Javier Milei, the newly elected president of Argentina, promises to steer the country away from years of decline and decay. However, he acknowledges that the economic crisis will worsen in the upcoming months. Meanwhile, a gathering of prominent figures from the far right around the world took place in Buenos Aires to commemorate Milei’s inauguration as a radical libertarian leader.
Speaking to a large crowd of fans in front of Argentina’s blue-topped classical congress, Milei – a dynamic ex-television star nicknamed El Loco or The Madman – drew parallels between his surprising victory and the beginning of the Soviet Union’s downfall.
“Just as the fall of the Berlin Wall marked the end of a tragic era for the world, these elections represent a tipping point in our history,” he declared, promising to “fight tooth and nail” to drag his country into “a new era of peace and prosperity”.
He cautioned that Argentina, with an anticipated 200% increase in yearly inflation and 40% of the population living in poverty, is in a state of “emergency.” He acknowledged the immense task ahead and stated, “I would rather share an unpleasant truth than a convenient falsehood.”
Milei’s address resonated with aspects of Donald Trump’s 2017 inauguration speech, during which the business magnate promised to put an end to an era of “American carnage”, crime, and poverty, and restore authority to “the people”. Milei declared that Argentina has turned into a violent battleground and pledged to combat the drug dealers who have taken control of the streets in its major cities.
Before his inauguration, he was officially sworn in as Argentina’s future leader in the company of right-wing allies such as Jair Bolsonaro, former president of Brazil; Viktor Orbán, prime minister of Hungary; José Antonio Kast, leader of Chile’s Republican party; and Santiago Abascal, leader of Spain’s Vox party. Upon arriving in Argentina’s capital, Orbán tweeted, “The rise of the right is not limited to Europe, but is spreading globally!”
The list of guests at the inauguration also featured Chile’s president, Gabriel Boric, Spain’s King Felipe VI, and Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy. Milei has referred to Putin as a perilous leader and seems to be positioning Argentina as Ukraine’s primary ally in Latin America. In a post on X, Zelenskiy stated, “This marks a fresh start for Argentina and I extend my best wishes to President Milei and the entire Argentinian population in their efforts to amaze the world with their accomplishments.”
Notable leftist leaders, such as Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Colombian president Gustavo Petro, did not attend. The authoritarian presidents of Venezuela and Nicaragua, Nicolás Maduro and Daniel Ortega, were not included in the invitation.
Fans of Milei traveled to Buenos Aires from all over Argentina to see what they believed to be a pivotal moment in history.
“We need absolute, total change,” said Carmen Quiñez, a 50-year-old grandmother who had driven 12 hours from the northern province of Salta to see her new president.
Francisco Labriola, a 35-year-old lawyer who specializes in criminal law in the town of Benito Juárez, expressed, “Today is a day to commemorate our freedom.”
Labriola, wearing a red Make America Great Again cap, attended the celebrations and likened Milei to three regional right-wing populist leaders: Trump, Bolsonaro, and El Salvador’s hardline president Nayib Bukele. Bukele has imprisoned thousands of individuals as part of his efforts to combat gang activity. Labriola stated, “This is not just for the United States, but for all of America,” while gesturing to his Maga hat.
Brazilian conservatives – some wearing pro-gun or Bolsonaro T-shirts – had also flown in to witness what they called a major triumph for Latin America’s new right. “This is a gun-shot to the left,” said Vinicius Rothsahl, a Bolsonarista from the city of Florianópolis, unfurling a red and blue banner that read: “Trump 2024: Save America Again.”
As Milei drove towards the presidential palace in a Mercedes convertible, uncertainty remained about the type of government the unpredictable economist would lead and what actions he would take in the upcoming days.
Milei, whose first taste of politics was becoming a congressman in 2021, won power promising radical change to voters weary of the economic mismanagement and corruption that has wrecked Argentina’s economy. During the campaign he vowed to obliterate the corrupt political “caste” and “exterminate the cancer of inflation” by shutting down ministries and implementing a harsh austerity program.
Noticias magazine declared Milei’s induction on the cover with the headline: “A fresh start for the country: For better or worse, everything will change.” On Saturday evening, Milei’s followers organized a symbolic gathering in front of the central bank, which their leader has promised to shut down.
“We are making history in Argentina,” stated Carlos D’Alessandro, a recently elected member of congress from the Libertad Avanza (Freedom Advances) party led by Milei. “Our goal is to eradicate corruption and inflation, and establish a strong economy.”
There have been indications since Milei’s election in November that he may be backing away from his more extreme ideas, despite aligning himself with right-wing figures like Bolsonaro and Orbán.
The recently elected leader of Argentina has made efforts to mend relationships with Brazil, China, and the Vatican, after criticizing them during the election. It seems that some of his staunch supporters, such as his vice-presidential partner, Victoria Villarruel, have been somewhat excluded.
The symbol of his intention to make budget cuts, the chainsaw he carried during his campaign has vanished. Additionally, his proposal to switch from the peso to the dollar seems to have been postponed. D’Alessandro stated that Milei still intends to implement dollarization, but not in the near future.
D’Alessandro expressed trust in Milei’s ability to implement a daring strategy to maximize Argentina’s economic capabilities. According to him, Milei is well-versed in economics and understands the necessary steps to take. However, he acknowledged that Argentina may experience a period of instability as Milei implements drastic measures to rectify the country’s troubled economy.
The initial demonstrations against the government are already in the works.
Juan Cruz Díaz, the CEO of Cefeidas Group, a consulting firm in Buenos Aires, stated that there is uncertainty about the future direction of the country under Javier Milei’s leadership for the next four years. He described Milei as a controversial candidate and TV economist, but his capabilities as a president are still unknown.
A 44-year-old supporter of Milei named Emiliano Garrido acknowledged that he was uncertain about the potential increase in prices or decrease in the value of the peso due to his president’s drastic actions taking place. However, he firmly believes that there was no other option but to take such measures. He stated, “We must either make a complete turnaround or face a similar fate as the Titanic. Sacrifices will have to be made in order to see a positive outcome in the future.”
Source: theguardian.com
