Sarah Morra (11) | Staff Reporter
Throughout history, we have been eyewitnesses to several leader archetypes – radical leftists, fascists, dictators, and much more. However, Javier Milei, Argentina’s prospective presidential candidate, presents the public with a colourful past. Equipped with a vivacious palette to paint a brand new scene for Argentine society, this economist and politician has various peculiar views and reforms in mind for Argentina, which we will begin to explore.
From early ages, Milei has been described as a character full of personality and aggressive rhetoric. Growing up attending Catholic schools and a private university, he was nicknamed “El Loco” (The Madman) due to his outbursts and rhetoric, which later granted him his fame. Milei dove into the study of economics at the age of 18, all the while singing in the cover band Everest, mostly reusing songs by the Rolling Stones.
Milei has had a stealthy economic and political career. He first gained public exposure on various Argentine televised programs, and his vulgarity when expressing his ideals and beliefs in turn bolstered his notoriety.
Throughout his political career, Milei was not unfamiliar with controversy. For example, in June of 2018, when faced with a ‘bad’ press experience, Milei retaliated in an unprofessional manner. During a conference in San Jose de Metan, Milei called the journalist Teresita Frias “a donkey” after she critiqued his political views as totalitarian. He was later accused of gender violence and was court-mandated to be psychologically examined as a result of his refusal to reconcile.
Later, in 2020, Milei joined Avanza Libertad (Freedom Forward), an Argentine right-wing coalition holding legal status in Buenos Aires, which has been critiqued for having included Neo-Nazis and apologists of the National Reorganization Process. Furthermore, despite his enthusiastic claims of freedom, his political views don’t cease to contradict an objective version of freedom.
Furthermore, Milei’s electoral campaign in 2021 to become part of the Argentine Chamber of Deputies was a cheap one at that. His publicity stunt of haranguing citizens of Buenos Aires neighborhoods to gain positive traction was a spineless attempt to acquire support. However, his election campaign was successful. His slander of current politicians occupying Argentina was particularly aggressive. Some of what he has exclaimed against said people was that their political caste was composed of “useless, parasitic politicians who have never worked.”
Now, in 2023, Milei has entered a race to become president of Argentina and is leading the polls in their election this month. Despite the number of contentious statements he’s made this year, such as his idea that the sale of human organs should be legalized or that his nation’s currency should be abolished.
Despite Milei’s self-identified Catholicism and Catholic background, he has made various slanderous remarks regarding Pope Francis, such as his statement claiming the Pope is “the representative of the Evil One on earth” due to his defense of social justice, as well as his claims of the Pope being a “filthy leftist.”
To further the absurdity of Milei’s campaign, his support consists of his sister, who runs his campaign, his girlfriend, who imitates political rivals, and his five dogs. It is appalling that this unorthodox methodology of campaigning is working, especially considering his remarks regarding the Pope in a country where 1 in 3 individuals are of the Catholic faith.
Milei’s overall approach in his campaign and his political ideologies simply generate a disturbing result to anyone of sane mind. It is said that Milei seeks to implement the same plan as Argentina’s previous dictatorship, which took the lives of about 30,000 individuals who opposed the regime. He has been said to have the same political objective of destroying any and all individuals he considers ‘lefty.’
Milei’s evident show of ideologically totalitarian aims and a total loss of a grasp on humanity is an impending doom hanging over the heads of many Argentinian citizens. Argentina’s economy, sanctity, and safety lie in the hands of this presidential election and the willpower of the general public to halt the destruction of their quality of life.
