‘El Loco’ wins landslide victory in Argentina that experts say shows scale of frustration with Peronist status quo

Luminaries of the global far right are in raptures over Javier Milei’s thumping election victory in Argentina which experts predict will turn Buenos Aires into a new stomping ground for the populist radical right.

Donald Trump and Jair Bolsonaro led the merrymaking after their Argentinian ally trounced his rival, the Peronist finance minister Sergio Massa, by nearly 3 million votes in Sunday’s presidential election. The former US president predicted Milei would “truly make Argentina great again” while Brazil’s ex-president applauded a victory for “honesty, progress and freedom”. Bolsonarista and Mileísta activists predicted Milei’s win would be the first in a trio of rightwing conquests that would see Trump and Bolsonaro reclaim power in 2024 and 2026.

In his first post-victory interview on Monday, Milei announced he would travel to the US and Israel – where he has promised to move Argentina’s embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem – before being sworn in on 10 December, alongside his ultra-conservative vice-president elect Victoria Villarruel.

Bolsonaro announced he would attend Milei’s inauguration in Buenos Aires and posted footage of a pally video call with Argentina’s president-elect. “I’m really happy,” Bolsonaro told the radical libertarian economist. “You have a big job ahead of you … and it’s a job that goes beyond Argentina,” Brazil’s former leader added. “Gracias!” Milei replied.

  • Flying Squid@lemmy.worldMEnglish
    291·
    8 months ago

    When he finished first in the country’s presidential primaries in August, Milei was quick to thank “the best strategists”. Except, they weren’t people, they were his dogs, who he referred to as his “four-legged children”, Conan, Murray, Milton, Robert and Lucas.

    His close relationship with his pets all started in 2004 when he adopted an English mastiff called Conan, named after 1982 film Conan the Barbarian. Milei said the dog became his “true and greatest love” and that he came to see Conan as “literally his son”. The single and childless new president has credited the 200 lb dog with sticking by his side through everything and being his closest friend.

    When Conan died in 2017, Milei decided to visit a medium in order to communicate with his beloved pet. During that conversation, Milei said Conan gave him the task of becoming president of Argentina.

    https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/javier-mileis-dead-dog-told-him-to-become-argentina-president-from-beyond-grave/ar-AA1ke6pj

    Just in case you didn’t realize precisely how insane he is.