Latin American ally receives congratulations from Trump for election victory

Javier Milei, the libertarian nominee for president of Argentina, has received congratulations from former US President Donald Trump. Self-described “anarcho-capitalist” Milei has drawn comparisons between himself and Trump because of his outspoken nature and attacks on Argentina’s “political caste.”

In a runoff election on Sunday, Economy Minister Sergio Massa was beaten by Milei, who received roughly 56% of the vote to Massa’s 44%. Pre-election opinion surveys showed Milei leading Massa by a narrow margin; nevertheless, Milei’s 11-point triumph disregarded such results.

Everyone on the planet was observing! I’m really happy for you. You’ll rebuild your nation and genuinely make Argentina great once more. On Sunday, Trump posted a message on his Truth Social platform.

Both Milei and Trump pledged to overthrow the political system in their home nations when they entered politics as outsiders. His vehement statements criticising Argentina’s “political caste” were reminiscent of Trump’s attacks on the “swamp” of Washington, DC. Both candidates won on platforms that included cutting social spending, reining in inflation, and adopting a tough stance against China’s rising influence.

READ ALSO: Judge orders Trump’s lawyers to rein in their client’s behavior

Referring to himself as a “anarcho-capitalist,” Milei has pledged to dissolve more than half of the Argentine government’s departments, replace the Argentine peso as the national currency, and destroy the nation’s central bank.

His win puts an end to the Peronist party’s nearly two decades of dominance. Since 1946, the left-wing political machine has won ten of the thirteen presidential elections in which it has been permitted to compete. In the previous ten years, the peso has dropped to a record low versus the US dollar, the percentage of Argentinians living in poverty has increased to 40%, and inflation has skyrocketed to around 150%.

“The decadent model has run its course. “There’s no going back,” Milei said on Sunday during her victory speech. “Enough of the caste system’s depressing influence. Today, in an effort to regain our position as a global force, we once more adopt the liberty model.