Certainly!

Here’s a summarized analysis of the key points regarding President Javier Milei’s policy agenda, economic reforms, and political approach, with attention to their implications for Argentina’s institutions, economy, and society:

---

**Milei’s Approach and Ideological Framing**
- *Libertarian & Anarcho-Capitalist Ideology*: Milei openly declares the state an “enemy” and promotes radically pro-market, minimal government policies, making him the world’s first elected anarcho-capitalist president of a sovereign nation.

- *Neoliberal Populism*: His rule is characterized as a blend of radical free-market ideology with populist rhetorical tactics, seeking to disrupt the Peronist-dominated political status quo.

**Key Economic Reforms**
- *Austerity and Liberalization*: Milei instituted deep spending cuts aiming for a fiscal surplus, including drastic reductions in public funds, terminating many short-term public sector jobs, and raising the costs of public services and transit.

- *Privatization*: He announced intentions to sell off assets such as social housing and to remove rent controls, signaling a move toward privatizing large segments of formerly state-controlled sectors.

- *Currency and Central Bank*: Milei proposes scrapping the Argentine peso, dollarizing the economy, and potentially abolishing the central bank—though this faces significant legislative and practical obstacles.

- *Tax and Monetary Reforms*: Aggressive budget cuts have been paired with tax hikes to stabilize finances, though these measures sharply affect the middle and lower classes.

**Political Maneuvering and Institutional Changes**
- *Emergency Decree & Omnibus Bill*: Lacking a congressional majority, Milei has resorted to emergency decrees and broad legislative packages to push reforms, though some have been compromised in parliament.

- *Anti-Establishment Strategy*: Milei positions himself as an outsider against entrenched politicians (“the caste”).

He seeks anti-Peronist alliances but struggles to maintain legislative momentum for his reforms.

**Societal Impact and Opposition**
- *Mass Protests & Labor Strikes*: Severe austerity measures and public sector cuts have sparked widespread dissent: large-scale protests, strikes, and vocal opposition from historic labor unions.

- *Social Risk*: Sharply rising costs and removal of social protections threaten to deepen poverty and fuel further instability if economic pain grows before any potential benefits manifest.

**Foreign Policy**
- *Alignment with US, Israel, "Free World"*: While stating a Western-aligned approach, Milei has not broken off relations with key trading partners like China and Brazil, balancing ideological postures with pragmatic economic necessities.

---

**Implications**
- *Institutional Resilience Tested*: His reforms challenge the capacity of Argentina’s institutions to absorb radical liberalization and to balance executive authority with legislative and societal checks.

- *Economic Uncertainty*: Dollarization, deep cuts, and liberalization could offer long-term stabilization if successful—but risk severe short-term hardship and political backlash.

- *Potential for Realignment*: If Milei’s “neoliberal populism” endures and succeeds, it could reshape both Argentine governance and Latin American political trajectories.

If not, institutional and social crisis may intensify.

---

**In Summary:**
Javier Milei seeks to radically reduce the Argentine state, liberalize the economy, and shift political power away from traditional Peronist structures.

His direct, outsized reform agenda is hotly contested, already resulting in social upheaval and institutional pushback.

The outcome of his approach will be pivotal for Argentina’s future economic and political path.

**Summary of Javier Milei’s Policy Agenda and Early Reforms (as of late 2023 - early 2024):**

**1.

Radical Libertarian & Anti-Establishment Approach:**
- Javier Milei came to power promising radical change, with a style marked by confrontational rhetoric and a rejection of traditional politics.

His distinctive style (e.g., wearing a leather jacket, outspoken during debates) has won him popularity, especially among youth and those tired of establishment norms.

- His approach frames excessive state intervention as a moral and economic problem — dubbing the existing system as socialism and pledging to dismantle what he sees as an overbearing state.

Economic Reforms:**
- **Fiscal Austerity:** Milei’s administration aims for a zero budget deficit in the coming year, committing to drastic reductions in public spending and the size of the state apparatus — including dismissing officials hired in the previous year.

- **Shock Therapy:** Early reforms are likened to “shock therapy” — rapid, painful economic adjustments meant to fix deep-seated issues.

Critics compare the impact to receiving “poison,” acknowledging that “the hardest times are yet to come.”
- **Currency Policy:** Milei has advocated for “dollarization” — replacing the Argentine peso with the US dollar as the official currency.

He argues this will finally stabilize inflation, ending cycles of currency crisis and speculation that have plagued Argentina.

- **Central Bank:** Milei has reiterated his controversial campaign promise to “blow up the Central Bank” (figuratively), criticizing the institution for enabling inflation through money printing.

- **Subsidy & Salary Cuts:** Argentina is seeing rapid subsidy and administrative cuts under Milei, with knock-on effects on wages and state services.

Foreign Policy Shift:**
- **Pivot to US and Israel:** Milei seeks to reorient Argentina’s foreign policy strongly toward the United States and Israel, stepping away from traditional ties with countries like China, Cuba, and Russia.

- **BRICS Rejection:** He refused to pursue Argentina’s invitation to join the BRICS bloc, arguing that the country cannot afford it and rejecting alignment with what he calls “communist” states.

- **Support for Ukraine:** Milei has signaled an intent to hold a Latin American summit in support of Ukraine.

Political and Institutional Reform:**
- **Anti-Corruption:** He promises to prosecute former officials (notably ex-president Cristina Kirchner) for corruption once they lose immunity.

- **Bureaucratic Downsizing:** His presidency quickly began dismissing public officials, dramatically shrinking bureaucratic ranks.

- **Populism and Referenda:** Milei engages directly with voters (e.g., salary lottery for his congressional pay), emphasizing direct appeal and bypassing traditional party structures.

Societal & Governance Effects:**
- **Social Tensions:** The drastic cuts and policies have provoked resistance and even protest violence, alongside increased social polarization.

- **Market Orientation:** His program puts free-market principles and radical individual liberty at the center, seeking to diminish the role of trade unions and state intervention in society.

**Implications for Argentina:**
- Milei’s bold and polarizing reforms are reshaping Argentina toward a more market-driven, libertarian model, dramatically scaling back the public sector and redefining the country’s international alliances.

- The changes usher in a period of economic pain but also promise a decisive break from past populist cycles.

- The fate of these reforms will hinge on public tolerance for austerity, institutional resilience, and how successfully Milei’s government manages economic stabilization and political opposition.

**Javier Milei’s Policy Agenda: Key Reforms and Impacts in Argentina (2024)**

**1.

Deep Economic Crisis as Backdrop**
- Milei took office amid *Argentina’s worst economic turmoil in decades*: 140% annual inflation, over 40% poverty, dire public finances, and ballooning debt.

- Cited “no alternative to austerity,” warning citizens things would worsen before improving.

Radical Fiscal & Monetary Reforms**
- *Austerity Drive*: Pathbreaking plan to cut government spending by approximately 5% of GDP.

- *Devaluation*: Immediate 50% devaluation of the peso, making exports more competitive but raising import prices.

- *Subsidy Cuts*: Immediate and significant slashing of government subsidies for fuel and transport, raising costs for everyday Argentines but aiming to curb the deficit.

- Dependence on the *IMF*: Secured a $4.7 billion IMF disbursement in return for these reforms.

Institutional Shake-Up**
- *Executive Power*: Issued sweeping decrees to push reforms, including measures that could restrict the constitutional right to strike.

- *Public Sector Downsizing*: Publicly brandished a “hacksaw” at rallies, symbolizing cuts to ministries and the state bureaucracy.

- *Legislative Hurdles*: Lacks a congressional majority, requiring complex negotiations with opposition to pass reform packages.

Some measures could be revoked by Congress.

Political and Social Fallout**
- *Mass Protests*: Faced large-scale street demonstrations; government responded by charging protest organizers for security expenses.

- *Social Fear/Uncertainty*: Widespread anxiety, shifting consumer habits due to inflation, deep skepticism among voters—even many supporters reference choosing Miles “only for his radical proposals,” not out of deep trust.

**5. International and Domestic Polarization**
- *International Responses*: Endorsed by market-oriented sectors and the IMF; criticized or labeled by leftist governments (e.g., Venezuela’s Maduro) as “far-right” or “neo-Nazi”.

- *Nature of Support*: Election marked more by rejection of status quo than positive enthusiasm for Milei’s agenda.

Governance Style**
- *Outsider, Confrontational Approach*: Leveraged outsider status, sharp rhetoric, and populist style—symbolized by the hacksaw—for aggressive institutional changes.

- *Reliance on Decrees*: Pushing major reforms through executive orders in the face of legislative obstacles.

- **Political Institutions:** Test of Argentina’s checks/balances—potential for confrontation between executive and legislative branches.

Certainly!

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Argentina’s Javier Milei Is Looking To Bluff His Political Rivals

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And just like that, Argentina’s ultra-libertarian president, Javier Milei, sent the whole socio-political-economic ecosystem into disarray

Praised for his moderation and pragmatism during the first few weeks of his presidency, the self-proclaimed anarcho-capitalist has now put in place a series of controversial measures which have divided public opinion, generating a new iteration of Argentina’s infamous “grieta,” our very own version of the polarization that has now become the norm across the so-called ‘Western World.’ But, it’s no longer about the antagonism between Kirchnerites and their opponents, mainly represented by Mauricio Macri and the Juntos por el Cambio coalition, but about those blindly in favor of the wild-haired economist and those denouncing his every move as a diabolic, anti-democratic part of a ferocious plan to tear down the tenets of Argentine society.

Both sides seem to agree that he is executing a carefully crafted plan that will either elevate Argentina back to the lost status of “global power” of the late 19th century or ravage the nation in order put it on the chopping-block and conduct a fire sale to hand over the crown jewels to global financial elites. Those with access to the Casa Rosada tell a different story though, one of amateurism and incomplete staffing that would suggest the La Libertad Avanza coalition is acting more out of necessity than Machiavellian genius.

Milei finally broke out of his honeymoon period with those who didn’t vote for him after launching a massive package of reforms through a “decreto de necesidad y urgencia,” an emergency decree (DNU) which has become the standard practice for presidents seeking to bypass Congress and is generally used for less ambitious projects. The DNU is truly massive, with 366 articles including the repeal of multiple laws which call into question the constitutionality of the measure, even if governing via DNU is already contrary to the spirit of the Constitution and something that has happened in each of the last several administrations. It was quickly followed by the Omnibus law, equally as massive in its scope and ambition, and its capacitiy to divide the political field.

Put together by liberal economist Federico Sturzenegger, who ran the Central Bank under Macri and helds no role in the Milei-Villaruel administration until after the project was presented, the “mega-decree” was announced by national (and obligatory) broadcast several weeks in a dramatic scene that had Milei as the protagonist in the foreground and his whole team standing behind, statue-like, as the president read sternly.

Earlier that day they had scored a political victory with Security Minister Patricia Bullrich’s “anti-picket” protocol making its debut, effectively diluting the first public protest against the government. Some reports indicated there was more security than 'piquetero' protesters. Weeks later, the General Confederation of Labor united the pan-Peronist opposition in a massive march that managed to remain cordial, respecting Bullrich's protocol by trying to show political muscle in the streets.

The reform package conformed by DNU and Omnibus bill immediately generated the reaction of Milei's political opponents, along with a substantial portion of the population who took to the streets for a traditional “cacerolazo,” a protests with pots and pans reminiscent of the worst days of the 2001 crisis. There are no coincidences. Congressional leaders from the pan-Peronist Unión por la Patria coalition spoke with union strongmen from the General Confederation of Labor (CGT) umbrella union group. Members of the Unión Cívica Radical (UCR) warned of unconstitutionality and specialist lawyers indicated Milei was trampling all over the Constitution by failing to respect the separation of powers. Buenos Aires Province governor Axel Kicillof, probably the leading member of the Peronist opposition, and his government decided to ignore Bullrich’s “anti-picket” protocol claiming it violated the constitutional right to protest. A few weeks before, Economy Minister Luis ‘Toto’ Caputo unveiled the government’s initial economic plan, generating a similar reaction in the political field which didn’t seem to make its way to the general population. The situation is beginning to change and as the actual implications of the Milei administration’s actions make an impact, social and political actors will begin to respond.

There should be few doubts that one of the strongest points of La Libertad Avanza’s electoral strategy had to do with communications, particularly on social media. These early moves suggest they will try and double down, betting on the use of their skills to try and compensate for the lack of political support, despite a strong victory over both Sergio Massa and the Peronists, and Bullrich and Juntos por el Cambio. Toto Caputo, however, is known to be particularly uncomfortable with the media. His pre-recorded message several weeks ago announcing tough economic measures — many of which contradicted Milei’s campaign promises, particularly tax hikes — was delayed several times reportedly due to the need for multiple takes and Milei’s direct involvement (or maybe indirectly through sister Karina). The second measure he announced, for example, was a year-long reduction of government advertising to zero – a direct strike to the beleaguered media industry and a measure that has practically zero impact on the deficit but high popular approval. The over-dramatization of the security operation to contain a moderate-to-small protest early into the presidency, together with pictures of Milei and Bullrich supervising from police headquarters, allowed them to take advantage of the far-left Partido Obrero to score an easy win and show his electorate that they can control the streets. Yet, controlling a couple of thousand protesters is one thing. The CGT protest that brought together the political and social power of the unions remained under control, and that's a win for the government, but it was a political protest. If the middle class begins to lose its temper, and expectations, Milei could face a much more difficult scenario.

The “basis for the reconstruction of the Argentine economy” reform package could be another attempt to win the communications game and take the spotlight to appear active in the eyes of the public opinion. With absolute minorities in both chambers of Congress and several controversial reforms included in a massive package passed by Milei’s mega-DNU, it's difficult to imagine that it will quickly pass in the Chamber of Deputies, despite an early win at the commission level with the help of the former Juntos por el Cambio coalition. Furthermore, several interest groups are putting together legal arguments to dispute the issue in court, especially the labor reform which has been stayed. It could quickly make its way to a Supreme Court that has already proven eager to interject politically.

Ultimately, most, if not all, of the regulations, laws, and measures included in the decree will have to make their way through Congress and will therefore be subject to negotiations and amendments. Yet, Milei has shown initiative and wants to maintain, or extend, the popular support which took him to victory in the run-off and has already generated a circumstantial majority in the Senate to defeat the Peronist caucus and at the commissions to get the Omnibus bill past the first obstacle.

There are risks that the ultra-libertarian could prove authoritarian and anti-democratic. He’s shown some of that in the past, particularly by claiming he would govern by plebiscite if he didn’t have the support of Congress (something Hugo Chávez did to amend the Venezuelan constitution) and by picking a dictatorship denialist as his running-mate. Many of his detractors have pointed to signs that suggest Argentina could descend into a state of totalitarianism, and this emergency decree fuels their suspicion.

It’s not clear whether the conditions for such a situation are in place. For now, he seems to be bluffing his political opponents. We’ll see if someone calls his hand.

This piece was originally published in the Buenos Aires Times, Argentina's only English-language newspaper.

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Here’s a summarized analysis of the key points regarding President Javier Milei’s policy agenda, economic reforms, and political approach, with attention to their implications for Argentina’s institutions, economy, and society:

---

**Milei’s Approach and Ideological Framing**
- *Libertarian & Anarcho-Capitalist Ideology*: Milei openly declares the state an “enemy” and promotes radically pro-market, minimal government policies, making him the world’s first elected anarcho-capitalist president of a sovereign nation.

Title:

Content: Milei Experiment

In the tangled web of Argentine politics and economics, one figure has emerged as both a lightning rod for controversy and a beacon of hope ~ President Javier Milei.

In the tangled web of Argentine politics and economics, one figure has emerged as both a lightning rod for controversy and a beacon of hope ~ President Javier Milei. His first 100 days in office have been marked by a whirlwind of fiscal manoeuvres, bold policy shifts, and commitment to economic reform. But as Argentina teeters on the edge of uncertainty, Mr Milei’s ambitious agenda raises questions even it offers solutions. At the heart of Mr Milei’s strategy lies a radical departure from conventional wisdom.

Brandishing a chainsaw as a symbol of fiscal austerity, he has pledged to slash spending and achieve a budget surplus, a feat unheard of in a country plagued by decades of fiscal mismanagement. His unorthodox approach has garnered both praise and scepticism, as Argentines grapple with the harsh realities of rising poverty and economic contraction. The cornerstone of Mr Milei’s economic vision is the elimination of money-printing and the pursuit of a unified exchange rate. By devaluing the peso and cutting interest rates, he aims to rein in inflation and restore confidence in the economy.

Yet the path to stability is fraught with pitfalls, as the spectre of recession looms large and investors remain wary of the government’s opaque monetary policies. While Mr Milei’s commitment to reform is commendable, his political isolation poses a significant obstacle to meaningful change. With little support in the Argentine Congress and a fragmented coalition, he faces an uphill battle. The recent defeat of a sprawling omnibus bill highlights the challenges ahead, as competing interests and entrenched political factions threaten to derail Mr Milei’s ambitions. Moreover, the uncertainty surrounding Argentina’s future monetary regime adds another layer of complexity to the equation. Will Mr Milei pivot towards dollarization or pursue a more gradual approach to currency reform? The lack of clarity on this front only serves to fuel investor anxieties and exacerbate economic volatility. Amidst these challenges, Mr Milei’s fate hangs in the balance. How much economic pain can Argentines endure before turning on their unconventional leader? And can Mr Milei muster the political support needed to navigate the treacherous waters of Argentine politics?

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In the end, the trajectory of Mr Milei’s presidency hinges on the delicate balance between economic resilience and political manoeuvring. Should he manage to maintain public support and secure crucial alliances, Mr Milei could emerge as a formidable force in next year’s mid-term elections. However, any slip in popularity could spell disaster for his ambitious agenda, opening the door for his adversaries to dismantle his presidency. Whether Mr Milei’s gamble will pay off remains to be seen. But one thing is certain. In a country accustomed to political upheaval and economic turmoil, the journey towards reform is bound to be fraught with uncertainty and adversity. Only time will tell whether Mr Milei’s vision for Argentina’s future will lead to prosperity or further hardship

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How will Milei's reforms impact workers?

- *Neoliberal Populism*: His rule is characterized as a blend of radical free-market ideology with populist rhetorical tactics, seeking to disrupt the Peronist-dominated political status quo.

Title:

Content: Argentina’s Javier Milei’s “Instant Democracy” and Neoliberalism

Javier Milei, YouTube screen grab.

Self-described “anarcho-capitalist,” Javier Milei became the president of Argentina in December 2023 promising “drastic” measures to temper the inflation crisis that has gripped the country. In the weeks since his election, Milei has brought forward an ambitious neoliberal restructuring program encompassing almost every aspect of the government.

Milei’s agenda confronts considerable opposition in Congress, where his governing coalition, Libertad Avanza, holds only a fraction of the seats. To adjust to these circumstances, Milei has cultivated a strategy of “turbo-politics,” bypassing legislative processes that risk delaying the implementation of his state reorganization plans.

Milei’s approach to Congress is symbolic of a decades-old strategy I have elsewhere called “neoliberal parliamentarism.” This concept describes a pattern of deliberate efforts to reform or subvert legislative institutions as a means of facilitating neoliberal reforms that do not have sufficient popular support to be actualized through usual democratic channels. These changes, even when temporary, often leave long-term scars on institutions by weakening norms of institutional forbearance.

The Emergency Decree and the Omnibus Bill

Milei has followed this blueprint, insulating the core elements of his agenda from democratic influence. The dismantling of the Argentine state began in earnest in mid-December when the executive branch presented an 83 page Necessity and Urgency Decree (NDU) aimed at repealing over 300 various laws and regulations, facilitating the privatization of core public assets.

This “mega-decree,” Milei claimed, was necessary to “start to undo the huge number of regulations that have held back and prevented economic growth”. It includes sweeping economic deregulation, such as the elimination of regulations on Argentina’s supermarket laws, which required the guarantee of low prices on basic products. It also includes measures to eliminate rent controls. Suggested labour reforms to cut pregnancy leave and increase the job probation period were suspended by the courts in January 2024.

Less than a week after issuing the NDU, the executive branch sent a massive omnibus bill titled Foundations and Starting Points for the Freedom of the Argentine People to Congress for consideration. The bill bundles the major elements of Milei’s neoliberal restructuring initiatives under the heading of a single piece of legislation with 664 articles. It will enable the government to carry out, in a matter of weeks, what would normally take years to achieve if these reforms were considered independently and subjected to the usual legislative scrutiny.

Reforms from the 351 page bill include an extraordinary provision declaring a state of public emergency on matters related to the economy, fiscal balance, social security, defence, health, and administration.

The emergency declaration delegates more than 1,000 extraordinary powers from the legislative to the executive until December 31, 2025, with the possibility of a two-year extension. This provision would enable Milei to make major reforms without having to consult Congress, thus eliminating a major hurdle to the implementation of neoliberal reforms.

Authors of the bill are attempting to facilitate the privatization of 41 state-owned companies across various sectors including energy, aviation, port administration, and agriculture. They also enable the reorganization of public administration, including embedding regulatory cuts from the NDU into law.

Additionally, the omnibus legislation proposes substantial reforms to environmental protection laws. These changes include the weakening of the Glacier Protection Law, allowing the mining of sensitive “periglacial” areas. The bill is presently being rushed through the legislative process by way of Extraordinary sessions of Congress, leading to marathon sittings during Argentina’s usual summer recess period.

“It’s impossible for people to have an idea of the enormous number of proposals Milei has sent,” said Ricardo Gil Laverda, a constitutional lawyer and former Argentine Justice Minister. “They cover dozens and dozens and dozens of laws, often on deep topics.”

To influence negotiations, Milei has threatened to put forward a non-binding referendum if the opposition parties do not agree to the main terms of his restructuring plan. Milei has also threatened to take away social welfare rights from protesters who block streets.

Despite these efforts, however, the reality of Milei’s lack of Congressional support has led him to compromise on some elements of his agenda as it makes its way through the legislative process. Although the structure of the bill remains, opposition politicians have made more than 100 changes to it, including curtailing the scope of the President’s emergency powers to one year rather than two, and retaining YPF, the national oil and gas company, in public hands, despite allowing most other state-owned companies to remain subject to privatization.

Neoliberalism and the Decline of the Legislature

Argentina is not unique. This most recent example of legislative subversion is a familiar tactic used to accommodate neoliberal restructuring, that has been utilized repeatedly by neoliberal reformers in recent decades, including the IMF-sanctioned omnibus bill rammed through Greece’s parliament in 2014.

This approach to the legislature is the consequence of the political limitations of neoliberal policy, which is opposed by considerable segments of society. A blueprint for this strategy is spelled out by former New Zealand Minister of Finance Roger Douglas in his 1993 book, Unfinished Business. The book recalls lessons from his experience implementing a neoliberal agenda dubbed ‘Rogernomics’ in the 1980s against the headwinds of widespread social and political opposition.

Douglas claimed it is “uncertainty, not speed, that endangers the success of structural reform programmes.” Neoliberal reforms should not be passed incrementally, but as a rupture, moving in “quantum leaps” to overcome popular opposition.

Democratic processes are typically slow and deliberate, designed to enable the legislative body to scrutinize the executive, foster compromise, and encourage debate. It was necessary, therefore, to streamline the democratic process to ensure that politicians could neither interfere with, nor demand meaningful changes to, neoliberal reorganization efforts.

Neoliberal governments should confront the legislature, not as an essential element of the process of democracy, but an instrument used by politicians and vested interests to interfere with the operations of the marketplace. “Speed is essential. It is almost impossible to go too fast,” Douglas said. “Once the programme begins to be implemented, don’t stop until you have completed it.”

This tactic did not occur in a vacuum, but emerged intrinsically from the content of a neoliberal theoretical framework that views democratic institutions as an additional layer of state administration to be overcome. Neoliberal thought is deeply skeptical in the capabilities of reason to infer or predict causality. Given the limitations of the mind, society should be governed, not by conscious modelling and careful planning, but according to spontaneous or “invisible hand” forms of social organization, which are the outcome of independent, unplanned individual decisions.

This position is most clearly expressed by Friedrich Hayek, who claimed that parliamentary sovereignty was in fact the “root of the evil” in modern society, since it facilitated the growth of the state. Legislatures constituted one limb of what Milton Friedman called the “iron triangle” of politicians, bureaucrats, as well as corporate and individual special interests that were perpetually reliant upon the government for rents, and therefore had an interest in obstructing market reforms.

‘Instant Democracy’ and the Rise of ‘Neoliberal Populism’

What should we make of Milei’s approach to Congress, then? Is it reflective of a new pattern in neoliberal governance, or merely the extension of an old one? The answer is both. While Milei’s approach clearly shares categorial similarities with the neoliberal legislative blueprint built for speed, his blending of these ideas with a coarse, populist rhetoric grounded in anti-statism, signifies an intensification of these patterns.

Milei’s populist neoliberal worldview contributes to a rising trend among far-right governments around the world to use this rhetoric to rationalize the subversion of democracy. This kind of “neoliberal populism” conflates democratic institutions with political actors, claiming that they are instruments of obstruction for self-serving politicians and bureaucrats.

This is a view Milei has proudly declared. “For me, the state is an enemy, as are the politicians who live off it,” he said. “We will put an end to the parasitic, stupid, useless political caste that is sinking this country.”

Grounded in the same logic as neoliberalism’s conventional demand for freedom from the state, democratic institutions increasingly appear as impediments to the logic of the marketplace. The elimination of cumbersome legislative processes, then, removes the obstacles that restrain market forces, generating popular economic independence, and restoring common-sense. This inverts the logic of democracy, making it appear as though executive rule is necessary to protect the interests of “the People” from Friedman’s “iron triangle.”

The anti-parliamentarism at the core of the neoliberal theoretical outlook has increasingly transformed into a populist program that mobilizes a general dissatisfaction with politicians against democratic institutions as such. Neoliberal politicians, such as Milei, use this reasoning to manufacture the conditions for the ongoing use of emergency powers and the concentration of authority in the executive branch.

The global elite, sensing “the smell of a big privatization wave coming,” are said to be “infatuated” with his take-no-prisoners approach to Congress. Thus, although not a new phenomenon, Milei’s brand of “instant democracy,” which conceives of speed and flexibility as the essence of legislative governance, has the support of both the financial elite as well as a growing populist dimension, giving it the hallmarks of a burgeoning political movement of the most regressive kind.

As the institutional forbearance that restrained most neoliberal governments to stay within the confines of liberal democratic constitutional structures continues to give way to a logic that sees the legislature as subordinate to the market, it is likely that we will continue to see the erosion of democratic standards.

Tom McDowell is a Lecturer in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Toronto Metropolitan University. He is the author of Neoliberal Parliamentarism: The Decline of Parliament at the Ontario Legislature (University of Toronto Press, 2021).

**Key Economic Reforms**
- *Austerity and Liberalization*: Milei instituted deep spending cuts aiming for a fiscal surplus, including drastic reductions in public funds, terminating many short-term public sector jobs, and raising the costs of public services and transit.

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Will Javier Milei Be Able To Blame Economy Minister ‘Toto’ Caputo Once The Going Gets Tough?

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Paradoxically, the word that appears to define Argentina’s (and the world’s) first ultra-libertarian president is pragmatism. Initially seen as a positive characteristic allowing the economist to shake off some of the fringe characters and ideas that made up his La Libertad Avanza coalition, Milei’s pragmatism could also lead to negative outcomes if his plans don’t work out.

The economist-president was smart in creating an electoral alliance with Mauricio Macri and Patricia Bullrich, along with PRO party hardliners, and later moved strategically to show independence from the former president to avoid being portrayed as a puppet, like his predecessor. He gave Bullrich the Security and Defence Ministries, minimizing Vice-President Victoria Villaruel’s power and therefore her dictatorship-denying influence, particularly over the security forces. He also sealed a deal with Luis ‘Toto’ Caputo – a leading economic figure from the Macri’s 2015-2019 administration – behind the ex-president’s back, apparently distancing himself from certain extreme measures proposed during the campaign such as dollarization and torching the Central Bank —where the economy minister’s business partner Santiago Bausili at financial consultancy Anker Latinoamerica has taken the reins.

While Caputo had fallen into disrepute, his recycling by Milei didn’t spook the markets initially, or certain sectors of society and the media that appear to have already aligned themselves with Milei. As the nascent administration begins to put its “chainsaw” austerity plan in motion, society will begin to feel the pain of the extreme measures and its tolerance will be tested, as will Milei’s and his team, at the center of which once again sits ‘Toto’ Caputo.

Toto was the first to face the music and lay out an economic plan for the Milei administration, even before the president who mustered the courage only when he announced the DNU emergency decree that came before the Omnibus law. During the first announcement, Caputo sought to deliver a didactic message that made clear the weight of the situation left behind by the Fernández-Fernández administration (“la herencia”). He looked uncomfortable, just as he did during his previous public service posts where he avoided the media and is said to have left the government suffering from panic attacks. His decision to take the “electric chair” ministry remains bewildering. The minister announced a series of measures aimed at achieving a fiscal surplus in their first year in office including aggressive budget cuts and tax hikes.

Caputo’s announcement represented the first time that Milei’s plans were laid out in any sort of detail beyond a declaration of intentions. While in line with the campaign promise of reducing the state’s obligations by more than five percent, the severity of the devaluation of the official peso-dollar exchange rate (120 percent taking it to 800 pesos) and the rest of the measures has set off alarms. Most prices have risen aggressively over the last several weeks, particularly gasoline and food, indicating inflation will spike and could persist. The December reading already hit 25.5 percent, and many expect similar numbers for January. At the same time, it is becoming apparent that forcing the “caste” to absorb the totality of the austerity plan is logically contradictory, as it inevitably affects the everyday citizen which is evident in subsidy reductions and cuts in social spending. Milei had promised he’d rather amputate his arm than raise taxes, but he’s raised export duties and the PAIS tax which pushes the value of the dollar even higher for certain transactions.

The ‘caputazo’ (as the plan is being jokingly called) replaced pure austerity with a mix of higher taxes together with spending cuts and the “dilution” of part of the deficit through high inflation. The next few months will see runaway inflation run even farther away and put intense pressure on the population, as wages and salaries fall even farther behind. Milei had warned that we would have to suffer on our way to libertarian utopia. Leftist social movements and unions have already begun to mobilize against the government, including a general strike at the hands of the General Confederation of Labor. Given Bullrich's hardline predisposition, these were peaceful marches. Will they remain so in a few months if the middle class joins in, desperate to make ends meet?

Once again, the question of Milei’s pragmatism will be front and center. Assuming the impact of his economic plan is as painful as it seems, the level of social conflict will likely rise dramatically. At the same time, he needs to continue to negotiate legislative support for his ambitious reform package, which initially seems to rest on the possibility of an “anti-Peronist” front as seen in the Senate first and at the commission level in the Chamber of Deputies later. How much will society accept that it voted Milei for an orthodox austerity plan that directly hits its purchasing-power? Will the charismatic libertarian be able to retain public support, or convince his voters that excruciating pain is a necessary condition for economic redemption? How long will Caputo resist this time? And if the plan doesn’t work, how much of the blame will Milei be able to pin on the financial trader?

At this point, we have many more questions than answers.

This piece was originally published in the Buenos Aires Times, Argentina's only English-language newspaper.

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How will Milei's reforms impact workers?

What issue did Milei want to address without printing money?

- *Privatization*: He announced intentions to sell off assets such as social housing and to remove rent controls, signaling a move toward privatizing large segments of formerly state-controlled sectors.

Title:

Content: No, Milei Is Not A Fascist – OpEd

By

By Benjamin Williams

The electoral victory of Javier Milei in Argentina was a pleasant surprise to libertarians internationally. For the first time ever, an open anarchocapitalist was elected president of a sovereign nation. Milei’s fame isn’t limited to libertarian circles, though. Right-wingers all over the world have praised him for his battle against corruption and economic ruin. He was even given a spot headlining for former president Donald Trump at the Conservative Political Action Conference 2024, one of the biggest conservative events in the United States. Currently, he is one of the most popular heads of state in the world. Quite a lot of impressive feats for someone of a heterodox philosophy.

Milei is an Austrian economist. He taught economics for over twenty years and became quite the celebrity while doing it. Argentine TV stations would bring him on to debate leftists, and these station audiences grew very fond of his intellect and crass insults toward his opponents. His debate style is a reminder of Murray Rothbard’s hilarious quote: “I’ve always been in favor of refuting the doctrine and then attacking the person; that’s not an ad hominem fallacy.”

Milei’s competence as an economist has been very apparent in his presidency. Under his guidance, Argentina has seen “two consecutive months of financial surplus for the first time since early 2011,” quite an impressive feat. Its month-over-month inflation rate went from 25.5 percent in December to 20.6 percent in January, 13.2 percent in February, and 11 percent in March. Argentina is healing. Slowly, but surely.

The Attacks on Milei

Although Argentina is seeing improvements and Milei is doing an impressive job, he is the target of near-constant attacks from leftists all over the world. Some of the most common weapons being used are accusations of “far-right” politics and “fascism.” A writer at Foreign Policy called him a “wannabe dictator,” while the World Socialist Web Site said his speech at Davos, during which he condemned fascism, was a “fascist rant.” One viral post on Elon Musk’s X read:

Javier Milei continues his fascist rampage in Argentina.

He has authorised the Privatising of all remaining State owned industries (thats his donors cashing in).

He has also authorised the sale of all Social Housing and removed all rent controls

It is going exactly as expected

It is almost a rite of passage for an Austrian economist to be labeled Far Right, fascist, a Nazi, racist, or homophobic. God knows Rothbard and Hans-Hermann Hoppe have been called those things thousands of times over. Leftists have even gone so far as to call Ludwig von Mises, a Jew who fled the Nazis, a supporter of fascism. Quite absurd. If any of these critics bothered to read into what actual fascists believed, they’d realize that these Austrian economists are the opposites of fascists in almost every way.

Milei versus Mussolini

The dictator Benito Mussolini and his close comrade Giovanni Gentile were indisputably fascists. They invented fascism, wrote fascist literature, and called themselves fascists. So it stands to reason that if you want to see if Javier Milei is a fascist, you’d compare him to these fascists. The critics never make these sorts of comparisons because they’re aware it would expose their ridiculous accusations for what they are: ahistorical and ignorant.

Mussolini viewed the state as almost something to be worshipped, with his works riddled with references to its greatness and importance. He summarized his view with the mantra, “Everything within the state, nothing outside the state, nothing against the state.” In stark contrast, Milei’s speeches, debates, and rants are filled with insults and criticisms directed at the state. One of his most famous quotes, “wipe my ass with the state,” encapsulates this disdain. Milei does not hold the state on a pedestal like Mussolini did.

Mussolini believed that capitalism was deeply flawed and needed to be abolished. In “The Political and Social Doctrine of Fascism,” he states that the state was “the force which alone can provide a solution to the dramatic contradictions of capitalism” and that fascism would replace capitalism with “a system of syndicalism.” On the other hand, Milei holds a contrasting view. He frequently praises capitalism as morally and economically superior. In his World Economic Forum speech—dubbed a ‘fascist rant’ by socialists—he declared that people should resist the state, asserting, “The state is not the solution. The state is the problem itself.”

Milei’s policies are certainly not fascist either. Mussolini’s dictatorship supported the socialization of industry, not privatization. His dictatorship mandated union membership, harshly regulated industries, and socialized over eighty firms. In 1934, he bragged that “three quarters of the Italian industrial and agricultural economy” were controlled by the state. Mussolini poured investments into social housing. In Rome alone, ninety-seven thousand apartments were built from 1924 to 1930. The fascist government built 147 brand-new towns from 1922 to 1944. In April 1934, he declared a 12 percent reduction in rents and implemented rent control that wasn’t repealed until 1978. The X post by one of Milei’s critics demonstrates that Milei’s policies are exactly the opposite of this.

The Defeat of Fascism

Milei is no fascist; if anything, he defeated fascists. Milei’s opponent in the previous election was an open Peronist. The Peronists follow the ideas of Juan Peron, who is commonly identified as a fascist or very close to one. Peron praised Mussolini and credited him for some of his philosophy as well as helped Nazi war criminals escape Europe, and his economic policies were much closer to Mussolini’s than Milei’s. Milei’s victory marks a new beginning for Argentina, a beginning where fascism is no longer the dominating ideology.

  • About the author: Benjamin Williams is a fellow with FEE’s Henry Hazlitt Project for Educational Journalism. He has produced videos and written content for many libertarian organizations such as the Mises Institute and Students For Liberty. Under the alias PraxBen on TikTok, he has amassed over 200,000 followers and 100 million views promoting sound economics and libertarianism to younger audiences. He also heads up the TikTok and Twitter accounts for FEE.
  • Source: This article was published by the Mises Institute

MISES

The Mises Institute, founded in 1982, teaches the scholarship of Austrian economics, freedom, and peace. The liberal intellectual tradition of Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973) and Murray N. Rothbard (1926-1995) guides us. Accordingly, the Mises Institute seeks a profound and radical shift in the intellectual climate: away from statism and toward a private property order. The Mises Institute encourages critical historical research, and stands against political correctness.

What industries were affected by Milei's deregulations?

- *Currency and Central Bank*: Milei proposes scrapping the Argentine peso, dollarizing the economy, and potentially abolishing the central bank—though this faces significant legislative and practical obstacles.

Title:

Content: Argentina election: Javier Milei's radical proposals face test of reality

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Javier Milei, the anti-establishment politician who cruised to victory in the Argentine presidential election last week, has courted intense controversy with radical, provocative policy proposals and statements.

This led many detractors of the self-styled "anarcho-capitalist" to call his candidacy a "leap into the void".

Now, with the mop-haired president-elect only two weeks away from taking over Latin America's third-largest economy, many are asking, how will his policies and positions face the test of reality?

Taming inflation takes time

Javier Milei had proposed to dollarise the economy and eliminate the Argentine Central Bank as a strategy to "kill" hyper-inflation. This meant making the US dollar the national currency in place of the Argentine peso, whose value, Mr Milei said, had been "melting like blocks of ice in the Sahara".

One obstacle is that ditching the Central Bank and making the US dollar legal tender would need approval from the Argentina's Congress and could even require changing the constitution.

Although Mr Milei convincingly won the presidency, his Libertad Avanza (Freedom Advances) movement is barely the third largest political force in Congress. This suggests difficult negotiations might be in store.

Some economists have also questioned whether Mr Milei's plans are feasible, saying they would weaken his government's ability to manage domestic monetary policy.

Having the US dollar as the Argentine currency would effectively leave interest rate policy in the hands of the US Federal Reserve. Argentina's economy would be more vulnerable to external shocks involving the US dollar, for example sudden rises in prices for oil and fuel imports, which could make internal adjustments even more painful inside the country.

Sceptics also point out that Argentina would need to have in hand the US dollars to replace the pesos. Experts believe this could require anywhere between US $35bn to $50bn which indebted Argentina currently does not have and may not be able to borrow easily.

Mr Milei himself has admitted his "shock adjustment" economic stabilisation recipe could actually take up to two years to bring down inflation. "Saying anything else is lying," he said.

A climate sceptic?

Another topic that had made media headlines was Mr Milei's apparent declaration of himself as a climate change "sceptic", that is, someone who denies the role of humans in global warming.

"I do not deny climate change. What I am saying is that there is a temperature cycle in the history of the Earth... Therefore, all those policies that blame humans for climate change are false," Mr Milei said during a presidential debate last month, causing much commentary and criticism.

In his proposed government programme, one of the numerous ministries he had said he planned to axe would be the existing environment ministry.

Such apparent climate scepticism risked putting Mr Milei sharply out of tune with an international majority of governments and leaders who plan to gather at the COP28 climate conference in Dubai soon to seek urgent solutions to the problems of climate change and global warming.

Pragmatism and the Pope

Before he was elected, Mr Milei virulently attacked Argentine Pope Francis, calling him a "Jesuit who promotes communism", and even the "representative of the evil one [the Devil] on Earth".

Such statements caused frictions with the local Catholic Church and the Vatican.

However, this antagonism appeared to miraculously dissipate only days after his election win, when Mr Milei had what he called a "very friendly" phone call with the Pope, whom he addressed as "Your Holiness", inviting him to visit Argentina in 2024.

Asked in a TV interview about this change of heart, Mr Milei conceded that, when one is president, "there are some things that require greater doses of pragmatism".

No break with China and Brazil

Before his election, Milei had signalled he could freeze ties with Brazil and China, Argentina's two top trading partners, on the grounds that he did "not make pacts with communists".

"I am going to be aligned with the United States, Israel, and the free world," he said.

Not surprisingly, this assertion caused consternation in Beijing and Brasilia, as well as in Argentina.

A Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson was quoted as warning that it would be a "huge foreign policy mistake" for Argentina to cut ties with countries such as China and Brazil.

Mr Milei's predecessor, outgoing left-wing President Alberto Fernández, had carefully nurtured ties with Beijing and had welcomed an invitation to join Brics, the China-led group which also comprises Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa.

Experts questioned the wisdom of dismantling a relationship that clearly brought benefits to Argentina, and not only by China being a top market for Argentina's soybean, meat and grains.

China was also helping to prop up Argentina's financial reserves with a major currency swap deal - significant support for a country already heavily indebted to the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

Days after the election, however, there seemed to be clear signs that no major break in relations was planned. The president-elect received a personal letter of "congratulations and good wishes" from Chinese President Xi Jinping and Mr Milei himself made a point of thanking Xi on social media.

Mr Milei's pick for foreign minister, Diana Mondino, also dismissed as "nonsense" any suggestion that there would be a rupture in "commercial relations" with China or Brazil.

In Brazil, Mr Milei's invitation for former President Jair Bolsonaro to attend his 10 December inauguration was interpreted as "unfriendly" towards Brazil's current left-wing President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

But Milei has since said Lula would be "well-received", if he wanted to come.

Dictatorship denial

Mr Milei and his vice-presidential running-mate Victoria Villarruel also ignited intense controversy during the campaign with their position regarding Argentina's 1976-83 military dictatorship.

Defying traditional positions held by Argentina's government and society for the last 40 years, Mr Milei caused outrage by contesting the generally accepted estimate of those abducted and "disappeared" in the dictatorship - 30,000 - asserting the actual number was closer to 9,000.

The candidate argued that the political violence of the 1970s in Argentina was a two-sided "war" in which "the forces of the state committed excesses but the terrorists [anti-government guerrillas] ... [also] committed crimes against humanity".

This equivalence of presentation of the two sides raised howls of protest from groups like the Plaza de Mayo mothers and grandmothers of disappeared persons.

This was just another striking way in which the Milei-Villarruel duo were trying to shake up the political status quo in Argentina. The next four years will show if they can do it.

closing the central bank
dollarizing the Argentinian currency

- *Tax and Monetary Reforms*: Aggressive budget cuts have been paired with tax hikes to stabilize finances, though these measures sharply affect the middle and lower classes.

What issue did Milei want to address without printing money?

**Political Maneuvering and Institutional Changes**
- *Emergency Decree & Omnibus Bill*: Lacking a congressional majority, Milei has resorted to emergency decrees and broad legislative packages to push reforms, though some have been compromised in parliament.

- *Anti-Establishment Strategy*: Milei positions himself as an outsider against entrenched politicians (“the caste”).

He seeks anti-Peronist alliances but struggles to maintain legislative momentum for his reforms.

**Societal Impact and Opposition**
- *Mass Protests & Labor Strikes*: Severe austerity measures and public sector cuts have sparked widespread dissent: large-scale protests, strikes, and vocal opposition from historic labor unions.

Title:

Content: Argentina’s New Libertarian President, Javier Milei, Is on a Collision Course With His Country’s Powerful Labor Unions

Unions have promised a ‘total strike’ across the country Wednesday to protest Mr. Milei’s efforts to rein in a once-powerful central government and put Argentina on a path to prosperity.

Argentina’s new Libertarian president, Javier Milei, is on a collision course with his country’s powerful labor unions, a conflict that will come to a head Wednesday when the unions have promised a nationwide “total strike” to protest austerity measures enacted by Mr. Milei since he took office last month.

Union leaders speaking to the Financial Times say they expect as many as 200,000 people to take to the streets of Buenos Aires because the new president is “breaking the social contract” by passing an emergency decree that rolled back worker protections, deregulated many industries and began allowing employees to opt out of union-provided health care.

Around 40 percent of the country’s 13 million workers belong to labor unions that have for decades enjoyed considerable political clout under successive governments headed by leaders of the Peronist movement launched by strongman Juan Peron in the 1950s. That power evaporated overnight when Mr. Milei moved into the Casa Rosada, Argentina’s equivalent of the White House, on December 10.

The leader of Argentina’s Construction Workers Union, Gerardo Martínez, told the Financial Times that he hopes the strike —the earliest ever faced by a newly elected president — will force Mr. Milei to roll back some of his reforms and come to the bargaining table with the unions.

“We are aware that inflation [needs to come down.] We are embarrassed to have a country with this level of poverty,” Mr. Martínez said. “But we can’t accept that the cost of reaching economic stability falls solely on the backs of workers and the middle class.”

The tousle-headed Mr. Milei, who famously brandished a chainsaw during the campaign while promising to slash government spending and eliminate entire departments, has made good on some of those promises early in his tenure. He has slashed energy and transport subsidies and sent a bill to Congress that would privatize many of Argentina’s poorly managed state-run enterprises.

Mr. Milei already has backtracked on other issues, however, in an effort to secure the support of moderates in Congress, including taking off the table a plan to privatize the state-run oil giant, YPF.

While perhaps not exactly enamored by some of his fellow countrymen, Mr. Milei has become the darling of international free-marketeers since his full-throated defense of capitalism and the power of entrepreneurship to lift countries out of poverty during the annual World Economic Forum at Davos last week.

In a speech that has since been translated into dozens of languages, Mr. Milei stunned the normally left-leaning audience at Davos by blaming the decades of economic malaise that has plagued Argentina on the “collectivist” policies of his predecessors. Government, he said, is not the solution to what ails societies. Government is the problem, he said.

“The case of Argentina is an empirical demonstration that no matter how rich you may be, how much you may have in terms of natural resources, how skilled your population may be, how educated, or how many bars of gold you may have in the central bank — if measures are adopted that hinder the free functioning of markets, competition, price systems, trade and ownership of private property, the only possible fate is poverty,” he said.

As much as 40 percent of Argentina’s population is described as living in poverty, and inflation is currently running at a rate of 211 percent annually, the highest rate in 32 years. In Latin America, only Venezuela faces worse inflation than Argentina.

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How will Milei's reforms impact workers?

Who has opposed Milei's proposed layoff order?

- *Social Risk*: Sharply rising costs and removal of social protections threaten to deepen poverty and fuel further instability if economic pain grows before any potential benefits manifest.

Title:

Content: Feds Allege $350 Million Argentinian Money-Laundering Scheme in Miami | Miami New Times
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EXCLUSIVE: Miami Played Host to $350 Million Argentinian Money-Laundering Scheme, Feds Say

As Argentina sunk deeper into economic turmoil, a set of Miami-based shell companies illegally siphoned vast sums of cash out of the country and into U.S. bank accounts, the feds say.
Paul Oswald Morani is charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering in the Southern District of Florida. Photo by Nora Mazzini/Getty Images
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Rivers of money were flowing from South America into a network of obscure Miami companies run by one Paul Oswald Morani as Argentina suffered a crippling economic crisis, according to court documents. In recent years, Morani's bank accounts and seven of his corporate entities, including firms in South Florida and Delaware, received $350 million in funds — largely from Argentina, federal investigators say. The firms were held out as shipping companies involved in the international transport of commercial loads.

For an operation of such a massive scale, the businesses appeared strangely dormant, the feds claim.

The companies' Florida documents allegedly listed no wages or earnings for Morani. Customs records showed barely any import-and-export activity for his entities, and he was making no unemployment fund contributions, indicating he had no staff, investigators say. According to a criminal affidavit obtained by New Times, the feds took one look at the businesses' operations (or lack thereof) and "quickly concluded that they were all shell corporations" designed to illegally funnel money out of Argentina.

"Exhaustive records of the defendant's above-mentioned shell corporations exposed a scheme that moved over $350 million in illicit proceeds," a U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration investigator wrote.

Prosecutors in the Southern District of Florida on March 19 charged Morani with spearheading the money laundering conspiracy, though the lack of an arrest record and the narrative in the affidavit suggest that he remains at large. Morani is accused of engaging in a large-scale illegal money-transfer operation that helped foreigners, some of whom were alleged drug traffickers, siphon cash out of Argentina and other South American nations.

The feds claim he used his profits to buy a $2.3 million condominium unit in Miami Beach. Apart from the accounts employed as wire-transfer vehicles, Morani and his partner allegedly held roughly $18 million in profits in accounts at Morgan Stanley.

Investigators say they've uncovered "thousands of fake invoices" used to create a veil of legitimate freight shipping activity by Morani's companies. The invoices were presented to Argentinian banks to justify the scale of the transfers from the country, where currency restrictions were in place amid a collapsing exchange rate for the Argentinian peso.

Over the last 20 years, the Argentinian currency's value has lost the majority of its value on foreign exchanges. The nation's economy sunk into turmoil, marred by inflation, a history of government debt defaults, and investor hesitancy.

Argentinian journalist Daniel Santoro has posited that the billions of dollars' worth of funds laundered out of Argentina, in many cases to avoid taxes, further stifled the nation's economy — as outflow of unreported money stripped the country of much-needed tax revenue.

The figures presented in the case against Morani indicate that he allegedly played a significant role in facilitating Argentineans' transfer of funds out of the nation during its protracted economic crisis. According to the DEA affidavit, Morani and his sham companies received more than $95 million in wire transfers from January 2018 through March 2019, primarily from Argentina. Between July 2019 and February 2021, approximately $163 million moved through four Wells Fargo bank accounts he controlled, investigators say.

Morani first came onto the feds' radar around February 2019 while they were investigating a Brazilian suspect who was believed to be sending the powerful narcotic fentanyl into the United States. Agents learned that the suspect was trying to buy a bulk quantity of cocaine from South Florida for importation to Europe, according to court documents. The $30,000 down-payment he sent for the coke was wired through U.S.-based Compass Forwarding, a Delaware company owned by Morani, the feds say.

Agents dug into Morani's businesses and found that he and his family owned several shell companies, including Miami-based UBS Forwarding Services and Neddick Forwarding. Another one of the firms was registered to a Palmetto Bay address. The DEA says it found that the companies' accounts had "financial activity grossly disproportionate to the companies' claimed annual revenues."

The affidavit does not make it clear what proportion of the $350 million in transfers was allegedly generated by drug-trafficking or other third-party illegal activity. Morani is not accused of trafficking-related offenses in the affidavit; the charges against him are based solely on allegedly illegal money transfers.

In 2019, Bank of America closed one of the accounts controlled by Morani in light of suspicious activity, the affidavit states. Wells Fargo and Citibank subsequently shuttered his companies' accounts in 2021.

The feds say they scrubbed through Morani's cellphone records during their investigation and found conversations in which the illegal money transfers were "plainly discussed, planned, and ordered...using uncoded language." A search of Morani's family member's home further yielded a "vast amount of documentary evidence," the affidavit states.

Investigators alerted Morani's lawyer in December 2021 that Morani was under investigation for running a money laundering operation. But Morani allegedly continued to conduct illegal transfers by using a strawman to set up a Bank of America account, where more than $14 million flowed through December 2023. Agents claim they obtained recordings in which Morani "is heard instructing [his representative] to open as many businesses as possible" to continue the transfer operations.

"This evidence clearly demonstrates Morani and his co-conspirators are setting up new money-remitting businesses in the Southern District of Florida but are taking more precautions to ensure that their names are not related to any of the documents, companies, or accounts," the affidavit alleges.

The feds believe Morani, who is in his mid-50s, is living primarily in Argentina and has not returned to the United States since June 2023.

Over the past few years, South Florida has experienced an influx of cash from South American investors, who have sought a safe haven from political and socioeconomic turmoil in their home countries. The Miami metro area's recent real estate market boom was fueled in part by the inflow of investment. According to the Miami Association of Realtors, more than $5 billion in foreign investment flowed into South Florida real estate in 2023, with most investors hailing from Colombia, followed by Argentina.

Much of the investment influx has come from legitimate sources and business income in South America.

Still, in past reports, Santoro and other Argentinian journalists highlighted the country's historical problems with tax evasion and lack of money laundering prosecutions. Argentina has implemented tax amnesty programs to spur declaration of assets parked overseas.

In 2019, Argentina tightened control over foreign exchange transactions, setting a limit on the amount of U.S. dollars that could be purchased monthly and "requiring exporters to repatriate their earnings within a certain time frame," according to CG Wealth. The move further splintered exchange rates and sent some Argentinians scrambling to find means of safely storing their money amid high inflation.

The country's 2023 election of President Javier Milei, who has libertarian leanings and supports a more laissez-faire economic policy, marked a shift in national policymaking that his supporters hope will stabilize the country's economy.
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How will Milei's reforms impact workers?

**Foreign Policy**
- *Alignment with US, Israel, "Free World"*: While stating a Western-aligned approach, Milei has not broken off relations with key trading partners like China and Brazil, balancing ideological postures with pragmatic economic necessities.

What are some of the "liberal democracies" that the Milei administration prioritizes partnerships?

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**Implications**
- *Institutional Resilience Tested*: His reforms challenge the capacity of Argentina’s institutions to absorb radical liberalization and to balance executive authority with legislative and societal checks.

- *Economic Uncertainty*: Dollarization, deep cuts, and liberalization could offer long-term stabilization if successful—but risk severe short-term hardship and political backlash.

- *Potential for Realignment*: If Milei’s “neoliberal populism” endures and succeeds, it could reshape both Argentine governance and Latin American political trajectories.

If not, institutional and social crisis may intensify.

---

**In Summary:**
Javier Milei seeks to radically reduce the Argentine state, liberalize the economy, and shift political power away from traditional Peronist structures.

His direct, outsized reform agenda is hotly contested, already resulting in social upheaval and institutional pushback.

The outcome of his approach will be pivotal for Argentina’s future economic and political path.

**Summary of Javier Milei’s Policy Agenda and Early Reforms (as of late 2023 - early 2024):**

**1.

Title:

Content: December 28, 14: 30
Opinions
“No money ”: the new President of Argentina introduced the first economic reforms
Elena Kondratieva about the shock measures of Javier Miley in a country with 40% poverty
President of Argentina Javier Miley
Argentina ’ s new president, Javier Miley, in his first speech as head of state, warned the country of the need for shock measures, and in December the first phase of his plan to save the economy took shape.
True, it does not contain many election promises and there are things absolutely opposite – the new government is going to raise export duties and taxes contrary to the ideals of libertarianism, which the Argentine leader calls himself a representative of.
The authorities attribute the inconsistencies to the difficult economic situation, which requires the adoption of unpopular measures.
Both Miley and his economy minister, Luis Caputo, said the measures they were taking ran counter to their beliefs.
But, according to them, this is the lesser evil – on the other side of the scale they call hyperinflation and catastrophic impoverishment of the population.
On the third day of the government, December 13, Caputo announced the first steps of the new government, including a devaluation - the official rate of the dollar soared from 366 pesos to 800 pesos.
Currency restrictions in force in the country since 2019 have been maintained.
The authorities admit that there are no conditions for their cancellation until the government solves the problem with the debt instruments of the Central Bank.
Nevertheless, the devaluation, stronger than many experts and ordinary people expected, allowed to narrow the gap between the official and the so-called blue exchange rate, which is used in the informal exchange market.
Today, the latter is about 1,000 pesos per dollar.
About the same time he was on the eve of the announcement of Caputo.
The devaluation, combined with the end of the programs of freezing of prices, spurred the already high inflation.
According to experts, by the end of December it will be about 30%.
In November, the price increase was 12.8%.
Miley ’ s government calls its main task for next year a zero budget deficit.
The task is extremely ambitious, given that in October the International Monetary Fund (IMF) predicted that Argentina, with the necessary reforms, will be able to reach a surplus budget only by 2028.
To achieve this goal, the new government, apparently, will have to work hard with the same chainsaw, which has become a symbol of Miley ’ s election campaign.
In the course of the election campaign, the president has already emphasized that the state and the so-called caste, the establishment of the country, will pay for his spending reduction program, and "people will not be touched."
As the first measures show, this principle has proved to be very broadly interpreted.
So, among the first measures, Caputo announced the gradual abolition of subsidies for electricity, gas and public transport.
Today, Argentinian households with low and middle incomes pay about 15-20% of the cost of electricity.
According to the plan of the authorities, the subsidies will be completely abolished by December 2026, but in 2024 they are going to spend $2.5 billion less on them.
Transportation subsidies are expected to save $1 billion next year.
Another article for saving will be government orders for infrastructure projects.
The government promises to abandon them completely.
“There is no money ” is a phrase that Miley constantly repeats and which his supporters print on T-shirts.
Reductions also affected the state apparatus.
The government of Miley changed the number of ministries from 18 to 9, almost halved the number of departments and announced the termination of more than 5 thousand labor contracts concluded in 2023.
Reforms signed by the President
The next step of the Mileus government was an emergency presidential decree, which was signed on December 20.
The Argentine Constitution gives the Head of State the power to change legislation without the prior approval of Parliament in an exceptional situation.
Miley, under this pretext, decided to include in the decree more than 300 articles that cancel or amend existing laws.
The head of state called the main goal of the document deregulation of the economy
For example, the government abolished price controls, including on food and health insurance programs.
Suppliers of the latter after the publication of the decree have already announced an increase in the cost of services by 40%.
Introducing his decree, Miley said that the state will no longer be able to restrict exports.
Deregulation also affected the aviation industry, the rental market, labor relations, tourism and various industries, including wine and sugar.
Some paragraphs raised serious questions about the justification of their inclusion in the emergency decree.
Thus, the document gives football clubs the right to become joint-stock companies.
Miley himself in an interview with LN + explained the need for this item by the fact that the measure will attract foreign investment to the country.
For the sake of investment, the government also repealed a law restricting the ownership of land by foreigners.
The decree is due to come into force on December 29 and can only be repealed by parliament if both chambers vote in favor.
It is not yet clear what will happen to the bill in Congress.
Miley's "Freedom Comes" coalition holds 37 of 257 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 8 of 72 in the Senate.
They have allies in the opposition, mainly in the Alliance Together for Change (24 senators and 93 deputies), but they may not be enough.
The public also met the decree ambiguously, although Miley himself believes that he can successfully bring it to a referendum if blocked by parliament.
After the announcement of the reform in different parts of the capital, there was a noise from blows to pots - a traditional form of protest in Latin America.
In addition, opposition to the decree was expressed by the largest trade unions in Argentina, not excluding the strike, restrictions on which, incidentally, were imposed by the signed decree.
Mega-bill
Miley ’ s government completed the month with the introduction of a bill to parliament with a package of reforms covering not only the economy, but also criminal law, as well as electoral law, health care, education and defense.
In total, the document contains more than 660 articles.
Especially for its consideration, the executive branch convened an extraordinary session of parliament, which will last from December 26 to January 31.
Among the proposed reforms, I will highlight the increase in export duties.
In his first speech as head of state, Miley promised that the tightening of belts will fall on the shoulders of the state, not private business.
Nevertheless, the first package of bills included the establishment of a duty of 15% for agricultural products, which are now not subject to fees, and an increase from 31% to 33% of the duty for flour and oil.
The authorities promise to subsequently cancel the fees from exporters, but for now the government, they say, needs funds to get rid of the budget deficit.
There is no deadline for the fulfillment of the promise made to exporters.
The bill also included a tax amnesty and the privatization of 41 state-owned companies, including oil and gas YPF, airline Aerolineas Argentinas, Banco Nación Bank, geostationary communications operator ARSAT and railway company Ferrocarriles Argentinos.
Miley noted that the YPF process will take place after reforms within the company, which should increase its value.
This will be his second privatisation.
In 2012, the government of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner decided to return YPF into the hands of the state, expropriating 51% of the shares of the Spanish company Repsol under the pretext of insufficient investment in the country ’ s oil and gas sector.
The conflict with the Spaniards was settled by the payment of compensation in the amount of $5 billion back in 2014, but in 2023 the consequences of the expropriation made themselves felt again – in September, the court of the southern district of New York ordered Argentina to pay $16 billion to the Burford Capital fund, which bought the bankrupt after the nationalization of the company, which owned 25% of the shares of YPF.
Miley ’ s emergency decree stated that the state ’ s share in Aerolineas Argentina ’ s shares would be transferred to its employees.
After that, the country ’ s largest airline, which has also been through privatization and renationalization, will stop receiving support from the budget, thanks to which, in particular, air traffic on not the most popular routes was maintained.
Given the emergence of new competitors in the context of deregulation of the aviation industry, Aerolineas Argentina is likely to be forced to reduce the number of destinations in the country.
At the same time, despite the declared "No Money", the bill provides for a reduction in tax on personal property and exemption from tax on the sale of real estate purchased before 2018.
Where to find money
The bill also included a painful topic for Argentina's foreign debt.
The government proposes to abolish the rule that obliges the executive branch to obtain permission from Parliament to issue dollar bonds in excess of the amount specified in the budget.
Argentina ’ s debt remains an acute problem for the country.
On December 21, the country made another payment as part of an agreement to settle its debt to the IMF.
The loan was issued to the country at the request of Mauricio Macri, who in May 2018, as head of state, turned to the IMF for help against the background of a sharp fall in the national currency.
The funds for the December tranche of $921 million to Argentina were provided by the Andean Development Corporation (ACR).
The country cannot afford to pay from its own reserves.
Already in the period from January 9 to February 1, 2024, Argentina will have to make new payments totaling more than $2.8 billion.
The government is trying to negotiate with the fund to change the agreement, but this does not negate the need to find funds to repay the payments.
One of the sources could be the $6.5 billion currency swap that China has promised to provide to the past government of Argentina.
The Miley administration is trying to gain access to it, but there seems to be little progress so far.
The situation for Argentina is complicated by the numerous statements of Miley and members of his coalition about relations with China.
During the election campaign and after the election, the head of state repeatedly said that he did not intend to promote relations with Beijing, because he did not want to do business with the Communists.
In addition, the foreign Minister of Argentina Diana Mondino said that the country will not enter the BRICS, where it was accepted at the end of the August summit of the group.
Beijing may also be concerned about the Miley administration ’ s refusal to accept government orders for infrastructure projects that fall under the purview of Chinese investors.
After taking office, Javier Miley and his team tried to mitigate past statements.
The new administration invited Chinese President Xi Jinping to the inauguration, which took place on December 10.
He himself, however, did not come, but Miley held a meeting with the Chinese delegation and sent a letter to the Chinese leader, in which he asked him to help gain access to the currency swap.
Another source of financing for Argentina could be the New Development Bank (NDB) of the BRICS, a formal application for accession to which was submitted in October by the then President of the country Alberto Fernandez.
However, the Miley administration apparently decided to freeze the process, since at the end of November Mondino said that Argentina was unable to join the NDB due to the inability to contribute capital.
It is possible that the government of Miley will decide to change its position, but so far this has not been reported.
Several Argentine experts in conversation with me complained that the Latin American country cannot afford to be guided by ideological prejudices in foreign policy, and regretted the missed opportunities in refusing to develop relations with China and BRICS.
Ghostly light at the end of the tunnel
It is possible to evaluate the reforms proposed by Miley differently, but we can definitely say that the Argentines in the coming months will have a hard time.
The government itself recognizes this.
In his first speech as head of state, Javier Miley openly said that the shock measures he proposed would lead to higher unemployment and poverty, as well as lower economic activity and real wages, but then "there will be light at the end of the tunnel."
At the same time, Miley does not call the timing of the onset of a bright
In an interview after the election, he said that it will take at least a year and a half to solve the problem of inflation.
In recent weeks, members of the administration have refrained from making any predictions, promising only to support the most vulnerable segments of the population and to do everything possible to ensure that the period of decline in economic activity passes as quickly as possible.
It remains an open question whether the residents of the country, where, according to the National Institute of Statistics and Census Indec, the poverty rate is already 40%, will have enough patience.
The opinion of the editor may not coincide with the opinion of the author.
The use of the material is allowed subject to compliance
of rules
citations of the site tass.ru

suspended 366 decrees to ease economic controls and reduce spending.

Radical Libertarian & Anti-Establishment Approach:**
- Javier Milei came to power promising radical change, with a style marked by confrontational rhetoric and a rejection of traditional politics.

Title:

Content: Ribbon
January 10 15: 42
All news
Federal News Agency /
Javier Miley is the most eccentric figure of modern Argentine politics.
A convinced libertarian, Doctor of Economics, a follower of the Austrian school, a member of the Argentine Congress from the Freedom, Forward! coalition, during the 2021 election campaign, he promised voters to abandon the parliamentary salary, which currently amounts to 205,000 Argentine pesos (due to the gap in quotations of the official and unofficial dollar exchange rate, in rubles this amount can be from 73 to 140 thousand).
The newly minted deputy kept his promise - on January 12, his first salary will be raffled in the "lottery".
On a specially created site "My Word" has already left more than 250 thousand applications for participation in the draw.
To date, the counter has recorded a million two hundred thousand visits.
A special correspondent of the FAN international editorial office in Argentina tells about the eccentric initiative of the newly minted parliamentarian.
“Let it all be decided by chance. ”
The only requirement for those who want to participate in the drawing of the deputy salary is to be over 18 years old and not to be legal entities.
Sufficiency, political beliefs, gender, profession - all this does not matter.
People simply upload their passport data and get a certain number that will participate in the draw.
“I refused the idea of targeted donation, because it is too common political ploy, ” Milei said at a meeting with Argentine media. – I believe that it is immoral to manage in this way with state (that is, not belonging to me) money.
It goes against my philosophy of life.
Let everything be decided by chance, and my participation in this will be as neutral and detached as possible. ”
The recording will be open until 10 am on January 12.
And at 19.00, at the next open lesson of the “popular economy ” – which Javier Miley is going to hold right on the beach in the resort town of Mar del Plata – the winner will be announced in the presence of a notary.
All his subsequent salaries, the deputy promises to play in the same way.
Miley at the point of attack
Javier Miley claims to be an anarchocapitalist and a supporter of minarchism (Political ideology, which involves the involvement of the state only for the protection of life, property and contractual relations. – Note FAN).
The son of a housewife and a bus driver, he came into politics from academia and the “elite ” stratum of Argentine economists — with experience in the Association of Private Pension Funds (AFJP), the Argentine branch of HSBC Holdings plc, the WEF and private financial institutions.
In the parliamentary elections of 2021, Milei ran for deputy in the capital district and scored 17.04% of the vote.
This is a very significant result for an independent candidate who began his political career almost before the elections and, as he himself says, “completely by accident ” – as a result of a skirmish with a representative of the ruling party during a round table on one of the Argentine TV channels.
Milea ’ s harsh statements (as well as the leather jacket in which he went to meetings with voters and debates with opponents) quickly made him very popular among young people and those Argentines who are tired of traditional politics and its predictable discourse.
Milea ’ s “fan club ” was not frightened by the abundance of numbers in his speeches, nor by the eccentric candidate ’ s love for complex concepts, which he generously subdued with obscene expressions; nor by the promise to“ burn the Central Bank ” (perhaps this is his only election promise that has not yet been fulfilled).
“In my first month in Congress, I managed to do what I told my constituents.
On December 9 (this is officially recorded), I stopped working in the private business in order to completely exclude possible interference with my parliamentary activities.
I voted against subsidies.
He opposed a new tax on private property, precisely because he promised not to vote for creating new taxes or raising old ones.
He signed the draft law on the reduction of VAT.
And now I will play my salary – because I also promised, ” Milei said.
From Love to Hate
Although Miley and his Freedom Forward party are formally in opposition to the ruling Frente de Todos coalition, the opposition Juntos por el Cambio party does not always share the position of an eccentric economist, especially on key issues.
So, his decision to refuse the deputy salary caused indignation from another deputy - Sabrina Ahmechet, who also represents the capital district in the lower house of the Argentine parliament.
“What does he live on and how is he going to pay the bills? ” asked Sabrina indignantly on Twitter, and immediately clarifies his position.
After all, if not, then only the rich will be engaged in politics, as was mostly the case in the 19th century. ”
Another parliamentary lady, Patricia Bulrich, who heads the coalition “Together for Change ”, Javier Miley clearly favors.
One way or another, the more active the polemics, the more brightly the figure at the center of the discussion is highlighted.
And the more political capital that Miley will surely find where to invest in the medium and long term.
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Comment

His distinctive style (e.g., wearing a leather jacket, outspoken during debates) has won him popularity, especially among youth and those tired of establishment norms.

- His approach frames excessive state intervention as a moral and economic problem — dubbing the existing system as socialism and pledging to dismantle what he sees as an overbearing state.

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Content: Archive | Countries | Persons | Catalog | News | Discussions | Jokes | Contacts | PDA
| Central Asia | Afghanistan | Kazakhstan | Kyrgyzstan | Tajikistan | Turkmenistan | Uzbekistan |
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Monday, 04.09.2023
19: 06 Putin refused Erdogan to resume the “grain deal ”.
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15: 36 There is a risk that Argentina will not become a member of the BRICS
15: 33 Druze in southern Syria began to build their mini-state
15: 32 Foreign exchange revenue from the sale of Russian oil and gas remains abroad
14: 51 Putin again talks with Erdogan: who is he?
The head of the newly created Ministry of Water Resources of Kazakhstan became the former cloud Nurzhan Nurzhigitov
09: 45 Timur Sulymenov - new head of KazNational Bank
09: 35 India threatens Russia with reduction of oil purchases for two reasons...
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00: 35 The last stronghold of Macron ’ s influence in Africa has fallen.
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Newsweek: The Earth has become too crowded - the United States is preparing to fight in space
00: 29 War of attrition.
The United States analyzes the current results of the conflict in Ukraine
00: 26 Eschatology of the multipolar world, - A.Dugin
00: 21 China could not allow the "curse of Chubais"
00: 16 Geopolitics of underwater communications, - Leonid Savin
00: 06 Gastarbeit-business is ready to come out of the shadows, - Ekaterina Trifonova
Sunday, 03.09.2023
22: 10 Shavkat Mirziyoyev visits the mausoleum of Islam Karimov
21: 37 In the Swedish Malmö again publicly burned the Koran in the city square
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Today, for the first time, Russia officially celebrates Victory Day over Japan
12: 38 How Igor Kolomoisky was detained.
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11: 46 Chen Feng: Go all-in or retreat?
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11: 43 The conditions of life in Ukraine resemble slavery.
The triumph of Western "democracy" in the 21st century - Al Mayadeen
11: 42 The fate of PMC "Wagner": a series of uncomfortable questions about the staged death of Prigozhin and the facts
11: 38 Media unleashed an open information war against the new Kyrvlasti, - K.Kozhoev
11: 37 The President of Kazakhstan instructed to increase the minimum wage from January 2024
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08: 37 Last soldier of legendary Panfilov division dies in Almaty
07: 42 Abdukodir Rustam, editor of the book of the arrested "enemy of the people" Kholikzod, detained in Dushanbe
07: 16 UK authorities have disclosed data on real estate Nazarbayevs in London worth more than $50 million
03: 13 Time to collect yuan: trading volume of Chinese currency increased by 6.5 times
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00: 25 Hungarian "Rhapsody" Orban.
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00: 09 Problems of the recovery growth of the PRC economy are exaggerated, - V. Pirozhenko
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There is a risk that Argentina will not become a member of the BRICS
15: 36 04.09.2023
VALENTIN KATASONOV
The likely future president is set to change the current vector of foreign policy of the Latin American country
The next BRICS summit has ended in South Africa.
The main decision of the summit is the admission of new members.
On August 24, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that from January 1, 2024, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Iran, Ethiopia, Egypt and Argentina should become full members of the BRICS.
But for Argentina, it was immediately doubtful that she would take advantage of the invitation.
The application to join the organization was submitted by the current government and President of Argentina Alberto Fernandez.
But just a week or so before the BRICS summit, Argentina held a primaries, a preliminary round of presidential elections.
And according to the results of the primaries, it became clear that a radical “change of the guard ” could occur in the country.
The best chance of becoming the next president of the country was demonstrated by Javier Miley, representing the movement under the beautiful name "Forward to Freedom".
Miley received 30.04% of the vote.
The government alliance "Union for the Homeland", which is nominated by the Minister of Economy, Agriculture and Industrial Development Sergio Massa, was supported by 27.27% of voters.
The Alliance "Together for Change", which nominated two candidates for the primaries, received a total of 28.27% of the vote.
Bullrich will represent him in the election.
Mileus, in his ideological position, is a “libertarian, ” that is, he adheres to views close to anarchism.
He seeks for the sake of "freedom" to rid a person of an excess of state guardianship and supervision.
He chose the United States as the “standard of freedom. ”
Javier Miley in the presidential race is actively supported by former security Minister Patricia Bullrich, who has a good chance to take third place in the election.
And then give their votes to Miley, having received from him at least the post of vice president.
Elections are due to take place on October 22.
According to the regulations, there are two rounds.
But if a convincing victory is recorded in the first round (at least 45% of the votes), then a second round will not be required.
Miley ’ s supporters are confident that their protege will be announced as president in the first round.
For the authorities, the first place of Javier Miley was a complete surprise.
Almost no one knew about Miley for another six months.
This new politician very successfully used all the problems that have accumulated in the country to date.
Miley blamed them on the incapacity of the ruling party, President Alberto Fernandez and Vice President Cristina Kirchner.
He promises to put the latter on trial for corruption as soon as she is deprived of her official immunity.
As for socio-economic problems, these are mass poverty (40 percent of the country ’ s population is classified as poor), galloping inflation (this year it reaches 115%), growing public debt and the threat of a new default, high unemployment, etc.
Miley is determined to change the current vector of Argentina ’ s foreign policy.
He has already said loudly that he does not need BRICS.
There is no need not only for membership in the organization, but also for further deepening of trade and economic relations with the BRICS countries.
The bloc currently accounts for 30% of Argentina ’ s exports.
Today, for 8-10 provinces of Argentina, the main direction of supply is China, a lot of agricultural products go to India.
Brazil is the traditional main trading partner of Argentina.
Javier Miley is not going to get closer to either Beijing or Moscow.
He accused Russia and China of creating “problems for all free countries. ”
In addition, he promised to deal with “refugees ” from Russia.
These are those who left our country after February 24, 2022, as well as after the September mobilization of last year, and, taking advantage of the visa-free regime, settled in Argentina.
There are about 35,000 such people today.
Here Patricia Bullrich fully supports Miley.
"We must ensure the safety of Argentines from external influence.
And the representatives of those countries that threaten the United States, threaten Argentina, ” she said.
And with whom does this candidate for president of Argentina intend to approach?
with the United States and Israel.
Miley, in particular, said: "Stop flirting with those who create chaos and instability in the world.
“The freest country in the world is the United States, and we will work closely with them on all key international issues. ”
Also in an interview with El Pais, he said: “My natural allies are the United States and Israel.
I do not want to deal with the communists of Cuba, China and North Korea.
What does that mean?
Trade with whomever you want, but I will not strengthen relations with them. "
And what is Javier Miley going to do inside the country?
What any libertarian would do in his place.
The politician said that “the state should not interfere in the life of citizens – freedom should be complete and unconditional. ”
Accordingly, he proposes to sharply reduce budget expenditures, conduct almost 100 percent privatization of state-owned enterprises, reduce the state apparatus and liquidate a number of ministries (primarily the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Education), abolish the severance payments to employees upon dismissal, etc.
And also to introduce the free sale of weapons.
As the politician noted, “we should have everything as in the United States, then there will be order and corruption will disappear. ”
But Javier Miley is not an ordinary libertarian.
He promised the Argentines something that other libertarians would never have thought of.
For example, to legalize the free trade in children and human organs.
“Who are you to determine what a person does with his life? ” the politician answers the question, whether such trade is permissible.
Unorthodox ideas Javier Miley also expresses about the problems of financial, currency and monetary credit.
He proposed, first, to liquidate the Central Bank of Argentina.
Second, cancel the Argentine peso and define the US dollar as the national currency.
In Argentina, Miley famously said, “Central banks fall into four categories: bad, like the Fed; very bad, like in Latin America; terribly bad; and the Central Bank of Argentina. ”
As Javier Miley said, the latter "has no reason to exist."
In an interview with El Pais, the politician explained his position on the Central Bank: “Argentina became the richest country in the world when it did not have a Central Bank.
From 1880 to 1935, average inflation was 0.9% per year.
In 1935, the Central Bank was created as a way to deceive people and benefit those close to power: inflation then jumped to an average of 6% per year.
And the abandonment of the peso in favor of the US dollar will deprive the ruling class of Argentina of the opportunity to print money: "You take away the printing machine from politicians...
This is what will end inflation.
Because inflation is everywhere and always a monetary phenomenon generated by an excess of money.
However, in addition to the dollar as the official currency, the country will allow the free use of private cryptocurrencies, primarily bitcoin.
Miley believes that bitcoin is a reaction to central bank scammers.
True, if all the world ’ s central banks, according to Miley, are crooks, why does he agree to deal with the dollar, which, following the logic of politics, is also created by a fraudulent structure called the “US Federal Reserve ”?
Miley cites as examples worthy of imitation countries such as Ecuador, El Salvador and Panama, where there are no national currencies, and the dollar, in his opinion, provides these countries with financial stability.
However, if you look at these countries, the situation there is not very different from the situation in Argentina.
When asked about the problems that Ecuador faces today, the politician replied that the reason for this is the populist policy of former President Rafael Correa.
The Argentine politician calls not all countries and jurisdictions that do not have national currencies, but the US dollar instead.
To the list should be added Puerto Rico, the American Virgin Islands, the Northern Mariana Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Micronesia, American Samoa, Zimbabwe East Timor and something else by little.
Of all the countries that have adopted the US dollar, the largest in terms of population are Ecuador (18 million people) and Zimbabwe (16 million people).
More than 46 million people live in Argentina.
In terms of economic development (GDP), it is the third country in Latin America after Brazil and Mexico.
Of course, the transition of Argentina to the US dollar would be a real sensation, not only for Latin America, but for the whole world.
Especially considering that the prospects for the US dollar are not so rosy.
And yet Miley is a supporter of the US dollar: “What does it matter to us that dollars are printed in the US?
The main thing is that we will no longer wake up and see what the peso to the dollar exchange rate was yesterday and what it will be tomorrow.
The US dollar will bring financial order to our country.
And by doing so, we will end the games of socialism and the groveling before the trade unions. "
This is the logic of the contender for the presidency of Argentina.
In order to achieve financial stability in the country, to end the games of socialism and stop squabbling in front of the trade unions, Javier Miley is ready to sacrifice such a "trifle" as the national sovereignty of Argentina.
P.S. In social networks, there is a discussion of the question: what guided the participants of the summit in South Africa, when they made the decision to accept Argentina as a member of the BRICS?
The results of the primaries were already known to them.
One version is that in a similar way, the summit participants tried to provide indirect support to the government alliance “Union for the sake of the Motherland ” in the October elections.
After all, the alliance is unequivocally in favor of Argentina ’ s membership in the BRICS.
It is also important that, according to opinion polls, the majority of Argentine citizens also support the idea of   the country's membership in the BRICS.
Source - Strategic Culture Foundation
Permanent address of the article - https: / / centrasia.org / newsA.php? st = 1693830960
News of Kazakhstan
- Working schedule of the head of state
- Address of the Head of State Kassym-Jomart Tokayev to the people of Kazakhstan
- Decree of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan dated September 1, 2023 No. 318
- Personnel reshuffles
- Maulen Ashimbayev: "The Senate is ready for legislative support of the reforms proposed in the Address"
- The President's Message
- The first plenary session of the new session was held in the Mazhilis
- "The Government has set ambitious but achievable goals"
Inflation in the Republic of Kazakhstan
- Children at the UMC Maternity and Childhood Center were congratulated on the Knowledge Day
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What does Milei promote in terms of healthcare and education?

Title:

Content: Areas of instability: what is happening in South America today
Problems in the US Backyard
“Depending on how you call these disputed territories, you can understand whose side you are on in this long-standing dispute, ” the experts joked.
In 1883, the Falkland Islands were occupied by the United Kingdom.
Their inhabitants, by the way, in the referendum of 2013 wished to remain subjects of the then Her Majesty.
Argentina, in turn, tried in 1982 to regain control of its Malvinas Islands.
The fighting lasted 74 days.
Nearly 1,000 soldiers were killed.
The victory of London.
And now, after almost 40 years, Buenos Aires seems to be ripe for revenge.
All this new Argentine President to begin with politely offered to discuss the British.
They say that Hong Kong was transferred to China in 1997.
In response, however, he received a strong refusal.
But neighbors in the region - in particular, Venezuela - with both hands for the triumph of historical justice.
In general, the words “bluff ” and“ outrageous ” can describe everything that Javier Miley, who took office a month ago, does.
The first under the administrative saw were employees of the state apparatus.
By his order, Miley dismissed all officials who came to work in 2023.
Who will implement the "great reforms" of the Argentine president, and there are about 300 of them, even experts do not really understand.
In the "basket" went the majority of benefits, social payments and government contracts.
The state will not build kindergartens, schools, hospitals and roads.
And we don ’ t need all this in a country of “victorious libertarianism. ”
It was with this program that Miley went to the elections.
Maximum of freedom.
minimum of regulation.
As they say, get it, sign it.
“First of all, he is referring to economic freedoms on the principle of“ the market will regulate everything. ”
But we know well even on the example of our country, when this slogan sounded in the early 90s, that the market can not regulate everything, ” said Lazar Heifetz, Doctor of Historical Sciences.
The main instrument of Miley ’ s economic program is artificial devaluation.
54% immediately.
That is, the already weak national currency was literally thrown into the abyss.
Argentina ’ s pride, its national treasure and its people ’ s favorite product, meat, is the most visible indicator of economic change.
“I have two dogs, and I usually bring them meat cuts.
They both ate a kilogram each day.
It's over now.
Two weeks ago, I was paying 2,300 pesos per kilo.
Last Friday it was 3000 and today it is 4000!
In a short time, meat has risen by 65%.
I ’ ve been working for 25 years and I ’ ve never seen it, ” says butcher Sergio Gomez.
According to Miley himself, his program will bring results at best in 10 years.
It's not guaranteed.
During this time, Argentina may lose not only what is left of the national economy, but also natural resources.
No wonder there are so many people dissatisfied with this policy.
However, on them the supporters of "universal freedom" the government was found.
And this is not self-regulation, but old-fashioned administrative measures.
We started an audit in foreign policy.
Here, the pace is more modest.
The UN Miley called it a “useless thing. ”
With China and Brazil, contrary to election promises, did not break economic and trade relations.
The refusal to join BRICS, he argued that the country simply does not have the money to do so.
Finally, the fiery alliance with the United States did not happen either.
Washington is clearly not eager to take another dependant.
"During the election campaign, he said loudly - blow up the Central Bank!
We look at the composition of the government and see that he has appointed the chairman of the Central Bank.
However, this position was not assigned to the author of the idea of dollarization, but another person.
This indicates that Miley and his economic team will not insist on dollarization in the near future.
“Electoral promises, especially from populists like Javier Miley, are one thing, and real politics, including foreign policy, is a little different, ” Heifetz said.
Here and observes the world for what is happening as a fascinating Latin American series.
The eternal antagonists Batman and Joker were seen on the streets of the capital of Ecuador.
It also reminds me of a blockbuster.
In this case, a thriller.
A state of emergency has been declared in the country.
In front of a multi-million audience, armed thugs burst into the studio of the final program.
Shot at one of the cameramen.
The other has a broken arm.
Through the leading intruders put forward their demands to the authorities.
The hostages were eventually released, but several prisons remain seized.
The prisoners revolted.
It all began with the escape from custody of the leader of one of the criminal groups “Los Choneros ”.
Jose Adolfo Macias, nicknamed Fito.
And if the military managed to take control of the situation in the capital, the residents of port cities are still afraid to go out.
In fact, the Mafia has declared war on the government.
The dead, including police officers, are more than 10.
"Unfortunately, Ecuador has recently held a record for the number of murders.
It is a country where there is a lot of violence.
And even if you remember the last presidential election, a presidential candidate and another parliamentary candidate were killed.
So, basically, it all came together.
It is also a big blow to the government.
Because President Daniel Noboa came in with a crime-fighting program.
A very tough fight.
Creation of mega-prisons, ” said Dmitry Rozental, acting director of the Institute of Latin America of the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Like the Argentine president, Noboa has been in power for less than a hundred days.
But already managed to make a lot of management mistakes, experts emphasize.
The security services were not ready for the mutiny.
While the mafia all long and carefully planned.
And now, instead of throwing all his strength to solve domestic problems, Noboa is trying to flirt with the United States.
Quito will give Washington allegedly “old ” Russian equipment worth $200 million.
The United States, in turn, will send it to Kiev.
Moscow has already called such actions of the Ecuadorian authorities unfriendly.
According to Colombia, it was the US policy that provoked the unrest in Ecuador.
On the turn and other countries of the continent, experts are sure.
Problems, like a snowball, will only increase.
“I think that Latin America is already a hotbed of instability, given that the domestic political situation in many countries is very difficult.
For the US, control of Latin America is key in terms of ensuring its own national security, and the Americans, of course, seek to influence the countries of Latin America.
They try to put pressure on them.
Remove non-regional actors from the region.
Like China and Russia.
Another question is how well they do it.
The world has changed, it is not the same as it was in the 80s of the 20th century, ” concluded Rosenthal.
Old methods like color revolutions or puppet governments no longer work.
And while Washington is busy with Ukraine and the Middle East, the sparks of a big geopolitical fire are burning brightly in its backyard.
Matvey Shestakov, TV Center
All the most interesting - in our channel "Zen"
The main thing today
Protests in Argentina
Javier Miley
Anti-terrorist operation in Ecuador
Anti-terrorist operation in Ecuador
Anti-terrorist operation in Ecuador
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Economic Reforms:**
- **Fiscal Austerity:** Milei’s administration aims for a zero budget deficit in the coming year, committing to drastic reductions in public spending and the size of the state apparatus — including dismissing officials hired in the previous year.

What issue did Milei want to address without printing money?

- **Shock Therapy:** Early reforms are likened to “shock therapy” — rapid, painful economic adjustments meant to fix deep-seated issues.

Title:

Content: Russian Federation
Moscow
+ 2 °
Worldwide19 December 2023 10: 39
How Javier Miley treats Argentina with shock therapy: his reforms were compared to poison
During the first week in power, he sharply raised gasoline prices, devalued the peso and canceled preferential travel in public transport.
Javier Miley
Photo: REUTERS
The new Argentine president, Javier Miley, began his career.
Only a week has passed since his inauguration, and he has already announced so many reforms that another head of state would have been enough for a whole year.
However, this is not surprising, because even during the election campaign, he promised to conduct shock therapy in the country, and, having taken office, said that before the patient (in the sense of the Argentine economy) will get much better, he must get much worse.
Local wit assure that Miley gives the country poison in a narrow and high glass - so that it can be drunk only in small sips.
I mean, the hardest times are yet to come.
TIME OF HONEST PRICES
First of all, the new government reduced subsidies for public transport and electricity.
The economy minister said the tariffs had been “artificially lowered ” until now, and now it was time for fair prices.
Miley added that the previous authorities allegedly deceived citizens for preferential travel in public transport had to pay wild inflation.
Argentinian motorists, however, are also not happy now.
Gasoline prices have risen twice since the beginning of December: the first time by 15%, and then another 37%.
In addition, the government of Miley went on a serious devaluation of the national currency and halved the official exchange rate of the peso against the dollar.
However, the US currency can still be bought only on the black market (and at an even higher rate).
The reduction in the number of government officials was one of the main points of Miley ’ s election program and the reduction in the number of federal ministries from 19 to 9 is generally welcomed by the population.
Rather, it is about their consolidation.
Thus, culture, education, social and labor policy will now be concentrated in one ministry of human capital.
Called the police?
But the refusal to index pensions and fund public works caused serious outrage among a significant part of the population.
In particular, a sharp protest was expressed by the largest trade unions in Argentina.
Disgruntled voters are already preparing for the first protest against Miley ’ s policies.
Mass actions will be held in Buenos Aires today, December 20.
But even here, the head of state, nicknamed “El Loko ” in the press (that is, the Mad Man), prepared a number of surprises for his subjects.
He said that he had developed a new protocol to combat demonstrations.
Protesters will now be identified by “video, digital or manual surveillance ” and then billed for sending security forces to protect the order.
In other words, you can not only get under the batons of law enforcement officers, but also pay them overtime.
One thing is clear: Javier Miley needs money first, preferably in hard currency.
The comment of one of the representatives of the US presidential administration Joe Biden is indicative here.
After Miley ’ s meeting with the American leader, the White House said it was ready to help Argentina “with the development of lithium mining. ”
In general, it looks like one of the strategic sectors of the Argentine economy (and lithium is called one of the main resources of the 21st century), Javier ’ s senior comrades have already laid a paw.
It also announced the upcoming privatization of the national railway network of Argentina, as well as the sale of two aircraft, which flew representatives of the former government.
NEIGHBOURS ARE WARNING
Interestingly, Javier Miley has become a white crow (or black sheep) among the other leaders of South America, where the socialists have won recently.
And although El Loko has chosen not to quarrel with its neighbors so far, some of them have already expressed their attitude to the victory of the pro-American anarcho-capitalist in Argentina.
- Sad news for Latin America, - lamented the President of Colombia Gustavo Petro. - Neoliberals have nothing to offer society and can not answer the pressing problems of mankind.
With even sharper criticism, Miley was attacked by his Venezuelan counterpart Nicolas Maduro.
“He is a representative of the far-right forces that are proposing a colonial project for Argentina, and even intend to spread it throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, ” Maduro said. – We are not going to remain silent, because the coming to power of a right-wing extremist, subordinated to North American imperialism and seeking to end the state and social rights is a huge threat.
SPIRITUAL CASES
On the eve of taking office, he converted to Judaism.
According to the Argentine newspaper La Razón, two weeks before his inauguration, Miley attended a Jewish service in Buenos Aires and received a blessing from the rabbi to accept the new faith.
Thus, the 53-year-old Argentinian converted from Catholicism to Judaism.
Two days later, Miley flew to New York, where he visited the grave of the famous Jewish rabbi Menachem Mendl Schneerson.
The publication notes that taking into account the residence in Argentina of the largest Jewish community in Latin America [about 220 thousand people – approx.
The newly elected head of state openly demonstrates how committed he is to “deepening cultural and political ties with Israel. ”
In addition, following the example of Trump, Miley has repeatedly promised that he will move the Argentine embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, which other countries do not do because of the unclear status of East Jerusalem (it is also claimed by the Palestinian autonomy).
PHOTOS IN SUBJECT
Caputo to you all!
Santiago Caputo Photo: screenshot
This image shows Santiago Caputo, a political adviser to Javier Miley and, according to some local media, the “gray cardinal ” of his team.
Particular attention is drawn to the tattoo on his right hand, where in pure Russian (albeit with spelling errors) it is written literally the following: "Hut, cottage and savings book, boat, car and garage will calm my blazh."
And below is a specific star, which in Russia is associated with the criminal subculture of thieves in law.
It is known that Caputo ’ s proverb was gleaned from the book “Encyclopedia of Russian Criminal Tattoos ”, which one of his friends gave him for some reason.
But what attracted the thieves romance of such a respected person and whether he lives “according to concepts ” is still a mystery behind seven seals.
READ ALSO
The new President of Argentina gave back: Javier Miley refuses odious promises
The president with a chainsaw tempered the ardor (more)

Critics compare the impact to receiving “poison,” acknowledging that “the hardest times are yet to come.”
- **Currency Policy:** Milei has advocated for “dollarization” — replacing the Argentine peso with the US dollar as the official currency.

He argues this will finally stabilize inflation, ending cycles of currency crisis and speculation that have plagued Argentina.

What economic issue did Milei want to address?

- **Central Bank:** Milei has reiterated his controversial campaign promise to “blow up the Central Bank” (figuratively), criticizing the institution for enabling inflation through money printing.

What economic issue did Milei want to address?

- **Subsidy & Salary Cuts:** Argentina is seeing rapid subsidy and administrative cuts under Milei, with knock-on effects on wages and state services.

How will Milei's reforms impact workers?

Foreign Policy Shift:**
- **Pivot to US and Israel:** Milei seeks to reorient Argentina’s foreign policy strongly toward the United States and Israel, stepping away from traditional ties with countries like China, Cuba, and Russia.

What are some of the "liberal democracies" that the Milei administration prioritizes partnerships?

- **BRICS Rejection:** He refused to pursue Argentina’s invitation to join the BRICS bloc, arguing that the country cannot afford it and rejecting alignment with what he calls “communist” states.

What reason did Milei give about not engaging with China, Cuba, and Venezuela?

- **Support for Ukraine:** Milei has signaled an intent to hold a Latin American summit in support of Ukraine.

Title:

Content: Argentine President Javier Miley wants to hold a summit of Latin American countries that support Ukraine in its fight against Russian aggression.
In an interview with the Financial Times, he said he prioritizes alliances with “countries that defend freedom, ” including the United States and Israel, which he visited in February, as well as Ukraine.
Miley said that he plans to hold a "summit of Latin American support" for Ukraine this year - he did not disclose details.
Journalists note that his position differs sharply from the positions of the President of Brazil Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and the President of Mexico Andrés Manuel López Obrador.
Video of the day
What we know about Javier Miley:
Miley, 53, described as a right-wing populist and right-wing libertarian, is a prominent Argentine politician and economist.
In November, he won the second round of the presidential election.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky came to his inauguration, during the meeting he invited the country to join the discussion of the Formula of Peace.
At the end of 203, Argentina officially refused membership in the BRICS interstate alliance, announcing a new course of foreign policy.
You may also be interested in news:

Political and Institutional Reform:**
- **Anti-Corruption:** He promises to prosecute former officials (notably ex-president Cristina Kirchner) for corruption once they lose immunity.

- **Bureaucratic Downsizing:** His presidency quickly began dismissing public officials, dramatically shrinking bureaucratic ranks.

- **Populism and Referenda:** Milei engages directly with voters (e.g., salary lottery for his congressional pay), emphasizing direct appeal and bypassing traditional party structures.

Societal & Governance Effects:**
- **Social Tensions:** The drastic cuts and policies have provoked resistance and even protest violence, alongside increased social polarization.

Who has opposed Milei's proposed layoff order?

- **Market Orientation:** His program puts free-market principles and radical individual liberty at the center, seeking to diminish the role of trade unions and state intervention in society.

How will Milei's reforms impact workers?

**Implications for Argentina:**
- Milei’s bold and polarizing reforms are reshaping Argentina toward a more market-driven, libertarian model, dramatically scaling back the public sector and redefining the country’s international alliances.

- The changes usher in a period of economic pain but also promise a decisive break from past populist cycles.

- The fate of these reforms will hinge on public tolerance for austerity, institutional resilience, and how successfully Milei’s government manages economic stabilization and political opposition.

**Javier Milei’s Policy Agenda: Key Reforms and Impacts in Argentina (2024)**

**1.

Title:

Content: Javier Mille as President of Argentina
T + T - normal size
Javier Milley was sworn in as Argentina ’ s president on Monday, announcing he would take “painful austerity measures ” as he seeks to cut spending and curb hyperinflation amid scarce resources.
The 53-year-old right-wing liberal economist broke tradition by addressing thousands of supporters on the steps of Congress, waving flags, chanting “freedom ” and chanting slogans in support of spending cuts.
“There is no money, ” he said, vowing to put an end to“ decades of decadence ” that have seen overspending, “no government has inherited a legacy as bad as this, ” he said, adding:“ The bottom line is that there is no alternative to austerity, there is no alternative to shock therapy. ”
Argentina has an annual inflation rate of 140%, with about 40% of the population living in poverty.
Analysts have warned that government reserves are dangerously low and that the heavily indebted country has "few borrowing options".
He has pledged to cut spending by 5% of GDP in Latin America ’ s third-largest economy.
After his speech, the new president made his way on foot, then in a convertible, from the Congress building to the presidential palace, Casa Rosada, greeting his supporters, along with his sister, Carina, his closest aide.
Milley will later announce the members of a cabinet of nine ministers, a significant reduction from the current 18 ministers, Milley said: “The first set of his actions will be presented to Congress in a matter of days. ”
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Deep Economic Crisis as Backdrop**
- Milei took office amid *Argentina’s worst economic turmoil in decades*: 140% annual inflation, over 40% poverty, dire public finances, and ballooning debt.

Title:

Content: Global Economic News
Millie's attempts to liberalize Argentina's economy
366 rules changed, including privatization, housing and work
Demonstration in Argentina against the decree of President Javier Milli.
"E.B.A."
Last week, Argentina ’ s libertarian president, Javier Milley, issued a sweeping decree to change or abolish 366 economic rules in a country accustomed to heavy government intervention in the market.
The move is the first of its kind in Argentina ’ s history, as none of its democratically elected presidents has attempted such a massive dismantling of the system.
That ’ s exactly what Milley promised during his election campaign, waving a chainsaw to symbolize his attempt to cut public spending as Argentina struggles with three-figure inflation after decades of fiscal mismanagement.
However, according to Argentine law, Congress still has the power to flood Melli ’ s program.
Change of daily life
Ten days after taking office, and on the eve of the holidays, Milley presented his "necessary and urgent" decree to loosen some of the rules governing the country's economy, where annual inflation has reached 160 percent.
One big change will be the removal of all restrictions between tenant and landlord, such as laws on increasing rents.
In recent years, landlords have increasingly priced their properties in dollars to avoid falling into the rental income trap that has long been overtaken by rising inflation.
This was a nightmare for tenants in a country where access to the dollar was tightly controlled.
Melli ’ s plan also loosened labor laws, increasing the probation period for new employees from three to eight months.
Compensation for Groundless Dismissal Laws have been amended in the interest of companies, and plans are being made to renegotiate labor agreements in force since 1975.
He also lifted export restrictions and said the internet market would be liberalized.
Milley also abandoned rules preventing the privatization of government institutions, already setting his sights on the national airline and the oil company.
He also moved to limit the right to strike enshrined in the constitution.
Purpose of the decree
Milley, a figure whose rise to the country ’ s highest office surprised most observers, blames the interventionist and protectionist policies of previous governments for stifling the economy.
Before the decree was announced, the new government had already devalued the Argentine peso by more than 50 percent and announced massive cuts in generous government subsidies for fuel and transportation starting in January.
“The goal is to begin the process of rebuilding the country, restoring the freedom and independence of individuals and beginning to dismantle the vast amount of systems that have halted and hindered economic growth, ” Milley said.
One protester said: "There may be people with Stockholm syndrome.
They are fascinated by a model that impoverishes them. ”
The opposition, who was recently ousted from the government, criticized Milley for the decree, seeing it as a way to overcome his lack of a majority in Congress.
Miley Libertad Avanza, who is only two years old, has only 40 of the 257 seats in the House of Representatives and seven of the 72 seats in the Senate.
German Martinez, speaker of the parliament of the Peronist coalition, said: "Uniting for the homeland is not the right way.
They sent the reforms as bills.
“Don ’ t be afraid of democratic debate. ”
Constitutional lawyer Emiliano Vitaliani said the country's highest laws state that "in principle laws cannot be amended by decree and the president cannot replace Congress."
Political scientist Lara Guiboro said the resolution "crosses all boundaries and rules out many issues that need political agreements from Congress and the provinces."
Vitalini said the decree could be revoked if it was rejected by both houses of Congress.
Otherwise it will come into force on December 29.
Constitutional lawyer Alejandro Carrillo said in an article in the Lanacion newspaper that "the president has made a very big bet, and his success will depend on his ability to obtain legislative support that is not yet known."
It comes at a time when Argentina is stuck in the grip of an economic crisis with the highest inflation in 30 years.
Cecilia Rojas is searching every store in the vast city of Buenos Aires to find affordable gifts for her children for what is expected to be a bleak Christmas day this year as Argentina faces its worst economic crisis in decades.
Rojas, 47, said: “Before, I used to buy from a well-known toy chain, but now I ’ m looking at smaller stores nearby to find a better price.
Rojas, a psychologist, has two sons, one aged 17 and the other eight.
This year, they will each receive one gift, knowing that they have received many gifts in previous years. ”
Argentina ends the year with the highest inflation rate in the past 30 years, over 160 percent year-on-year.
The 50 percent devaluation of the peso, approved by the government of liberal President Javier Milley on Dec. 12 two days after taking office, has led to a new price spike in a country where more than 40 percent of the population is poor.
Games prices have risen by 110 to 230 percent this year, according to figures from the Argentine Chamber of Gaming Industry.
Thus, shoppers on Christmas Day should be patient and seasoned.
Ogostina Jago, a 23-year-old mother of four, said: "If you walk a little, you can find the same product in different stores at different prices."
"This year, we will buy him a gift thanks to the help we get from grandmothers and fortunately, there are many of them."
The country is also under the brunt of the radical measures of President Javier Mille ’ s new government, which has issued hundreds of decrees to revive the ailing economy.
Milley, who has pledged to cut government spending, also announced deep cuts in subsidies on fuel and the transport sector starting in January.
His government also scrapped a programme to control the prices of some goods introduced by the previous government to try to soften the impact of inflation.
Milley warned that the country was on the brink of hyperinflation and that things would get worse before they began to improve.
Alexandra Mazi, a 49-year-old schoolteacher who took part in a protest against the new measures, said: “They are starving people, using policies that have been applied in the past and have not worked, and all they are doing is impoverishing the working class. ”
Milley ’ s government has forced organizers of its first protest to pay tens of thousands of dollars to cover the cost of deploying security forces to protect it.
Euronews reported that thousands of people took part in a demonstration on Wednesday against Milley ’ s austerity measures and to commemorate the bloody 2001 protests that followed the country ’ s economic collapse.
Government spokesman Manuel Adorney said the cost of the massive deployment of police and riot police was 60 million pesos ($73,000 at the official exchange rate).
“The bill will be sent to social movements ” as they“ bear responsibility for the cost that should not be borne by citizens, ” he said.
Publish it.
More Economic News - Global

As of 2024, what are the statistics regarding poverty?

What economic issue did Milei want to address?

- Cited “no alternative to austerity,” warning citizens things would worsen before improving.

Radical Fiscal & Monetary Reforms**
- *Austerity Drive*: Pathbreaking plan to cut government spending by approximately 5% of GDP.

Title:

Content: Javier Mille as President of Argentina
T + T - normal size
Javier Milley was sworn in as Argentina ’ s president on Monday, announcing he would take “painful austerity measures ” as he seeks to cut spending and curb hyperinflation amid scarce resources.
The 53-year-old right-wing liberal economist broke tradition by addressing thousands of supporters on the steps of Congress, waving flags, chanting “freedom ” and chanting slogans in support of spending cuts.
“There is no money, ” he said, vowing to put an end to“ decades of decadence ” that have seen overspending, “no government has inherited a legacy as bad as this, ” he said, adding:“ The bottom line is that there is no alternative to austerity, there is no alternative to shock therapy. ”
Argentina has an annual inflation rate of 140%, with about 40% of the population living in poverty.
Analysts have warned that government reserves are dangerously low and that the heavily indebted country has "few borrowing options".
He has pledged to cut spending by 5% of GDP in Latin America ’ s third-largest economy.
After his speech, the new president made his way on foot, then in a convertible, from the Congress building to the presidential palace, Casa Rosada, greeting his supporters, along with his sister, Carina, his closest aide.
Milley will later announce the members of a cabinet of nine ministers, a significant reduction from the current 18 ministers, Milley said: “The first set of his actions will be presented to Congress in a matter of days. ”
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- *Devaluation*: Immediate 50% devaluation of the peso, making exports more competitive but raising import prices.

- *Subsidy Cuts*: Immediate and significant slashing of government subsidies for fuel and transport, raising costs for everyday Argentines but aiming to curb the deficit.

What issue did Milei want to address without printing money?

- Dependence on the *IMF*: Secured a $4.7 billion IMF disbursement in return for these reforms.

Title:

Content: Argentine president's reforms pass first parliamentary test
Cairo - Al Wasat Gate Saturday 03 February 2024, 09: 58 am
Argentina ’ s lower house of parliament has taken a first step toward approving the sweeping package of economic, social and political reforms put forward by President Javier Milli ’ s government, prompting angry protests from the opposition.
The bill received “general ” approval in principle on Friday in the House of Representatives, whose members will examine Melli ’ s bills in detail next week.
Ahead of the vote, Milley, 53, said on social media that lawmakers had "the opportunity to show the side of history" they wanted to be.
“History will judge them according to their work for the benefit of Argentines or for the continued impoverishment of the people. ”
Milley won a resounding victory in October's election, benefiting from anger over decades of economic crisis in the South American nation, where annual inflation exceeds 200 percent and poverty levels reach 40 percent.
Milley began his term by devaluing the peso by more than 50 percent, cutting subsidies for fuel and transport, halving the number of ministries and scrapping hundreds of measures to liberalize the economy.
His reform package touches on many areas of public and private life, from privatization to cultural issues, penal law, divorce and the status of football clubs.
Marathon debate and protests in front of parliament
The House of Representatives tentatively approved the package by 144 votes to 109 on the third day of a marathon debate accompanied by protests and confrontations in front of parliament.
The bill may be subject to amendments before being submitted to the Senate.
Lorena Viaverdi, a member of Milley ’ s far-right Progress of Freedom party, said: “We have two clear choices: either we become the world ’ s largest slum, or we continue on this path to prosperity and freedom. ”
Argentine government withdraws tax reforms from broad bill
But opposition lawmaker Leandro Santoro cited the 2001 economic and social crisis as an example of the dangers of free market reforms, saying, “We Argentines know what happens when the economic model focuses on adjustment and deregulation. ”
On Friday, police again fired tear gas at crowds of protesters in front of parliament.
It came just over a week after tens of thousands of Argentines took to the streets in a major challenge to Melli ’ s budget-cutting policies.
In support of Melli ’ s reforms, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) agreed on Wednesday to disburse about $4.7 billion to Argentina.
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Title:

Content: Javier Mille as President of Argentina
T + T - normal size
Javier Milley was sworn in as Argentina ’ s president on Monday, announcing he would take “painful austerity measures ” as he seeks to cut spending and curb hyperinflation amid scarce resources.
The 53-year-old right-wing liberal economist broke tradition by addressing thousands of supporters on the steps of Congress, waving flags, chanting “freedom ” and chanting slogans in support of spending cuts.
“There is no money, ” he said, vowing to put an end to“ decades of decadence ” that have seen overspending, “no government has inherited a legacy as bad as this, ” he said, adding:“ The bottom line is that there is no alternative to austerity, there is no alternative to shock therapy. ”
Argentina has an annual inflation rate of 140%, with about 40% of the population living in poverty.
Analysts have warned that government reserves are dangerously low and that the heavily indebted country has "few borrowing options".
He has pledged to cut spending by 5% of GDP in Latin America ’ s third-largest economy.
After his speech, the new president made his way on foot, then in a convertible, from the Congress building to the presidential palace, Casa Rosada, greeting his supporters, along with his sister, Carina, his closest aide.
Milley will later announce the members of a cabinet of nine ministers, a significant reduction from the current 18 ministers, Milley said: “The first set of his actions will be presented to Congress in a matter of days. ”
Email

Institutional Shake-Up**
- *Executive Power*: Issued sweeping decrees to push reforms, including measures that could restrict the constitutional right to strike.

How will Milei's reforms impact workers?

- *Public Sector Downsizing*: Publicly brandished a “hacksaw” at rallies, symbolizing cuts to ministries and the state bureaucracy.

Title:

Content: Monday, 11 December 2023 08: 04 GMT
Argentina ’ s President-Elect to Take Oath: A New Era Begins, but Painful Austerity Needed
(MENAFN-Al-Anbaa) Argentina ’ s new president, Javier Milley, has promised a new era for his country, but warned that the economic situation will “get worse ” before it gets better and that“ painful austerity ” is needed.
“Today begins a new era in Argentina, ” Milley said after being sworn in as president, stressing that“ no government has inherited a legacy so bad. ”
"We know the situation will get worse in the short term.
But then we will see the fruits of our efforts. ”
Milley went on to rally his supporters in front of parliament, where he was sworn in “there is no alternative to reform, there is no alternative to shock ” in budgetary matters, because“ there is no money. ”
The 53-year-old economist, who won last November ’ s presidential election, has vowed he will not accept partial measures as he inherits an economy that has faced decades of overspending, debt and currency deregulation in Latin America ’ s third-largest economy.
He confirmed that the first package of measures will be presented to Parliament within days.
Milley, who appeared frequently on television shows, entered the political arena only two years ago after drawing attention to his repeated criticism of the ruling establishment, which he accuses of "banditry".
He repeatedly raised a hacksaw during political rallies, vowing to cut public spending and the number of ministers.
He also pledged to "blow up" the central bank, replace the hard-hit peso with the US dollar and abandon presidential ministries.
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LATEST NEWS

- *Legislative Hurdles*: Lacks a congressional majority, requiring complex negotiations with opposition to pass reform packages.

Title:

Content: Argentine lawmakers approve Mili reform package after marathon debate - Sunrise Gate
Saturday 3 February 2024 9: 31 AM Cairo Cairo 24 °
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Argentine lawmakers approve Melli reform package after marathon debate
DBA
Published on: Saturday 3 February 2024 - 9: 22 AM | Last updated on Saturday 3 February 2024 - 9: 22 AM
Argentina ’ s House of Representatives has approved in principle a comprehensive package of legislation presented by the ultra-liberal government led by President Javier Milley, after a three-day marathon session.
After nearly 30 hours of debate, 144 MPs voted in favor of the reform package on Friday, against 109 who voted against it.
The package, which includes some 300 laws, provides for the transfer of part of the government's legislative powers for two years, the privatization of several state-owned companies, and amendments to tax and election laws.
Once the package is approved in principle, the debate on individual laws will begin next week.
The bill must also be approved by the Senate.
Milley does not have a majority in Congress and has had to conduct intensive negotiations in recent weeks to get MPs and other parties to back his bill.
“History will remember with respect those who understood the historical context, chose to end class privileges and did something for the people who fell into poverty and hunger for years because of the political class. ”
Economist Mille, who took office in mid-December, announced radical reforms in the country amid a severe economic crisis, with inflation above 200% and about 40% of the country ’ s population living below the poverty line.
Argentina, South America ’ s second-largest economy, suffers from a bloated administrative apparatus, low industrial productivity and a vast shadow economy that denies the country crucial tax revenues.
The Argentine currency, the peso, continues to lose more value against the US dollar, and the volume of debt is steadily expanding.
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Who has opposed Milei's proposed layoff order?

Some measures could be revoked by Congress.

Title:

Content: Javier Mille as President of Argentina
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Javier Milley was sworn in as Argentina ’ s president on Monday, announcing he would take “painful austerity measures ” as he seeks to cut spending and curb hyperinflation amid scarce resources.
The 53-year-old right-wing liberal economist broke tradition by addressing thousands of supporters on the steps of Congress, waving flags, chanting “freedom ” and chanting slogans in support of spending cuts.
“There is no money, ” he said, vowing to put an end to“ decades of decadence ” that have seen overspending, “no government has inherited a legacy as bad as this, ” he said, adding:“ The bottom line is that there is no alternative to austerity, there is no alternative to shock therapy. ”
Argentina has an annual inflation rate of 140%, with about 40% of the population living in poverty.
Analysts have warned that government reserves are dangerously low and that the heavily indebted country has "few borrowing options".
He has pledged to cut spending by 5% of GDP in Latin America ’ s third-largest economy.
After his speech, the new president made his way on foot, then in a convertible, from the Congress building to the presidential palace, Casa Rosada, greeting his supporters, along with his sister, Carina, his closest aide.
Milley will later announce the members of a cabinet of nine ministers, a significant reduction from the current 18 ministers, Milley said: “The first set of his actions will be presented to Congress in a matter of days. ”
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Political and Social Fallout**
- *Mass Protests*: Faced large-scale street demonstrations; government responded by charging protest organizers for security expenses.

Who has opposed Milei's proposed layoff order?

- *Social Fear/Uncertainty*: Widespread anxiety, shifting consumer habits due to inflation, deep skepticism among voters—even many supporters reference choosing Miles “only for his radical proposals,” not out of deep trust.

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Content: Argentines await results of first round of presidential election amid sharp economic downturn
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Argentines are anxiously awaiting the outcome of a presidential election on Sunday that could completely change the country ’ s political landscape, with far-right Javier Mille appearing to be the frontrunner.
Once one of the wealthiest countries in the world, Argentina has been in a recession for decades and has been unable to avoid financial crises manifested in debt, financial mismanagement and inflation that currently stands at 140 percent year-on-year.
Polls were closed on Sunday evening, with preliminary results expected within hours.
The electoral authorities announced that, according to preliminary estimates, the voter turnout was 74 percent of the 35 million registered voters.
The first round of elections will be followed by a runoff on November 19 unless one candidate wins at least 45% of the vote, or 40%, with a difference of 10 points or more than the nearest candidate.
Many voters say they are afraid and worried about what the election will entail, choosing between the two frontrunners — Javier Milley, Economy Minister Sergio Massa and former Security Minister Patricia Polrich.
Esteban Montenegro, a 24-year-old voter in Buenos Aires, said: “Of course I voted for Millie, but that doesn ’ t mean I have all the confidence in him or that I think he will do everything, but he ’ s the only one who makes strong and transparent proposals. ”
About 40 percent of the population lives in poverty and the middle class is virtually non-existent, with many voters seeing traditional parties as the architects of their misery.
Gabriela Paperini, 57, said: “We need a change, the country is in a disastrous state between poverty and inflation, people are in a bad situation. ”
She says she supports Bulrich but her daughter supports Millie, saying she believes he will get a lot of votes.
- Easy target amid faltering economy -
Milley, a liberal economist who founded Libertad Abanza (Freedom Advances) in 2021, surprised most experts and pollsters when he became the front-runner in the election, winning 30% of the vote in the primaries.
Milley, with his shaggy hair and self-portraying rock star personality, attracted voters with his vitriolic speeches on television and social media, vowing to overturn central bank policy and forgo the peso against the US dollar.
He campaigned on TikTok and YouTube, appeared at rallies with an electric saw and vowed to cut public spending by 15 percent.
Political science student Agustín Paletti, 22, says he will vote for Mili because the previous government "stripped young people of hope".
He added: “Everything is basically broken.
Millie won ’ t break anything. ”
Although Millie leads the polls, this poll does not prove
reliability in the past.
Analysts say anything can happen between the top three of the five candidates.
Economy Minister Sergio Massa represents the ruling centre-left Peronist coalition, a populist movement heavily dependent on state intervention and welfare programs that has dominated Argentine politics for decades but has lost popularity.
He has become an easy target for his rivals, especially after recent economic setbacks in his country.
To attract voters, Massa campaigned ahead of the election to cut income tax for a large part of the population, a move analysts say will only worsen the country ’ s already fragile financial situation.
To counter Mili, Massa ’ s government has done its best to explain to voters what it means to lose key subsidies that keep public transport, electricity and other services cheap.
- "Tired."
Former Secretary of Security Patricia Bulrich, who promises to take a tough approach to both economics and security, is also one of the frontrunners.
In her ministerial role under former President Mauricio Macri (2015-2019), Polrich is vowing to rigorously scrutinize the value of social assistance, cut the budget and liberalize the exchange rate, as well as put an end to the frequent demonstrations that dominate daily life in Buenos Aires.
Bollrich has not kept its promise to contain spending despite a record $44 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund that saved Argentina 22 times despite numerous defaults.
Irene Landa considers Polrich "the most cohesive" of the other candidates.
Voting for Millie would be like giving a gun to a monkey, she says, “but I think people are so fed up and so tired that they believe what he ’ s saying. ”
Andres Bornstein, an economist in Buenos Aires, says voters are fed up with “corrupt and incompetent politicians who have never cared about a principle we learn in high school, that we shouldn ’ t spend more than we earn. ”
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**5. International and Domestic Polarization**
- *International Responses*: Endorsed by market-oriented sectors and the IMF; criticized or labeled by leftist governments (e.g., Venezuela’s Maduro) as “far-right” or “neo-Nazi”.

- *Nature of Support*: Election marked more by rejection of status quo than positive enthusiasm for Milei’s agenda.

Governance Style**
- *Outsider, Confrontational Approach*: Leveraged outsider status, sharp rhetoric, and populist style—symbolized by the hacksaw—for aggressive institutional changes.

- *Reliance on Decrees*: Pushing major reforms through executive orders in the face of legislative obstacles.

- **Political Institutions:** Test of Argentina’s checks/balances—potential for confrontation between executive and legislative branches.

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Content: Argentina, which suffers from tensions rarely seen since the return of democratic rule 40 years ago, will see the second round of presidential elections between centrist Sergio Massa and liberal Javier Mille on Sunday.
Inflation, one of the highest rates in the world (143% in a year), poverty affecting 40% of the population despite welfare programs, crippling debt and currency depreciation, are defining the voting cycle that Argentines hope will bring them out of the economic crisis.
Despite Milley ’ s slight lead in the polls, analysts expect a “close vote. ”
Plans to revive Latin America ’ s third-largest economy appear highly conflicted.
On the one hand, Massa, 51, is a seasoned politician who held the economics portfolio for 16 months in a center-left government from which he distanced himself.
He promises a “government of national unity ” and gradual economic reform, while preserving the social welfare that is essential in Argentina.
Milley, 53, an economist who describes himself as a “anarchist capitalist, ” faces him in controversial television appearances and entered politics two years ago.
This liberal vowed to get rid of the "parasitic class", "trim the hostile state" and dollarize the economy.
The rivalry between these two candidates comes as Argentines move “from crisis to crisis, on the verge of psychological collapse, ” according to Ana Ibaragueri, an analyst at GBAO Strategies.
Prices have risen from month to month and even week to week, while wages, including the minimum wage, have fallen to 146,000 pesos ($400).
Rents have reached levels beyond the reach of many, and women heads of households barter for what they need, as happened after the severe economic crisis of 2001.
A study by the University of Buenos Aires earlier this year found that 68 percent of young people aged 18 to 29 would be willing to emigrate if given the chance.
"It's about to explode."
Matthias Issokorian, a 19-year-old student who is leaning towards Mili and his "passion" despite the lack of "political experience", said the change could be beneficial.
Maximo Alberti, an undecided student who is voting for the first time after the age of 17, believes that “the economy is about to explode, that ’ s what we ’ re seeing.
But education and public health are of great concern to me. ”
“I don ’ t like either one of them, one of them (Massa) brought problems, but the other (Millie) has very explosive thoughts. ”
The undecided, who make up 10% of the electorate according to estimates, will be decisive in the outcome of the second round.
Massa led the way in the first round with 37 percent of the vote, against 30 percent for Milley.
Despite winning the support of many “angry ” voters in the first round, Milley ’ s speech, his desire to cut public spending in a country where 51 percent of the population receives social aid, and his intention to facilitate the purchase of weapons, also raised concerns.
"Vote without fear."
The "anti-establishment" candidate toned down his rhetoric between the two rounds.
"Vote without fear, because fear is powerless and in the interests of the status quo."
Gabriel Fumarro, a professor of political science at the University of San Martin, said that what “affects now is more rejection (of one candidate or another) than support ” for one of them.
Political analyst Belén Amadeo considered that "what unites us is not love, but fear," in a quote from the famous Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges.
Ibaragiri said the only thing certain was to make “quick economic decisions that would be painful ” whoever wins on Sunday.
The country is under pressure to rein in spending and repay a $44 billion loan it received in 2018 from the International Monetary Fund due to a sharp fall in foreign exchange reserves.
Further aggravating the situation, Milley ’ s camp has in recent weeks alluded to attempts at fraud, without filing a formal complaint.
Five people were arrested on Friday and Saturday for threatening Massa and his family on social media.
"Beware of the very bad role models of (former US President Donald) Trump and (former Brazilian President Jair) Bolsonaro" for not accepting the election results, Massa said.
Some 36 million people are registered for the vote, which will take place between 8: 00 am (1100 GMT) and 6: 00 pm (2100 GMT).
The new President is scheduled to take office on 10 December.

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Content: Argentina ’ s Trump was elected to scrap the central bank ’ s switch to the US dollar and freeze relations with China
▲ Argentine presidential candidate Javier Milei will take office on December 10. (Photo / Dazhi Images / Associated Press)
Journalist Wu Mei-yi / Comprehensive Report
Argentina ’ s president-elect Javier Milei, who is set to take office on December 10, has been described as an “irate far-right liberal ” and has even been dubbed“ Argentina ’ s Trump ”, vowing to fight inflation and carry out sweeping reforms, calling for the abolition of the central bank ’ s switch to the dollar, the abolition of most government ministries, the legalization of organ trade, and the freezing of relations with China.
But its victory has been praised by rightists around the world, and even Tesla CEO Musk is very optimistic.
On the night of his victory, Mirai won with 56% of the vote, far ahead of his center-left rival Sergio Massa ’ s 44%, declaring, “Today, the reconstruction of Argentina begins. ”
That night, however, the streets of Buenos Aires were filled with joy, celebration, worry and anger, with supporters excited and looking forward to the changes ahead, while leftists expressed shock and frustration.
Mirei has promised major reforms to address the “tragic reality ” of Argentina, where up to 40% of its 45 million citizens are trapped in poverty and inflation has soared to 140%.
But the Guardian says he could push South America ’ s second-largest economy into an unpredictable and potentially volatile future.
▲ Mirei supporters took to the streets to celebrate, but many people expressed concern and frustration.
(Photo / Dazhi Imaging / Associated Press)
The 53-year-old promised tax cuts, the abolition of the central bank, the abandonment of the peso to the dollar, the abolition of government ministries from 18 to 8, the phasing out of social welfare programs, and the severing of ties with two major trading partners, Brazil and China.
He opposes abortion and euthanasia, supports legalization of the sex trade, drug trade, and organ trade, and wants to privatize schools and the health care system.
Mirei was also described as eccentric, with many radical ideas, who denied the impact of climate change and questioned the history of the autocratic government ’ s crackdown on dissidents from 1976 to 1983, which killed 30,000 people and angered millions.
However, Mirei ’ s victory was also congratulated by far-right figures around the world.
Former US President Trump tweeted, "The world is watching! I am very proud of you."
You will turn your country upside down and really make Argentina great again.
“Argentina ’ s prosperity lies ahead, ” said X boss and Tesla CEO, Jair Bolsonaro, a former president of Brazil, calling it a triumph of“ honesty, progress and freedom, ” and “hope shines again in South America. ”
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