Javier Milei, an economist and the leader of the Liberty Advances Party of Argentina, won the South American nation’s presidential election Sunday on a vision of “liberal libertarianism” as he calls it.
Characterized by The Associated Press as a “Libertarian populist,” Milei, a freshman in the Argentine legislature, led a shocking upset against the far-left Peronista Party that has dominated the country’s politics since the reign of its founders over fifty years ago.
The AP reported that the Peronist party led by former Economy Minister Sergio Massa was soundly defeated 55.7% to 44.3% in 21 of 24 provinces. The depth of the defeat led Massa to concede before the preliminary results were even released.
David Atherton of The European Conservative wrote, “Argentina’s new President is Javier Milei. A classical -liberal he is smeared as far-right by socialists.
An aficionado of Milton Friedman & Friedrich Von Hayek … the chainsaw is a euphemism for cutting the size of govt.”
Argentina's new President is Javier Milei. A classical -liberal he is smeared as far-right by socialists.
AdvertisementAn aficionado of Milton Friedman & Friedrich Von Hayek the chainsaw is a euphemism for cutting the size of govt.
What's the weather like in Buenos Aires this time of year? pic.twitter.com/IxAgw6iTaI
— David Atherton (@DaveAtherton20) November 20, 2023
The election pronouncedly appeared to be a rebuke against the raging 140 percent annual inflation rate, coupled with a 40 percent poverty rate.
Milei has pledged to bring about change brandishing a chainsaw and vowing to cut down the size of the bloated Argentinian government, offering scathing denunciations of the “political caste” that has led the nation for decades. He called them “useless and parasitic” according to Fox News and sparked considerable interest from younger Argentinians with his bombastic style, and social media savvy not unlike former President Donald Trump in the U.S.
As David Unsworth, Fox News’ reporter for Latin America observed, Milei has his work cut out for him. Unsworth said, “The road ahead for Milei and allies will not be easy. The Liberty Advances Party has only a small block in each house of Congress, while the Peronist Party has the largest group in each chamber. Thus, Milei will have to work with the Peronists and the center-right Macri/Bullrich contingent in order to move policy objectives forward.”
Ben Shapiro, Editor-In-Cheif of The Daily Wire observed in a post to X, “Argentina just elected Milei, who pledges to slash spending and restore fiscal responsibility and who openly calls for a close relationship with the US and a turn from China. Of course our garbage press are livid and wish him ill. They truly are international Leftist trash.”
In his first, post-election speech Milei told supporters: “There is no place for gradualism… If we do not move quickly with the structural changes Argentina needs, we are heading straight for the worst crisis of our entire history…”
VICTORY SPEECH:
"There is no place for gradualism… If we do not move quickly with the structural changes Argentina needs, we are heading straight for the worst crisis of our entire history…"
– Milei, victory speech#MileiPresidente #Argentina pic.twitter.com/k8WE1IhaDZ
— Yankee in Silverland (@silverland_yank) November 20, 2023
In September Milei was interviewed by Tucker Carlson and explained his policies at length including his opposition to socialism, transgender ideology and abortion.
Ep. 24 Argentina’s next president could be Javier Milei. Who is he? We traveled to Buenos Aires to speak with him and find out. pic.twitter.com/4WwTZYoWHs
— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) September 14, 2023
He told Carlson (translated),
“Argentina is a country that has embraced socialist ideas for the last 100 years so liberalism is a natural form of rebellion against the system and Rebellion is always led by youth when they look at me they see someone talking about liberalism and rebelling against the status quo.”
Regarding his opposition to abortion, Milei explained:
“Because I’m someone who believes in liberalism I’ll say libertarian liberal because in English the word liberal means something different. So let me say as a Libertarian who believes that liberalism entails the unrestricted respect for the lies of others rooted in a principle of non-aggression and the defense of life liberty and property.
And if we cleave these ideas of Liberty one of the most fundamental aspects is to defend the right to life, philosophically speaking, I’m in favor of the right to life.
Beyond that there’s a scientific justification to be had. It’s the fact that life begins at conception it’s at that very instant that a new being begins to evolve with its own unique DNA while it’s true that women have the right to their own bodies the child in a woman’s womb is not her body that child is not her body. That makes abortion a murder enabled and aggravated by a power imbalance against a child that has no way to defend itself. And beyond that there’s a matter of math Maddox’s life is a Continuum with two Quantum leaps birth and death any interruption in the interim is murder.”
Posting to Truth Social, former President Donald Trump offered his congratulations to Milei, “Congratulations to Javier Milei on a great race for President of Argentina. The whole world was watching! I am very proud of you. You will turn your Country around and truly Make Argentina Great Again!”
