Argentina Medal for anarcho-capitalists: Milei is honored in Hamburg
Argentinean President Javier Milei has prescribed a veritable horse cure for his country. In recent months, he has cut thousands of jobs in the public sector, halted infrastructure projects, cut subsidies and wound up social programs. He is now being honored for his ultra-liberal experiment by the Friedrich August v. Hayek Society in Hamburg. The liberal economists' association will present Milei with a medal named after the Austrian pioneer of neoliberalism on Saturday (15:00).
22.06.2024, 05:19
SDA
The chairman of the association, Kiel economics professor Stefan Kooths, praised Milei as an ambitious reformer in the spirit of the Austrian economist Hayek (1899-1992). With his liberal economic and socio-political program, he addressed the core problems of his once prosperous country, where corruption, state-run economy, excessive debt and the disintegration of the currency have prevented prosperous development for decades.
South America's second-largest economy is in recession and suffers from a bloated state apparatus, low industrial productivity and a large shadow economy that deprives the state of many tax revenues. The ultra-liberal president wants to get the country back on track with a radical austerity program.
Inflation is falling, but the economy is also sluggish
There have been initial successes: for the first time in a long time, the Argentinian state budget is balanced and inflation has fallen significantly. However, this has come at a price: the tough austerity program is choking off economic output. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects economic output to fall by 2.8 percent in the current year. According to the Catholic University of Argentina, almost 56% of people in Argentina live below the poverty line and around 18% live in extreme poverty.
Left-wing organizations have called for protests in Germany. A demonstration under the slogan "No prize for the extreme right - No medal for Milei" is planned near the Hamburg venue on Saturday (12.30 pm). His Vice President Victoria Villarruel in particular caters to the conservative clientele at home, cultivates contacts with right-wing groups around the world and repeatedly provokes with comments about the military junta (1976-1983). The daughter of an officer casts doubt on the number of deaths during the dictatorship, estimated by human rights organizations at 30,000, and insists on more recognition for the victims of left-wing guerrilla groups.
On Friday, the Argentinian president met with the conservative regional president of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, in Spain. "Argentina is experiencing a powerful resurgence", said Ayuso. "The whole world is talking about Argentina right now." However, meetings with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez or King Felipe VI did not materialize. Milei recently caused a diplomatic scandal when he called Sánchez's wife corrupt at a rally organized by the right-wing populist Vox party in Spain.
Milei: "Don't let socialism ruin your lives"
At his meeting with Ayuso, Milei once again lashed out at Sánchez. "Hayek once said that if socialists understood economics, they wouldn't be socialists. Well, it seems that Mr. Sánchez is one of the exceptions to the rule, because although he studied economics, he either didn't understand it or he loves the state to collect taxes from Spaniards."
His supporters celebrated him in front of the regional seat of government on the Puerta del Sol in the center of Madrid. They celebrated the guest from Argentina, chanting "Milei, Milei!", "Freedom, freedom!" and "Friend Milei, Spain is at your side!" In his speech, the guest repeated some of his convictions: "Don't let socialism ruin your lives" and "Socialism is based on envy, hatred and resentment", he shouted energetically.
On Sunday, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) plans to meet the controversial Argentine head of state for talks in Berlin. However, a reception with military honors and a joint press conference have been cancelled. Milei will end his trip to Europe on Monday with a visit to the Czech Republic.
