Ultraliberal economist Javier Millais (53) will become Argentina’s next president after winning the second round of Sunday’s presidential election, his rival, centrist Economy Minister Sergio Massa, announced, conceding defeat on Sunday night, AFP and Agerpres note.

Calling himself the “king of the jungle” and wielding an electric saw during the election campaign, Javier Miley is rocking Argentine politics at a delicate moment for the Latin American country.

Batman and Joker. A man disguised as a lion and another whose heads and arms have been replaced by chainsaws. This is not a carnival or a festival of comics, but an extravagant campaign rally of Argentine presidential candidate Javier Millay.

A right-wing populist, Miley went from the popularity of television studios and successful monologues peppered with outbursts of anger against the “political caste” (which he considered responsible for Argentina’s perennial economic problems) to the nomination of a presidential candidate in just a few years. .

The ultra-liberal economist managed to achieve what others failed to do: he fit into the space between the Peronism of the “Frente de Todos” party and the followers of former president Mauricio Macri, represented by the “Juntos por el Cambio” party. Hence his motto: “I came not to lead the lambs, I came to wake up the lions,” writes Euronews, as quoted by Rador Radio Romania.

Milea’s success seems to lie in his ability to channel the anger Argentines feel toward the ruling class amid triple-digit inflation and rising poverty. Annual price growth is 140%, and over 40% of the population is struggling to make ends meet.

“He speaks like a layman, like one of us, that’s why he’s so popular,” explains Rodrigo Aguera, an Argentinian waiter who lives in Barcelona. “I’m for change,” he says, but “we have to see what happens next, because at the end of the day politicians are always politicians, they say one thing and then do another.”

From a showman to a presidential candidate

Until recently, Miley was considered a minor figure in Argentine politics, but in 2021 Miley was able to parlay his success as a television talk show host into a seat in the Chamber of Deputies, the lower house of Argentina’s Congress.

He later launched a long-shot presidential bid that shook Argentina’s political establishment when he won the largest number of votes in local elections in August, seen as a key poll of voter preferences.

“He is a person who does not understand the political system. Neither electoral nor executive power. He has no experience in city or local government management. How can we expect him to lead the country?” asks Candela Kantor, director of student culture. “He is surrounded by people he wants to put in charge of ministries, people who are closely connected to the worst crisis in Argentina,” she adds.

Millais was considered the favorite in the October round, but came second with 30 percent of the vote, nearly seven points behind Economy Minister Sergio Massa. Researcher Alan Rios believes that the part of the population that votes for Miley “is not reflected in the current narrative of either Kirchnerism or Macrism.” “They had the experience of both types of government, and nothing has changed. On the contrary, everything got worse,” he explains.

Mili, who is often called Argentina’s Donald Trump, combines the love and idealism characteristic of capitalism with conservative social policies. Hence the opposition to abortion, which Argentina legalized in 2020. The right-wing candidate also advocates the free sale of firearms and human organs: “Why should the state regulate everything? My body is my property first and foremost,” he says.

The introduction of the US dollar and the closure of the Central Bank are two measures promised by the former TV star, along with the privatization of state-owned enterprises.

Some of his supporters have gone so far as to show up with tools like the chainsaw that Miley has wielded many times at rallies to get a sense of what he’s going to do with government spending. The economist (a big dog lover) was clear: reductions will be everywhere: from health care to education, social assistance. According to history professor Louis Kleiser, Miley represents “a danger to democratic freedoms and human rights.”

Historical memory is under threat

Another controversial figure is vice-presidential candidate Victoria Villarruel. The daughter of military officers, she has been criticized for questioning crimes committed during the military dictatorship that ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1983, including the torture and disappearance of thousands of people by security forces.

“There is a large sector of society represented by military families, people who come from military circles, the extreme right, all involved in Argentine politics, and who until now have not had their own representation,” Ríos explained. “And Miley, coming in and supporting all these things, offers all these people a patio,” he adds.

According to Kleizer, Javier Millay “is capable of channeling all the discontent of the people with this society. Especially the discontent of the youth”, which has been greatly affected by the economic crisis. “They don’t see the future. Therefore, they are trying to get out of this situation through the ultra-right.”

A history teacher from Buenos Aires expresses concern about the possibility of Milea’s election, because “we are already one step away from losing the constitutional freedoms of our beloved Argentina.”

The article was created with the support of Rador Radio Romania