Libertarian Javier Milei (La Libertad Avanza) received the most votes in Argentina’s primary elections in August, with 30.02% of valid votes. The number was well above the 1.5% he needed, as his coalition no longer had any other candidate running.
He is running for President of Argentina, the first round of which is scheduled for this Sunday (22).
Video: Milei says that Lula is acting against his candidacy in Argentina
Despite the surprise in the primaries, Milei’s name did not go unnoticed in the campaign.
The economist burst into the media with his “freedom tour” and stood out mainly for his activities outside of politics: his performance as a football player and his time in music with his tribute band to the Rolling Stones are some examples.
Infancy
Born in the Palermo neighborhood, in Buenos Aires, on October 22, 1970, Milei had a childhood marked by controversial moments in his family, which he himself recognized in a program on the Argentine channel “Telefé”.
Although the relationship with her parents was not good, Milei found support in her sister.
The economist recognizes that Karina Milei is the person who knows him best and is “the great architect” of his political events. Milei told different media outlets that if she becomes president, she will play the role of first lady.
Journalist Juan Luis González is one of the researchers behind the unauthorized biography of the economist, entitled “El Loco”. A CNN he declared that Javier Milei’s time at Colégio Cardenal Copello, in Villa Devoto, was marked by bullying.
To prepare the book, the author guarantees that he spoke with the presidential candidate’s schoolmates and they all agreed with the memory of a withdrawn and silent boy who was the target of constant jokes.
Connection with football
In the 1980s, Milei tried to be a goalkeeper in the youth teams of the Argentine football club Chacarita Juniors. “I’m not a Chacarita fan, but I became part of the professional team in 1989”, confessed the economist in an interview with “Urbana Play FM” radio, in Buenos Aires.
And when it comes to football, another information appears: Milei went from having a box and a star at the Museo de la Pasión Boquense, of Boca Juniors, to a fan in favor of River Plate winning the 2018 Copa Libertadores final, played between the two rivals.
According to him, his passion for the traditional Buenos Aires club cooled with the retirement of striker Martín Palermo, in 2011, and because he disagreed with decisions made by former president Daniel Angelici.
Analysis: Javier Milei’s plans for the Argentine economy
Presidential race
From 2018 onwards, Milei’s rise appeared in the main Argentine media, with the dissemination of his “liberal libertarian” speech, as he usually calls it.
The big leap in his political career came in 2020, when he announced his candidacy for President in the 2023 elections.
This step paved the way for his coalition, La Libertad Avanza, to win two seats in the Chamber of Deputies the following year, occupied by him and his vice-presidential candidate, Victoria Villarruel.
His main campaign proposals are the dollarization of the Argentine economy in stages, the reduction of state spending and the privatization of public companies.
On the labor front, he proposes the end of severance pay to reduce labor costs, but two of the proposals that have generated the most controversy are in the security sphere: the deregulation of gun ownership and the militarization of prisons.
Bolsonaro’s support
Former Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro (PL) sent a message of support to Milei last Tuesday (17). The material was published on the Argentine’s social networks.
“Hello, Javier Milei. Happy to receive your book. We really know what is best for our countries. We cannot continue with the left. It’s an appeal that I make to all Argentines: let’s change, and change for real, with Milei. My commitment, huh?! I’m going to your inauguration,” said Bolsonaro.
In the video, Bolsonaro appears holding the economist’s latest book and expresses his hope for his victory. In the caption, Milei thanks her for the message and reinforces her slogan: “Long live freedom, man***”.
Lula “socialist” and Mercosur “commercial failure”
In September, Milei called the president of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), a “socialist with a totalitarian vocation” and treated Mercosur as a “commercial failure”.
After being asked by “The Economist” about what his relationship with China would be like if he were elected, Milei said that he does not like “dealing with communists because this is not a system that leads to the improvement of goods”.
“No communist system leads to freedom. In fact, it destroys it, so I cannot have relations with communists,” he added.
Then, responding about what his relationship with Lula would be like, the Argentine candidate declared: “Look at the aberrations he is committing in his government. I cannot support such matters.”
Milei alleged that the Lula government is “usurping press freedom” and “persecuting the opposition”: “It is a regime that is not in accordance with the ideas of freedom.”
At another point, the Economist asks the Argentine how he would define Lula, since Milei does not see him as a democratic president.
“In the case of Lula it is more complicated, because he has a much more marked totalitarian vocation. In other words, he is not just a socialist. He is someone who has a totalitarian vocation,” he stated.
He demonstrated a diametrically opposite opinion when asked about Bolsonaro.
“Bolsonaro fought a worthy fight against socialism. Afterwards, the ballot box did not go with him, but he is a person who fought a fight worthy of recognition”, he said.
Wanted by CNN at the time, Palácio do Planalto preferred not to comment on Milei’s statements.
Controversy with Pope Francis
Argentine priests held a mass in defense of Pope Francis in Buenos Aires on September 5 in response to insults from Milei, who even called him “the representative of the evil one on Earth”, among other criticisms.
The priests, in turn, held a banner in protest that read: “In solidarity with the pope and the poor.”
*Published by Douglas Porto, with information from Pedro Jordão and CNN in Spanish
Source: CNN Brasil
Bruce Belcher is a seasoned author with over 5 years of experience in world news. He writes for online news websites and provides in-depth analysis on the world stock market. Bruce is known for his insightful perspectives and commitment to keeping the public informed.
