Bienvenido to the New Presidente of Argentina- Javier Milei

Grab your popcorn boys, girls and enbies.

He's already coming for the Falklands...

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12774231/Argentinas-new-president-vowed-Falklands-saying-non-negotiable-Britain-hand-compares-UK-returning-Hong-Kong-China.html

Argentina believes the Falklands were illegally taken from it in 1833 and invaded the British colony in 1982. The United Kingdom sent troops and Argentina lost the two-month war for the archipelago in a conflict that claimed the lives of 649 Argentines and 255 British soldiers.

Argentina still claims the islands while Britain says the Falklands are a self-governing entity under its protection. A 2013 referendum there resulted in a 99.8 per cent vote to remain British. 

Milei insisted during his presidential campaign, which saw him revving a chainsaw to symbolically cut the state down to size, that questions over the future of the Falkland Islands 'cannot be ignored'. 

He said: 'What do I propose? Argentina's sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands is non-negotiable. The Malvinas are Argentine.

'Now we have to see how we are going to get them back. It is clear that the war option is not a solution.

'What we are proposing is to move towards a solution like the one England had with China over the Hong Kong issue and that in this context the position of the people who live on the islands cannot be ignored.

His other plans include:

• Taking his chainsaw to the central bank
• Ditching the peso for the $
• Slashing spending

He also seeks counsel from his dogs who are all clones of his original (now dead) dog Conan who he still seeks counsel from through a medium.

It won't be long until Argentinians are wishing a hearty "Bienvenido" to the IMF.

May the road rise to meet ye, Argentina.

pjohnson

The Chainsaw wielding former tantric sex coach.

Seems completely sane alright.

humberklog

This made me laugh.

Atlantic Dawn

Anyone that brings black leather jackets back in to fashion gets my vote 😁

TokTik

Couldn’t be any worse than what we have here. Beige, Eu-centric, yes men who have taken the chainsaw to nationalism.

HalloweenJack

He says that the position of the people on the island cannot be ignored. These people vote overwhelmingly to remain under British protection so surely theres no debate on the matter.

I'm intrigued to see how he does. Like communism and anarchism, libertarian ideas interest me in theory. As we have seen with communism, the practical side was a disaster and anarchism seems to only function on a very small scale. That such a hardline libertarian is coming into power in a desperate country suggests he'll have a lot of support.

However, it'll be interesting to see what policies he can actually get through. His party does not control either of the two houses of government so any legislation he manages to get voted through will be watered down and he'll have a readymade excuse if it doesn't deliver what he promised or if the libertarian experiment ends in tears.

I don't know much he truly believes all the nonsense about his dogs. I suspect he's doing it to build up his own myth because the alternative, that he really believes he met his faithful dog 2,000 years ago in the Colosseum and he uses a medium to access the dog's advice, would suggest that he ought to be kept well away from power.

ElJaguar

If only Permabear was still here...

ancapailldorcha

I'm just seeing another corporate crank here along the lines of Boris Johnson or Nigel Farage, stoolies out to make sure that rich people pay as little as possible. Look past the bombast and that's all there ever is with these people.

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121395157#Comment_121395157

Cause the likes of Orban, Trump, Johnson and Duterte were stellar leaders that valued democracy? Yes, it can absolutely be far worse than Irish leaders....

SuperBowserWorld

The numbers that died in the Falklands war is tiny compared to Ukraine, Gaza, ... and what a big deal was made about that conflict.

Honestly, we really are in precarious times at the moment.

And the leaders today have very little experience in dealing with real conflicts and are besotted and beholden to social media fads and judgement.

SEPT 23 1989

if you enter political negotiations with a chainsaw idling on the table you already have the upper hand

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121395393#Comment_121395393

That's because Thatcher was becoming unpopular in the UK so she used the war to boost herself as much as possible.

timmyntc

Argentina is an economic basketcase, what have they got to lose

Senor Milei is a bit of a Paddy...

The Economist: Is there a country model you want to follow?

Javier Milei: Ireland. In terms of freedom. In fact it is a miracle, it is the Celtic miracle. It was one of the most miserable countries in Europe and today it is one of the best countries in Europe. It has a GDP per capita of $120,000.

In 30 years, if I am not mistaken, the gdp per capita increased sixfold, from 20,000 to 120,000. And that is because they made pro-market reforms.

Where you give way to freedom, society flourishes. Not only economically, but it flourishes also in social aspects. There is a phrase by [Frédéric] Bastiat that is wonderful, which says: “Where commerce enters, bullets do not enter.”

And there is another wonderful phrase that is by Bertrand de Jouvenel who says: “Where there is a market, manners are sweet.”

Because your only mechanism to be successful in capitalism is to serve your fellow man with better quality goods at a better price. You may hate the other person, but you are obliged to treat him well.

The Economist: So for you the pro-market reforms also helped end Ireland’s civil war?

Javier Milei: Exactly. Wars are always driven by states, not by individuals.

https://www.economist.com/news/2023/09/07/an-interview-with-javier-milei

silverharp

the one intelligent criticism of him I came across was that his platform looks like an IMF wet dream, and funnily enough Argentina is their biggest Debtor owing them over $40bn dollars

he will be entertaining though , no easy girl and boy jobs on the taxpayer dime lol

https://twitter.com/JoeyMannarinoUS/status/1726772293211246674

Beta Ray Bill

There are some great videos on the history of Argentina on youtube. And it's fall from Economical powerhouse to an economical laughing stock.

They have a diverse workforce, huge and varied natural resources, their decline is really quite incredible.

In a nutshell, terrible decision making, cronyism and a failure to diversify from one or two core industry's caused an absolute collapse of the economy which opened the door to right wing nutcases like Galtieri taking charge. (sound familiar?)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WUo42e0Tpw

Bienvenido is a head case!

circadian

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121394972#Comment_121394972

Getting Fred Dibnah vibes from this lad. Or 90's Madchester.

Cordell

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121395571#Comment_121395571

And if you ever lose the upper hand, you still have a chainsaw so you can get a new upper hand.

TokTik

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121395365#Comment_121395365

I’d prefer Orban and Trump over anything we have. Both care about their citizens over the citizens of the world.

clampedusa

He should forget about the malvinas.

Using that issue as a tool for public support is a bad move, and Im sure any such talk is just empty vote winning rhetoric anyway.

If Argentina does actually want them then the right strategy is to let it go for a decade or two. Then go at it from a new angle.

ancapailldorcha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121396158#Comment_121396158

Not going to happen. They're British and British completely from any angle you care to look at it. It's a stupid thing for an Argentine state to waste their time on. Ironically, they could learn the lessons of Brexit and tell people they have to move on.

clampedusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121396199#Comment_121396199

Go back and read it again. I said leave it be for now.

timmyntc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121395836#Comment_121395836

Right wing nutter in Chile did wonders for the Chilean economy however. The only country not mired by USSR influence and socialist corruption of the 20th century.

Chile up until recently was doing quite well relative to the rest of SudAm

eightieschewbaccy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121396059#Comment_121396059

So wannabe tyrants are your golden star...

Wanderer78

sounds like a right fcuking idiot, but then again, the country has been a basket case for a very long time, so people are desperate, you can be sure, they ll be far more desperate after this fool!

foxsake

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121395365#Comment_121395365

well yes.

crusd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121396059#Comment_121396059

Trump doesn't even care about his own children. Nevermind citizens. All he cares about is his ego.

On Argentina, this can of course be expected to be a resounding success as historically South American countries with populist demagogues as leader have had nothing but success, the poor have not suffered dis-proportionally, repression of freedoms has not always been the next step and has led to nothing but stability.

taratee

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121396467#Comment_121396467

Totally agree. The country is a total mess. People are desperate for change and this guy is one hell of gamble.

AbusesToilets

Libertarianism is an utter inane and idiotic philosophy, it exists to justify the wealthy exploiting everyone else to their benefit. Whenever I see a person espousing the ideas, it's a sure sign that you can safely ignore everything they're going to say.

Be shocked if this doesn't end in tears.

Wanderer78

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121396851#Comment_121396851

...oh this is gonna end very very badly, particularly when the orange fella moves back into the big white place....

Seth Brundle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121396482#Comment_121396482

Trump doesn't even care about his own children. Nevermind citizens. All he cares about is his ego.

To be fair, he does really like his daughter!!!!!