On Thursday, Argentine President Javier Milei addressed the American Business Forum in Miami. He urged American conservatives to uphold Judeo-Christian values and continue pushing forward, even after socialists recently secured an election victory.
While he didn’t explicitly name New York’s Mayor-elect Zoran Mandani, it seemed clear he was referencing him. Milei expressed concern about the rise of “21st century socialism,” which he believes could echo the past issues in South America on the US East Coast. He criticized countries like Cuba and Venezuela during his remarks and mentioned a meeting with Colombian President Gustavo Petro, a former guerrilla figure. Milei noted that losing local elections can happen, but it’s crucial to keep advocating for capitalism and Judeo-Christian principles despite temporary setbacks.
Milei characterized “Kirchnerism” as a branch of this modern socialism, suggesting it’s made its way to the East Coast. “Don’t let local outcomes scare you,” he said, adding that those who promote these ideologies may seem harmless, but they pose serious risks, including those of Kirchnerist and socialist natures.
He explained that “Kirchnerism” is the contemporary iteration of “Peronism,” Argentina’s former political backbone and named after former President Néstor Kirchner and his wife, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. This family had strong ties with both Cuba and Venezuela and collaborated closely with other left-leaning leaders in the region, like Brazil’s Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Ecuador’s Rafael Correa, who is now a fugitive from justice.
Mamdani recently triumphed over Republican Curtis Sliwa in New York City’s mayoral race, achieving a significant victory. Sliwa lacked support from national Republicans, including former President Trump, and Mamdani’s campaign also dealt a blow to former Governor Andrew Cuomo, who has faced severe criticism for his handling of the pandemic and multiple allegations of misconduct. Trump’s backing didn’t seem to help Cuomo much in the election.
During his campaign, Mamdani focused on making life more affordable in New York, proposing initiatives that include a government-run grocery store modeled after Venezuela and lowering costs at halal food carts. He also suggested reducing law enforcement efforts and offering free public transportation, though questions remain about how he plans to finance this plan, apart from reducing police funding.
Milei emphasized the moral justifications for capitalism rather than viewing it as merely a necessary evil. “We’ve been told for too long that capitalism is something we must tolerate,” he remarked. He acknowledged that while a minority openly advocates communism, opposition to free markets is more prevalent in Western discourse.
He warned against accepting capitalism as a necessary evil, suggesting that such a mindset leads to the state’s expanding influence over individual lives and economic activities. “If we believe capitalism is just a necessary evil, we’ve already lost,” Milei cautioned, asserting that capitalism is intrinsically tied to human dignity and freedom.
He continued, saying his political reforms, driven by his Freedom Forward party, were achieved with public support despite resistance from Kirchnerists in parliament. Following recent elections, Milei’s party now holds a significant majority in Congress, which he claims is the most reform-friendly parliament in Argentina’s history.
The American Business Forum is an annual event meant for pro-business figures, politicians, and athletes. Notably, soccer icon Lionel Messi attended this year. Milei humorously called Messi “the only left-handed person I would ever like to congratulate,” alongside other attendees like Trump, JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, and tennis stars Serena Williams and Rafael Nadal.
