President-elect Javier Milei predicted that “today begins the end of Argentina’s decline” as he gave his first speech after the elections, which he won with 55.69% of the vote and 99.28% of the tables counted, and warned before “There is no going back.” “Enough of the impoverished caste model, Today we once again advocate the idea of freedom, to be a world power“promised the leader of La Libertad Avanza (far right), who defeated the ruling party Sergio Massa in the second presidential round (44.30%).
Milei, wearing a dark suit and tie, delivered his speech alone on stage to a voting bunker full of supporters who chanted “Wig President!” (for his haircut) and “Freedom, freedom.” Milei was introduced at the stand by her inseparable sister Karina Milei, with whom she melted into a hug, both visibly excited.
The ultra-liberal economist pointed out that with his help Argentina will “get back on track” that he should not have given up because of the “impoverishing model of the omnipresent state” that benefits only some and that results in “spoils” distributed among politicians and their friends. “Today we recommit ourselves to the ideas of freedom,” he said. And in reference to the country’s founding fathers, he pointed to three premises: a government that “sticks to the letter of its commitments,” “private property” and “free trade.”
And he warned the world about his “involvement.” with “Democracy, Free Trade and Peace” and that he will work “side by side with all the nations of the free world.”
estate
The president-elect pointed out that the government of Alberto Fernández “leaves behind a devastated economy” and is on the path to hyperinflation, problems in the foreign exchange market, relative prices and debt. “We have the determination” to review household accounts and solve the central bank’s problems, he said. “This is neither a task for the lukewarm,” nor for “cowards,” nor for the “corrupt,” he emphasized. And he also called on his opponent and current Economy Minister Sergio Massa to take over his mandate by December 10th, as the transition period begins tomorrow, Monday.
Milei described the problems facing Argentina as “monumental” and lamented this Society “has been abandoned” the political class in recent decades. “There is no room for gradualism, there is no room for lukewarmness, there is no room for half measures,” he predicted. “If we don’t move quickly on the structural changes Argentina needs,” he said, “we are heading straight for the worst crisis in our history.”
But contrary to what he announced during the campaign, Milei tonight made no mention of his proposal for dollarization, or the destruction of the central bank, or “taking a chainsaw to public spending.”
Welcome and resistance
The leader of a new force, Javier Milei, tonight invited political leaders from other areas who want to join the change that Argentina needs, regardless of where they have been before or what differences there are. “You will be welcome,” he assured. But he acknowledged that there will be people “who will resist” because they want to “Maintaining the system of privilege.”
To them he said: “Everything is within the law, nothing is outside the law,” because “in this new Argentina there is no place for the violent, for those who break the law, for those who use violence to protect their lives ” . Milei thanked for the “patriotic gesture” and “generosity” of former President Mauricio Macri (2015-2019) and the former presidential candidate of his organization “Together for Change”, Patricia Bullrich. Both leaders “selflessly” supported the Libertarians in this second round to win against the ruling party.
Prosecutors from the Republican Proposal (Pro) party, to which Macri and Bullrich belong, helped “defend” the votes as part of Together for Change, and many of their leaders were present at Milei’s speech in the victory bunker. EFE