Javier Milei Biography Flash a weekly Biography.Javier Milei, Argentina’s firebrand libertarian president, is in the eye of a political hurricane as the country concludes a crucial midterm election cycle—one that could shape not just his presidency but his entire legacy. According to the Associated Press, Milei’s fiery final campaign appearance in the port city of Rosario on Thursday set the tone, with the president declaring, “We’ve made it to the elections on our feet, and on Sunday Argentina will really change.” His words were at once defiant and revealingly nervous, as this vote—renewing less than half of Congress—is far from a slam dunk. Early in the year, pundits predicted a rout in his favor, but the mood has turned sharply, with scandals, tactical missteps, and a punishing austerity drive eroding his image as a straight-talking outsider.A series of damaging headlines have dogged Milei in recent days. In February, a promoted “memecoin” tied to his social media imploded, costing investors $250 million—raising questions about his judgment with money. Then came August’s bombshell: his powerful sister and closest confidant, Karina Milei, was accused of accepting bribes from a government medicine supplier. She denies wrongdoing, but the story has lingered, with experts telling the Associated Press that Argentines began to question whether the Milei family was practicing what it preached after asking the public to endure slashed subsidies and 50,000 lost public sector jobs. The latest blow hit just as the campaign reached fever pitch—Milei’s leading candidate in Buenos Aires province, José Luis Espert, dropped out after admitting he took $200,000 from a U.S.-indicted drug dealer, though he claims it was for consulting. According to the Associated Press, voters will still see Espert’s name on ballots, a messy reminder of scandal at the worst possible moment.NPR reports that, despite Milei’s slashing inflation from 25.5% to 2% and delivering Argentina’s first fiscal surplus in 15 years, the social cost has been staggering. Retired teacher Eva Marcilo, quoted by NPR, sums up the national mood: “My medications used to be free; now I pay 60 or 80%. Food costs are impossible, my kids can’t afford rent. Everyone’s working more and earning less.” Milei’s approval ratings have plunged, with over 60% now disapproving, according to the same report. Yet, as always, he retains a loyal base—especially among the young, who see him as the break from the “worst of the worst,” in the words of one supporter from Córdoba.The economic backdrop is even more dramatic. Argentina’s peso has plummeted to a record low, and Milei’s government has burned through foreign reserves to prop it up. Enter President Donald Trump and U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who have thrown Argentina a $20 billion lifeline via currency swaps, with talk of another $20 billion from private banks, according to the Associated Press. Trump went further, suggesting U.S. support could hinge on Milei’s election performance—a remark that caused markets to wobble and sparked a nationalist backlash, with protesters outside the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires banging pots and burning American flags. On social media, the hashtag #PatriaOColonia (“motherland or colony”) trended, as The Jerusalem Post reported, a sign of how Milei’s perceived closeness to Trump has become a double-edged sword.In the closing days, Milei’s campaign has been marked by both boldness and bruising setbacks. His aggressive provincial campaign strategy backfired, leaving his libertarian party outgunned by established rivals and leading to a major defeat in Buenos Aires province, home to 40% of Argentines. Congress, already hostile, has overridden his vetoes and passed spending measures against his wishes, underscoring his weak legislative position, as noted by NPR and the Associated Press. And in a final, almost surreal twist, his other Buenos Aires candidate, former model and actress Karen Reichardt, faces a storm over old social media posts attacking Lionel Messi and using racially insensitive language.In the past 24 hours, the central question remains unanswered: Will Milei’s party defy the odds and expand its tiny foothold in Congress, or will the backlash against austerity—and the whiff of corruption—push his agenda into irrelevance? As results come in, everyone from Washington to Wall Street is watching. Milei, the anti-establishment economist who promised to chainsaw the state, now finds his future—and Argentina’s—hanging by a thread forged in populist anger and foreign intervention.Thank you for listening to this episode of Biography Flash. To never miss an update on Javier Milei, be sure to subscribe, and for more great deep dives, search “Biography Flash” wherever you get your podcasts.Get the best deals https://amzn.to/4mMClBvThis content was created in partnership and with the help of ...
続きを読む
一部表示
2025/10/266 分