The West Should Strengthen Ties with Argentina’s New President Javier Milei

Argentina simply elected Javier Milei, a boisterous, wild-haired economist with a pro-market agenda to rework the nation’s economic system. After a long time of Peronist rule, Argentina is now residence to the primary libertarian head of state in trendy historical past, a feat that many within the media appear to overlook.

Even earlier than the official outcomes had been introduced, voters sensed a turning tide in favor of the libertarian candidate. Together with his trademark fashion, Milei carried 21 of 24 provinces, attracting greater than 14 million votes, the most important vote whole for a single candidate in Argentina’s historical past.    

It’s no secret that Argentina was one of many world’s wealthiest economies on the flip of the twentieth century. Earlier than the nation’s ill-fated tour down the street to socialism, Argentina embraced free markets and restricted authorities. Juan Bautista Alberdi, whom Milei regularly champions in his speeches, helped design Argentina’s 1853 structure and create the preliminary circumstances for the nation’s practically 80-year stretch of financial prosperity. As an admirer of Thomas Jefferson, Alberdi echoed very comparable libertarian themes that Milei is trying to revive.

However for some unexplained purpose, many individuals view Milei’s victory as simply one other triumph of the populist wave. This view, nevertheless, confuses Milei’s eccentric fashion with a genuinely populist agenda. Whereas Trump and different populist leaders name for a protectionist program to guard home staff towards international competitors, Milei advocates for the alternative. In reality, Milei’s victory speech straight invited folks to hitch Argentina’s free-market revolution. Even Elon Musk acknowledged the importance of Milei’s victory, writing that “prosperity is forward for Argentina.”     

Latin America is usually related to failed socialist experiments, run by dictators comparable to Hugo Chávez in Bolivia, Fidel Castro in Cuba, and now Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela. Though this affiliation is basically correct, the West can be higher served if it regarded deeper below the floor into the pro-market actions shaking the area awake.

Regardless of claims on the contrary, Argentines voted for Milei as a result of his concepts are highly effective. When inflation and routine recessions choke your financial prospects, the promise of free markets appears a lot brighter. Milei’s vow to dollarize the economic system, for instance, showcases the attraction of tying the federal government’s profligate palms. Certainly, Argentines are displaying a powerful urge for food without spending a dime market reforms, and Javier Milei has proven that his recognition isn’t a fluke.

The West has a novel alternative to strengthen its relationship with Argentina. Luckily, President Biden has expressed curiosity in cooperating and listening to the concepts of the self-proclaimed anarcho-capitalist. “We will’t wait to listen to the concepts of the president-elect and what political path he needs to take, and to ensure we will preserve that line and communication channel open,” mentioned Nationwide Safety Council spokesman John Kirby.

However the US ought to do greater than merely hear. President Biden ought to open the door to stronger bilateral commerce agreements between the 2 international locations. Eliminating commerce boundaries, selling funding, and eradicating immigration frictions can be useful first steps. These actions would additionally reveal to the complete area that it pays to enact financial reforms and curb the expansion of presidency.

Throughout his marketing campaign, Milei mentioned that Argentina will reduce diplomatic ties with China, Brazil, and different nations that infringe on particular person liberty. After all, the non-public sector will nonetheless be free to take a position, however the authorities will now not subsidize involvement in these international locations. In keeping with Milei, Argentina ought to be modeled after Eire, which carried out free-market reforms within the Nineteen Nineties. “The place you give approach to freedom, society prospers. Not solely economically, but it surely prospers additionally in social points,” he mentioned in an interview for the Economist.

This hands-off method ought to excite the West. Traders are already celebrating Milei’s victory, and Argentina’s inventory market has floated up in current days. To additional entice exterior buyers, Milei has vowed to denationalise Argentina’s public firms, together with the oil firm YPF and Aerolíneas Argentinas, the nation’s largest airline. The largest problem for Milei will probably be to influence potential buyers that his reform package deal can outlive his tenure. But when investor sentiment and voter help are any indication, Milei is already heading in the right direction to lifting Argentina out of its decades-long financial malaise.

As the primary libertarian president within the trendy period, Javier Milei’s election ought to ship a sign to the West that now could be the time to fortify ties with international locations that embrace the concepts of liberty. The US ought to heed Milei’s invitation and capitalize on Argentina’s capitalist revolution.