Trump to meet newly elected Argentina president-elect as conservative prepares to take power
According to a statement sent by Javier Milei's office on Nov. 23, former President Donald Trump has phoned Argentina's president-elect and has plans to visit him in Buenos Aires.
“The president-elect received a call last night from the former president of the United States, Donald Trump, who congratulated him and pointed out his triumph by a wide margin in last Sunday’s election had a great impact on a global scale,” a news release from Milei’s office said, according to The Epoch Times.
The statement does not include a date for when the two leaders will meet, nor does it specify when Trump will be in Argentina. However, Milei's inauguration has been fixed for Dec. 10.
— Oficina del Presidente Javier Milei (@OPEArg) November 23, 2023
Comparisons Between the Two
The similarities in Milei's and Trump's approaches to leadership and policymaking have led to comparisons between the two.
Following Milei's victory in Argentina's presidential election on Sunday, the two men had their first direct interaction with one another in the form of a phone call.
Trump celebrated the win on his Truth Social on Tuesday, saying: “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!"
Milei, a classical libertarian economist, won Argentina's presidential election, defeating Economy Minister Sergio Massa on Nov. 19. His victory has shaken the political establishment not only in Argentina but throughout Latin America.
Milei's Campaign
During his campaign, 53-year-old Milei pledged to implement radical reforms if elected, including the closure of numerous federal agencies and the reduction of government spending and taxes. Specifically, he targeted the Ministry of Education, which he referred to as "the Ministry of Indoctrination" and alongside the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development.
Furthermore, he proposes the nationalization of private firearms, the privatization of state-owned enterprises, the closure of the Argentine central bank, and the adoption of the U.S. dollar as the national currency.
Earlier this year, Milei, who identifies as a "anarcho-capitalist," expressed admiration for Trump during an interview with former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson.
Milei encouraged the former U.S. president to “continue with his fight against socialism because he’s one of the few who fully understood that the battle is against socialism, that the battle is against the statists.”
The recently elected Argentian president has also a vocal critic of the Chinese communist regime. In an interview with Bloomberg in August, he said: “People are not free in China; they can’t do what they want, and when they do it, they get killed. Would you trade with an assassin?”
When Milei takes office next month, he will be faced with the daunting task of reining in out-of-control inflation, a bloated bureaucratic state, and an opposition party that is accustomed to holding sway over national politics.
