Argentine President Javier Milei shared his ultraliberal economic ideas in Madrid on Friday. He denounced concepts like social justice, capital controls, and taxes as immoral and a form of theft. Milei, who travelled to Madrid to participate in a pre-campaign rally for the far-right party Vox, embraced Vox leader Santiago Abascal and praised him as a friend. He emphasized the importance of unity among right-wing parties in opposition to socialism, which he described as “the cancer of humanity.” Milei’s views were met with applause and laughter from the audience in attendance.
Milei strongly opposes the idea of social justice and believes that wealth redistribution is based on resentment and envy towards those who are successful in making money. He views those who are economically successful as heroes who benefit society, even if it leads to increased inequality. He reiterated his promise to close the Central Bank of Argentina and criminalize money issuance. Milei boasted about implementing over a thousand structural reforms in his first two weeks in office and promised even more in the future, despite facing resistance from Congress and social organizations.
Milei presented his vision for Argentina as the country with the highest economic freedom in the world, citing Switzerland and Ireland as models. He criticized Ireland for moving towards socialism after achieving success. Milei, who refers to himself as a non-politician, acknowledges his presidency as an anomaly and attributes it to the failures of his predecessors. He prioritizes reducing debt over social costs and claims to be tackling inflation and deficits, although he fails to address the social impact of his policies.
Upon his arrival in Madrid, Milei opted not to meet with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, marking an unusual move for a newly elected Latin American leader visiting Spain. This decision reflects the strained relations between the two governments, particularly after a diplomatic incident in May. Milei’s agenda during his visit to Madrid was minimal, consisting mainly of a book presentation, a meeting with Vox leader Santiago Abascal, and participation in a Vox rally. The official nature of his visit, funded by public funds, was reinforced by a last-minute meeting organized by Argentina’s new ambassador with Spanish companies.
Milei’s visit to Madrid was marked by controversy and a lack of engagement with top Spanish officials, highlighting the tensions between Argentina and Spain. Despite his strong anti-socialist views and pursuit of economic liberalization, Milei faces criticism for his harsh measures and prioritization of debt reduction. His alignment with far-right figures like Abascal raises concerns about the future direction of Argentina under his leadership.
