The Lehendakari has dismissed Sara Pagola Aizpiri from the representation of Argentina and Uruguay

President Imanol Pradales Gil has dismissed Sara Pagola Aizpiri as the representative of the Basque Country in Argentina and Uruguay, at the request of the holder herself. The decision was implemented through Decree 189/2026, approved by the Governing Council on November 10 and published on November 13, 2026, in issue number 218 of the Official Gazette of the Basque Country (official reference 2026/4828). The text of the decree explicitly thanks the dismissed representative for the services rendered.

The provision is inserted into the classic structure of the Administration: it appears under the “Appointments, situations and incidents” heading of the Presidency department, within the “Authorities and Personnel” section. The document consists of a single page, lists Vitoria-Gasteiz as the place of origin, and is dated November 10, 2026, which is the same day the Governing Council meeting took place. The signature is that of President Pradales Gil.

The dismissal is not merely an autonomous decision: it follows the procedure provided by law and is based on several regulatory references. The bases mentioned by the text itself are:

• Law 7/1981, of June 30, of the Government: letter j) of article 18, article 26.6, and article 29.
• Law 3/2022, of May 12, of the Basque Public Sector: paragraph 13.4 c) and paragraph 13.5.
• The proposal of the President, and the previous debate and approval of the Governing Council, at the meeting of November 10.

Reason and scope

The decree consists of a single article. In it, two elements are clarified: the reason for the dismissal —“a petición propia”, that is, at the request of the holder— and the scope of the representation, the states of Argentina and Uruguay. The consequence of the dismissal is direct: the termination of the representative’s position and, simultaneously, the receipt of institutional recognition for the services rendered.

The text, however, does not appoint a new representative, does not describe specific representation duties, and does not regulate any economic or administrative consequences of the dismissal. It also contains no additional provisions. Therefore, the scope of the decree is explicitly limited: the termination of an appointment position and the recognition of the activity, without further specification.

Administrative procedure

The institutional path has been straightforward. The President made the proposal, the Governing Council debated and approved the matter at the meeting on November 10, and the decree was subsequently signed in Vitoria-Gasteiz on the same day. The text does not mention the participation of any other body or official, and it does not include a specific deadline for coming into force.

The publication was made in the Official Gazette of the Basque Country, in issue number 218, on November 13, 2026, under the heading of appointments, situations, and incidents within the “Authorities and Personnel” section. The official references are:

• Regulation: Decree 189/2026, of November 10.
• Body: Presidency (Basque Government).
• Person removed from office: Sara Pagola Aizpiri.
• Area of representation: Argentina and Uruguay.
• Publication: BOPV, number 218, November 13, 2026.
• Reference: 2026/4828.

Its place in the structure of foreign action

The representations that the Basque Country has abroad maintain institutional links with the host countries, and their heads are appointed by means of an appointment decree. In this case, a single decree covers two countries, Argentina and Uruguay, which shows that it is an area integrated into a single representation. The vacancy in the position will affect the continuity of institutional relations, although the decree itself does not specify a transition or replacement regime.

An element of importance for the reader is the procedural one: the end of a high-ranking official’s term is not improvised, as it is formalized through a decree, by proposal of the President and with the approval of the Governing Council. The official publication provides transparency to the decision and, at the same time, establishes the starting point for the next administrative steps to refill the head of the representation.

Fuente: Boletín Oficial del País Vasco, n.º 218, 13 de noviembre de 2026, I. atala — Nombramientos, situaciones e incidencias (official reference: 2026/4828).