"Paedophile state", "the pope is the evil one on earth"... These outrageous remarks by the new Argentine president Javier Milei

Sometimes referred to as the "Argentine Trump," Argentina's new president, Javier Milei, has beaten his liberal and Peronist rivals who have been in power for 20 years. The new head of state, whom the press generally describes as "anti-system", has countered them with fiery outbursts with the flavour of a completely assumed ultra-liberalism.

Alternately targeting the great institutions of the state, the "leftists" or the "idiot in Rome" in an outrageous style, referring to his compatriot Pope Francis, Javier Milei is not stingy with shocking statements. Le Figaro offers an anthology.

"I am General AnCap"

The ultra-liberal head of state has defined himself as an "anarcho-capitalist" in these terms. "I am General AnCap [anarcho-capitalist]. I come from Liberland, a land created on the principle of man's original appropriation (...) My mission is to kick the butt of the Keynesians and the collectivists." The president-elect explains his liberal program in these terms, in which he plans to cut state budgets "with a chainsaw". He also explains at each of his meetings that he is not there "to guide lambs, but to awaken lions!"

"Between the mafia and the state, I prefer the mafia"

Javier Milei named the state as public enemy number one. Among all his harsh statements, the new Argentine president said in an interview in Chile that he preferred the mafia to the state, reports the magazine Le Grand Continent. "Between the mafia and the state, I prefer the mafia. The mafia has codes, it keeps its commitments, it doesn't lie, it's competitive." In another statement, this time very vulgar, the former economist for the company Aeropuerto 1 compared the state to a "pedophile", Le Grand Continent also details. "The state is a paedophile in a kindergarten with children shackled and smeared with Vaseline.

The president-elect has promised to cut state budgets "with a chainsaw." MARCOS GOMEZ / AFP

"Ministry of Education, out!"

In a video that has been widely shared on social networks, Javier Milei caricaturally details the main lines of his program, which boils down to abolishing non-sovereign ministries. In front of a blackboard, the now-elected candidate loosens the labels of several ministries by simply commenting: "Afuera!" [Outside!].

Among other things, Javier Milei promised to abolish the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Affairs and the Ministry of Women's Rights. He wants the private sector to take charge of health and education, and to cut social benefits to restore the state's accounts.

"Pesos is less valuable than excrement"

In his ultra-liberalism, Javier Milei has also attacked the Argentine Central Bank, which he wants to "dynamite". In the face of catastrophic inflation over the past two decades, he is particularly targeting Argentina's currency, the pesos, which he describes as "excrement." "Never in pesos, never in pesos! (...) It has less value than excrement, this waste is not even used to make fertilizer," said the presidential candidate when asked if it was wise to manage one's savings with this currency. This statement led to a drastic drop in the pesos on the market.

"Long live the freedom of ... n !»

In his rallies, the new head of state has distinguished himself by often uttering this oath. "Viva la libertad, carajo!" Javier Milei has banked on this vulgarity to gain popularity among young people. A former rock singer and football player, the "Argentine Trump" likes to be vulgar in his speeches.

"I won't apologize for having a penis"

True to his provocative rhetoric, Javier Milei promised to abolish "the Ministry of Women". "In my government, there will be no cultural Marxism. And the Ministry of Women, I will eliminate it. I won't apologize for having a penis. I don't have to be ashamed of being a white, blond, light-blue eyed-eyed man," he said in May 2022.

«The pope is the representative of the devil on earth."

The "Argentine Trump" also directly attacked Pope Francis, himself an Argentine, who has made social justice one of the main axes of his pontificate. "The Pope, I'll tell you to your face, is the representative of the devil on Earth. The 'idiot in Rome' should be told that envy, which is the foundation of social justice, is a cardinal sin," he said. Javier Milei also called Francis "a Jesuit who promotes communism."

In the face of these repeated attacks, a mass with many personalities was said at the beginning of September in support of the pontiff. "I respect the pope as the head of the Catholic Church and as the head of state," and "spiritual leader of a large majority of Argentines," the presidential candidate later tempered.

Abortion as "aggravated murder

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The new Argentine president has also spoken out against abortion, which has been allowed for all women in the country since 2020, in the name of the "unlimited right to the life of others". "I stand for life that begins at conception," he said. "When you start from an erroneous moral principle, the result is disgusting – how can you take it for granted to be able to kill other human beings?

In an interview on August 15, as reported by TV5 Monde, the man who makes feminist associations tremble also declared that abortion was "an aggravated murder where there is a huge disparity of forces because one person abuses the other," joining the pope this time in his frank language on this subject. For example, Francis said that having an abortion was comparable to using "hired killers." Javier Milei has said he will put the issue of abortion to a referendum.

'leftist'

In 2021, when he first entered politics, Javier Milei did not hesitate to insult his political opponent, the mayor of Buenos Aires, calling him a "fucking leftist" and a "bald piece of shit", as reported by the Argentine newspaper Clarin.