Who is Javier Milei? How wild-haired TV pundit ignited Argentine rage to become president
- Libertarian Javier Milei has upended Argentine politics by winning the presidency in a massive upset
- His aggressive, theatrical style has led some to compare him to former US president Donald Trump
When Argentine libertarian Javier Milei announced his entry into politics in 2020 in a bid to “blow up” the system, few predicted that three years later the wild-haired economist and former TV pundit could reach the presidency. Now he’s pulled it off.
Milei has railed against the “thieves” of the political elite, praised gangster Al Capone for his free-market credentials and on live TV smashed a piñata of the central bank, which he blames for contributing to Argentina’s triple-digit inflation and intends to shut.
Results showed Milei on around 56 per cent of the vote and Massa on 44 per cent. Massa conceded defeat in a speech.
Milei’s aggressive and theatrical style – from superhero costumes to wielding a chainsaw to illustrate his plans to cut down the size of the state – has led some to compare him to Donald Trump in the United States or Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil.
