Argentina's Trump bound for Presidency?

[Jamalisms]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/22/argentina-javier-milei-presidential-election

 

The guy is as much a wildcard as can be imagined and, interesting to me, the people I know in Argentina all want him in. These are educated people and liberals who have even lived outside Argentina (which certainly has its challenges) for many years.

 

They admit that Argentina has so many challenges that many people, themselves included, just want to explore a different path ... but much of what they discuss as problems for Argentina are perceptions that it's the poor who are lazy and that's the problem, not abuses by those in power. In his words, people have kids, no job and are maybe children of veterans and so they make money and are trained not to work. The problem isn't the chef but the recipe (socialist policies).

 

This guy is a former tantric sex coach, is going to abolish the central bank, do away with pubic health and education and allow people to sell their organs. He has the support of Bolsonaro, among others, and has already decried irregularities in the primary, arguing 2.5-5% of votes weren't counted.

 

And, yes, he's a big fan of Trump.

[begooode]

The story of Argentina’s politics always seems tied to monetary policies and inflation/hyperinflation. It’s been bad for the last decade, and I could certainly understand their people becoming desperate for anyone who can claim to fix it.

 

 

Edited October 22, 2023 by begooode

[Jamalisms]

Early returns have him in second place (there will be a second round of voting).

 

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/10/22/argentina-presidential-vote-massa-00122957

[headhunter]

Hopefully Trudeau gets voted out in Canada, he's destroying that country

[Starkiller]

57 minutes ago, headhunter said:

Hopefully Trudeau gets voted out in Canada, he's destroying that country

By doing… what?

[headhunter]

5 minutes ago, Starkiller said:

By doing… what?

He's destroying Canada 

[Jamalisms]

Maybe Trump can move there and make them great again instead.

[headhunter]

9 minutes ago, Jamalisms said:

Maybe Trump can move there and make them great again instead.

He probably would over Trudeau 

[Starkiller]

21 minutes ago, headhunter said:

He's destroying Canada 

 

26 minutes ago, Starkiller said:

By doing… what?

 

[WG53]

5 hours ago, Starkiller said:

 

 

He can't answer. That would involve critical thinking. That's the rights kryptonite.

[nine]

Canada's covid infection and covid-related death rates under Trudeau have been 60-70% lower than that of the United States.  

 

I won't pretend to know anything about Trudeau's politics....but at least he didn't publicly mock the medical community or encourage Canadians to ignore medical science.      And the numbers clearly show Canada's response to the pandemic was far more effective than the United States.

[Starkiller]

14 minutes ago, nine said:

Canada's covid infection and covid-related death rates under Trudeau have been 60-70% lower than that of the United States.  

 

I won't pretend to know anything about Trudeau's politics....but at least he didn't publicly mock the medical community or encourage Canadians to ignore medical science.      And the numbers clearly show Canada's response to the pandemic was far more effective than the United States.

People are upset because of inflation, which again is a global issue. They have the same problems that we do. It’s no more Trudeau's fault than it is Biden's or any other individual country's political leader. 

[Strunk'sDessert]

Man, really interesting socio-political conversation derailed. 

[Jamalisms]

And he got elected. 

 

https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentina-readies-vote-likely-presidential-election-thriller-2023-11-19/

 

Argentina elected right-wing libertarian Javier Milei as its new president on Sunday, rolling the dice on an outsider with radical views to fix an economy battered by triple-digit inflation, a looming recession and rising poverty.

 

Milei, who rode a wave of voter anger with the political mainstream, won by a wider-than-expected margin. He landed some 56% of the vote versus just over 44% for his rival, Peronist Economy Minister Sergio Massa, who conceded.

 

... Milei is pledging economic shock therapy. His plans include shutting the central bank, ditching the peso, and slashing spending, potentially painful reforms that resonated with voters angry at the economic malaise.

 

... Milei's challenges are enormous. He will have to deal with the empty coffers of the government and central bank, a creaking $44 billion debt program with the International Monetary Fund, inflation nearing 150% and a dizzying array of capital controls.

 

... Milei's win shakes up Argentina's political landscape and economic roadmap, and could impact trade in grains, lithium and hydrocarbons. Milei has criticized China and Brazil, saying he won't deal with "communists," and favors stronger U.S. ties.

 

Despite that, Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva wished Milei luck and success after the result was announced, adding that it was important democracy was respected.

 

Former U.S. President Donald Trump congratulated Milei and said the libertarian would make Argentina great again.

 

Leftist Colombian President Gustavo Petro, meanwhile, said it was a "sad day" for the region.

 

... Milei is staunchly anti-abortion, favors looser gun laws and has criticized Argentine Pope Francis. He used to carry a chainsaw in a symbol of his planned cuts but shelved it in recent weeks to help boost his moderate image.

 

After October's first-round vote, Milei struck an uneasy alliance with the conservatives. But he faces a highly fragmented Congress, with no single bloc having a majority, meaning that he will need to get backing from other factions to push through legislation. Milei's coalition also does not have any regional governors or mayors.

 

That may temper some of his more radical proposals. Long-suffering voters are likely to have little patience, and the threat of social unrest is never far below the surface.

 

His backers say only he can uproot the political status quo and economic malaise that has dogged South America's second-largest economy for years.

[reo]

Don't really know anything about him except that he's being compared to Trump and backed by Bolsonaro.. both of which would lead me to believe he's connected to the push for fascism in multiple countries atm.