In a tie and leather jacket, Argentina’s President Javier Milei rocked out in front of thousands of fans during the launch of his latest economics book in Buenos Aires Wednesday night.
In a tie and leather jacket, Argentina’s President Javier Milei rocked out in front of thousands of fans during the launch of his latest economics book in Buenos Aires ➡️ https://t.co/4xgOkF1i9R pic.twitter.com/oldkCajmD9
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 23, 2024
mobs of star-struck fans packed a giant auditorium in Buenos Aires on Wednesday to hear Argentina’s president, the libertarian economist Javier Milei, lecture on the importance of freeing capital from the control of the state.
As he navigated through a throng of enthusiastic fans clamoring for selfies and ascended the stage, the crowd erupted, rising to their feet in unison. Whistles, stomps, and chants of his political slogan, “Long live liberty, dammit!” reverberated throughout the theater.
They greeted Milei with the fervor reserved for a rock star. And moments later, he embodied one.
Seizing the microphone, he launched into a cover of “Panic Show” by Argentine hard rock band La Renga, leaping energetically around the stage and sending 10,000 fans into a frenzy.
“I am the lion,” he roared, shaking his wild hair in rhythm with the music. “I am the king of a lost world.”
When the music came to a stop, he tossed off his black leather jacket to reveal a business suit underneath and stepped up to the podium, returning to his usual persona as a disheveled academic. “I wanted to do this because I really wanted to sing,” he said.
Then Milei launched into the presentation of his new book, “Capitalism, Socialism and the Neoclassical Trap,” published May 1, a contribution to the so-called Austrian School of economics that calls for governments to step out and let the market decide.
“Market failures do not exist,” he said. “First, check there is no state intervention.”
Milei had initially planned to promote his book at the Buenos Aires International Book Fair, the country’s largest literary event that kicked off earlier this month. But when the left-leaning organizers gave speeches calling out Milei for defunding cultural institutions, the president canceled the event and promoted a new one at the city’s Luna Park arena downtown instead.
About Milei
Javier Milei, a right-wing economist who was voted to the Argentinian PM office in December 2023. Milei has taught university courses and written on various aspects of economics and politics, and also hosted radio programs on the subject. In addition to his political philosophy, Milei believes the state is the enemy of economic prosperity, and that Keynesian economics is evil and is the main culprit of Argentina’s economic woes. He is in strong opposition to socialism and communism, criticizing them as violent systems that generate misery and hunger.
Milei’s love for rock music..
It wasn’t Milei’s first time jamming out in public. “Panic Show” performances with reworked lyrics were an occasional feature of campaign events. His love for rock music dates back to high school, where he started a Rolling Stones tribute band and danced like Mick Jagger during recess, according to journalist Juan Luis González’s biography of Milei, “El Loco.”
He kept his taste for theatrics as a libertarian pundit invited onto TV and radio stations to rail against Argentina’s economic malaise — drawing attention as much for his entertaining antics as his “anarcho-capitalist” theories.
“This connection he has with people, I’ve never seen anything like it,” said 72-year-old attendee Liliana Varela as she watched Milei glad-handing supporters. “He is creating a disruption at the very moment that we need it.”
Milei’s performance comes during a sensitive time for Argentina..
The inflation rate averaged 190% between 1944 and 2023, and the government defaulted on its sovereign debt nine times (of which three occurred during the past two decades). More recently, the size of the consolidated government increased by almost 15 percentage points of GDP: from 23.2% in 2003 to 37.8% of GDP in 2022.
Milei’s controversial Remark at spain’s PM’s wife..
Milei’s severe austerity measures have so far compounded the struggles of Argentina’s poor and middle classes. An unprecedented diplomatic crisis is underway with Spain, Argentina’s historic ally and major trading partner, over Milei’s criticism of socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez and his wife.
“Milei doesn’t have to answer to Sanchez,” said 62-year-old Hernan Sanchez queuing outside the venue. “He is defending his beliefs.”
When the crowd screamed vulgar insults about Sánchez, Milei responded with a smirk. “Stop that or Mondino is going to ask me for overtime,” he quipped, referring to the foreign minister.
Despite the turmoil Milei’s ratings have stayed strong. His die-hard fans were out in force on Wednesday, lining up for hours in frigid weather and dancing to keep the energy up when Milei ran over an hour late.
“He’s the best president in the world,” gushed 20-year-old Matías Muzica, dodging questions about his policies but praising him as Argentina’s answer to Donald Trump. “He can make Argentina great again.”
