Milei won the election on promises of big and drastic changes. Something new, unclear what, awaits a country in deep economic crisis and its 45 million inhabitants. Inflation is at 140 percent, for example.
Enormous problems
Milei says that what is happening now is the beginning of the end for Argentina’s cancer. But he warns that the situation for the country is critical, Argentina is not doing well. The problems are enormous.
– Today is a historic day, it means the end of one policy and the beginning of another. My message to all Argentines is that Argentina has a future and it is liberal, says Milei in his speech.
He announces drastic changes, no half measures.
– There is no room for gradual measures.
Milei says that “We respect property rights and free enterprise. Anyone who wants to come along is welcome.”
Lots of lost
The opposing candidate, the ruling party’s economy minister Sergio Massa, admitted defeat early on and has congratulated Milei. When more than 97 percent of the votes in Sunday’s election had been counted, the results indicated that Milei received support of 55.8 percent to 44.2 for Massa. In number of votes, this means approximately 13.9 million votes for Milei and almost eleven million for Massa.
– The result is not what we had hoped for and I have spoken to Javier Milei to congratulate him and wish him well. He is the one a majority of voters have chosen as president for the next four years, Sergio Massa said as he addressed his supporters at the vigil.
Milei has been congratulated for winning also by the US Ambassador to Argentina and Brazilian President Lula da Silva.
Trump congratulates
Former US President Donald Trump is also among the congratulators and announces on his own social media platform that he is very proud of Milei and that he will “make Argentina great again”.
Javier Milei has been compared to Trump and has been rewritten for his controversial statements. He advocates the legal sale of human organs, wants to “blow up” the central bank and introduce the US dollar as the new currency.
Milei’s success in the August primary came as a shock to many. In the first round of elections in October, however, things did not go as well as the polls suggested.
What has perhaps attracted voters the most is the populist’s anger against the political establishment.