Global Courant 2023-05-15 03:12:13
The libertarian candidate filled the José Hernández Hall of the Book Fair in the presentation of his book The End of Inflation, together with the economist Alberto Benegas Lynch.
There were more than 2,000 people between those who filled the room and those who were waiting for him outside. In a speech lasting about an hour, Javier Milei asked to “take the knife away from the monkey”, in an open criticism of what he calls caste and said “You are not God” to “garbage politicians”.
Beyond his usual verbiage, a more attenuated Milei was noted from the discursive, in what seemed to be a turn achieved from his campaign team. He appealed to his technical knowledge to explain the phenomenon of inflation and how Kirchnerism took it from 10% per year in 2007 to 150% per year by the end of 2023, according to his calculations.
Milei equally criticized the “Frente de Chorros” and “Juntos por el Cargo”, describing them as “thieves”. The people present received him and said goodbye to the cry of “President, President”
But a space was also made to question an old libertarian ally like José Luis Espert. He accused him of being a “traitor and criminal” whom he defined as a “pseudoliberal economist” and was harsher with him, for joining Together for Change and seeking to be a candidate for president in an internship with Horacio Rodríguez Larreta and Patricia Bullrich.
“How liberal can a guy be who advocates stealing from good Argentines? A criminal, a traitor! That’s why he joined the ranks of Together for Change,” Milei snapped, to the applause of the audience. Espert, it should be remembered, has the support of all sectors of Together for Change, except the PRO, which has not yet resolved whether to add it to the coalition.
Milei’s small circle was present at the Book Fair event, highlighting her sister Karina, the economist’s right hand, as well as who will be her candidate for vice president, the national deputy Victoria Villaruel.
Such was the overflow of the talk that at the Book Fair, security did not let Ramiro Marra into the room for a long time. Marra is the main side of Milei at the Buenos Aires level and is shaping up to be his candidate for head of Government in the City of Buenos Aires.
Javier Milei, pre-candidate for President. Photo: Reuters.
One of the moments most celebrated by the attendees was when Milei, referring to her idea of ending the Central Bank, asked them if they were willing to “take the knife from the monkey”, alluding to the control that the political class has of the main body financial.
And he went further, by stating that politicians believe they are “God.” Faced with this, he maintained: “You, the garbage politicians”, are not God “. “If they leave the Central Bank to the political jets of Argentina, they will harass them as they have been doing since 1935,” he assured.
There were also mentions of the peso as “that damn currency that nobody wants”, further propping up his dollarization plan, which had been highly questioned in recent weeks by the entire political class.
As a corollary, he insisted with his criticism of the entire political arc. He called the radicals “champions of robbery, just like the Civic Coalition and the warm popcorn of the Pro.” And of the Frente de Todos, he maintained: “I am not talking about the others because it is obvious, naming them is talking about jets.”
Milei’s visit to the Book Fair consolidated the growth of the libertarian, for now reflected in the polls. “No politician genuinely moves this,” they said close to him. That sensation remained in the air: beyond a stand at the door that promoted it, almost no libertarian militants were seen and most of those present were not identified with clothing alluding to Libertad Avanza.
The act was very different from the one he had led exactly one year ago in El Porvenir, in Lanús, when he brought just over 1,500 people to an open stadium, on a very cold day. This time, in a closed room, he collapsed and there were many who were left out of the talk in which he confirmed that he leads a phenomenon that does not stop growing.
