Conservatives in the United States have a new beacon: Argentine President Javier Milei.
The libertarian's viral videos criticizing progressivism and excessive state spending caught the eyes of Americans amidst the Argentine presidential campaign. However, his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos has truly galvanized the nation's conservatives.
Milei's speech captured the attention of several prominent right-wing figures in the United States, such as former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who recently withdrew from the Republican primary race to endorse Donald Trump.
👏 👏 👏 https://t.co/Zvy35kTOOj
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) January 17, 2024
Benny Johnson, a popular American conservative commentator, also had praise for Milei.
“President of Argentina Javier Milei STUNS room of globalists at the World Economic Forum into SILENCE after exposing them to their faces for destroying the West,” Johnson wrote on X (formerly Twitter), uploading a clip from Milei's speech.
President of Argentina Javier Milei STUNS room of globalists at the World Economic Forum into SILENCE after exposing them to their faces for destroying the West 🔥🔥🔥:
“I'm here to tell you that the western world is in danger and it is endangered because those who are supposed… pic.twitter.com/PRxFmmuB9f
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 17, 2024
Collin Rugg, another popular conservative commentator, published a lengthy video of Milei's speech accompanied by the following text: “President of Argentina Javier Milei demolishes socialism in front of a bunch of socialists at the World Economic Forum.”
NEW: President of Argentina Javier Milei demolishes socialism in front of a bunch of socialists at the World Economic Forum.
🔥🔥🔥
“I'm here to tell you that the western world is in danger and it is endangered because those who are supposed to have to defend the values of the… pic.twitter.com/Bcnq3V94mO
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 17, 2024
Milei's speech, lasting more than 23 minutes, undoubtedly shocked the world. International media, regardless of their political leanings, described the speech as a blow to the heads of the Western bureaucrats present in Davos, who went from welcoming the new Argentine president with applause and smiles to visibly lamenting the libertarian's criticism.
Throughout his speech, Milei spoke about how progressives demonize capitalism from the comfort of academia, how governments in the western world are opening the doors to socialism. He even condemned the different global agendas that he considers immoral, among them abortion and radical environmentalism that aims to suppress emerging economies.
"Those countries that should defend the free market and sectors of the 'establishment,' some due to mistakes and others due to ambition for power, are undermining the foundations of libertarianism, opening the doors to socialism, condemning us to poverty," was one of most forceful quotes from the president's speech.
"We must not forget that socialism is an impoverishing phenomenon, which failed in every country where it was attempted. It was an economic, social, and cultural failure, and it also murdered more than 100 million human beings," the Argentine president said.
Author and commentator Liz Wheeler was another of the conservative figures who highlighted Milei's speech in Davos: "President of Argentina Javier Milei SLAMS the globalists at the World Economic Forum, calling them then root of the problems in society. Based."
President of Argentina Javier Milei SLAMS the globalists at the World Economic Forum, calling them then root of the problems in society. Based.
— Liz Wheeler (@Liz_Wheeler) January 17, 2024
Jordan Peterson, prestigious Canadian psychologist and conservative speaker, also shared Milei's speech on X.
— Dr Jordan B Peterson (@jordanbpeterson) January 17, 2024
Philanthropist Joe Lonsdale, founder of the University of Austin, also published one of Milei's clips where the Argentine president questioned “collectivist experiments.”
“The western world is in danger… collectivist experiments are never the solution to the problems that afflict the citizens of the world.” ~ Milei at Davos
This includes ESG, DEI, an unaccountable regulatory state, govt-run education or healthcare, and other misguided ideas! pic.twitter.com/slN7Zc5zBT
— Joe Lonsdale (@JTLonsdale) January 17, 2024
Several conservative English-speaking media such as The Post Millennial, Townhall.com, Rebel News, True North and Citizen Free Press shared excerpts from Milei's speech on their X accounts, as did several viral American accounts such as End Wokeness and The Vigilant Fox.
President Milei just went to the WEF and called out the Davos elites to their faces
His full speech (English):
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) January 17, 2024
Argentina President Javier Milei Promotes Freedom at Davos 2024 (Full Speech)
Yesterday, Milei said he wanted "to plant the ideas of freedom in a forum that is contaminated by the 2030 socialist agenda." Today, he did just that — and more:
"The main leaders of the Western world… pic.twitter.com/bR312lkaY0
— The Vigilant Fox 🦊 (@VigilantFox) January 17, 2024
“Milei knocked it out of the park. Leftism does not work,” wrote commentator Ian Miles Cheong.
Milei knocked it out of the park. Leftism does not work. https://t.co/Fa0cquIIJ5
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) January 17, 2024
Milei's successes so far
The Argentine president's speech in Davos comes just one month after his inauguration.
Unlike many presidents, who use the first month to define their plan, Milei began working from day one to address the severe economic crisis that is plaguing Argentina. In his first weeks as president, he repealed 100 laws, approved a package of measures to deregulate the economy and also sent a bill to the Argentine Congress to further reduce public spending.
The measures are paying off for Milei in terms of popularity. According to Infobae, Milei boasts a high approval rating, with 63% of Argentines supporting his performance.
Likewise, some Milei measures have already shown tangible benefits. For example, after repealing the Rental Law, a measure that severely regulated the real estate market, apartment rental prices fell, and supply rose considerably in Buenos Aires after a notable period of scarcity.
In addition, Milei has already begun to save money for Argentine taxpayers by cutting public privileges and various unnecessary expenses such as controversial private flights for politicians.
In total, according to Milei, using commercial planes instead of private flights allowed the state to save Argentine taxpayers $392,000.
