on social media that the partial renewal of the board aims to build a social security system “more efficient for all insured members.”
However, the appointment was not unanimously welcomed. Insured member associations, such as the National Association of IPS Insured Members, expressed discontent. The entity's president, Julio López, stated that the leadership of traditional union centers often acts in line with employer or government interests, neglecting the daily needs of insured members in health and retirement. López and other critics advocate for more democratic and direct election mechanisms that do not rely exclusively on presidential appointment.