Praise for the free market, warnings about the “socialist” drift of the West and criticism of the free market “collectivism” of the “last 100 years” in Argentina. This is the letter with which President Javier Milei presented himself yesterday before the eyes of world leaders and owners of the largest assets when he gave his first speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he also met the IMF.
“There has never been a time of greater prosperity in the entire history of humanity than the one we live in today. Today’s world is freermore peaceful and more prosperous…free enterprise capitalism and economic freedom have been extraordinary tools for put an end to poverty in the worldand we find ourselves today in the best moment in history”, he celebrated.
Milei interrupted with a speech of strong libertarian tone, without mentioning the adjustment plan that it carries out and the challenges it faces in controlling inflation which has reached 211% per year and exchange rate pressures, after applying a 55% devaluation in December together with a hard cut in public spending and a package of reforms supported by the United States.
The economic program was addressed in the subsequent meeting between Milei, the Chief of Staff, Nicolás Posse, and the Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo, in their first face-to-face with the head of the International Monetary Fund, Kristalina Georgieva, who proposed “profound economic and social challenges and decisive measures to reduce inflation”.
In his presentation, the President focused on the past: “A country that at the beginning of the 20th century was the richest country in the world, today has almost 50% of the population below the poverty line and 10% destitute, while Argentina is a country that produces food for 400 people. million… Where does all that food go? The answer is that the State keeps 70%“, he has declared.
In this context, the Head of State argued that Argentina is the demonstration of failure of “collectivist” policies. “If you take measures that hinder the free functioning of markets, free competition, free pricing systems, if you hinder trade, if you attack private property, the only possible fate is poverty,” he added.
The assault against the regulations and previous efforts coincided with difficulties faced by the ruling party negotiate the approval of the contained economic reform in the omnibus law amid pressure from governors, entrepreneurs and the CGT, which maintains the general strike called next week against the DNU.
From the exclusive Swiss Alpine village, where the official delegation participated for two days, Milei explained that Argentina became impoverished when it abandoned the “model of freedom” adopted in 1860 which 35 years later transformed it into a “world power “, and held up the country as an example of what could happen to rich Western countries if they followed the path of “serfdom”.
“The West is in danger because those who should defend Western values find themselves co-opted by a worldview that leads inexorably to socialism and, consequently, poverty”, he warned, and in a message addressed to the selected audience he underlined: “Do not be intimidated by castes or parasites who live off the state.”
Defying the spirit of the Forum, which promotes public-private cooperation, Milei said this to the entrepreneurs present “They are social benefactors and heroes”, and that “the State is not the solution, it is the problem itself”. “You are the true protagonists of this story and you know it from today “They count on Argentina as an unconditional ally”he concluded his 25-minute message.
During the day, Milei met with the British Chancellor, David Cameron, to “deepen trade ties, the support they will give to the International Monetary Fund and how to promote British investments in Argentina”, while Posse, Caputo and the Chancellor, Diana Mondino , spoke on two panels on the economic reforms promoted by Milei and met entrepreneurs and politicians.
Source: Clarin
