Andrés Manuel López Obrador's sympathies are evident at first glance.
A man of strong ideas, the president of Mexico is transparent when talking about political figures.
This was evident this Wednesday, in the morning conference, when he was asked about the current Argentine president, Javier Milei.
He did not want to refer to his government specifically, but he has taken the opportunity to defend the presence of the State and criticize neoliberalism.
“He is a failed model,” he launched.
His words come hours after having received former Argentine President Alberto Fernández at the National Palace, involved these days in a judicial investigation for corruption during his Administration.
Unlike the tensions that exist today between the two countries, during the four years that they corresponded in time, López Obrador and Fernández maintained a close relationship.
"Yesterday?
We talk, we are friends,” he said about the visit of his former counterpart.
“What is your vision of the Milei Administration?” Argentine journalist Gustavo Sylvestre, known in his country for having sympathy with Kirchnerist Peronism, asked him in the morning.
“I apologize, I cannot express myself about what is happening in Argentina because it is a democratically elected government.
It was the Argentines who decided to have that Government.
It was the Argentines who elected Mr. Milei, so I have to respect that,” responded López Obrador, who usually does not speak out against those presidents with whom he does not have a good relationship.
The only exception has been Peru, with Dina Boluarte, whom the Mexican president criticized after the departure of Pedro Castillo, after he unsuccessfully tried to dissolve Congress and establish an emergency government, and was imprisoned.
Without mentioning it directly, López Obrador did dare to criticize Milei's political and economic ideals.
“In general, I feel that the neoliberal model is a failure that only causes harm to the majority of people and benefits a minority who are what drive that model in the world,” he said.
“We did not follow the IMF recommendations because they led us to a deep economic and social well-being crisis.
And because we do not follow the recommendations of the IMF and the World Bank, Mexico's economy is growing.
So not applying the neoliberal model does work.”
And the role of the State? The journalist insisted, pointing out that Milei is one of the biggest detractors of this in Argentina.
“I believe in the State.
It is a fallacy, it is a lie, a sophistry to think that the State is going to be diluted and that everything is going to be resolved by the market.
It is proven that it does not work.
The State cannot fail to fulfill its social responsibility.
Can not.
Do you know what it's like to leave everything to the market, figuratively speaking?
It is like the freedom of the fox in a henhouse.”
Then the Mexican president attacked the political use of one of the favorite words of the Argentine president, who came to power thanks to the party he created, La Libertad Avanza: “Of course we are in favor of freedoms, but be in favor of freedoms seriously, authentically, guarantee them, do not repress, do not prohibit.”
The reference comes after the Argentine banned inclusive language and the gender perspective within his Administration.
A few hours before launching his words about Milei, López Obrador received Alberto Fernández at his home this Tuesday afternoon.
Both maintained a close relationship when the Argentine was in power.
He even visited him a couple of times.
“I have had the enormous pleasure of meeting again with my dear friend, the president of Mexico.
We exchange ideas and visions about the present and future of our countries and our beloved Latin America,” Fernández shared on social networks.
“In a few months, he will complete his mandate, leaving an exemplary and memorable legacy for the Mexican people.
He had the generosity of giving me his new book “Thank you!”, a work that I am sure will be inspiring for new generations and a necessary read for all of us who believe in politics as a tool for social transformation,” he added along with a photo. with the book dedicated and another of the two politicians laughing.
Asked by the press about his meeting with Fernández, the Mexican was very concise: “Well, we talked, we are friends.”
I have had the enormous pleasure of meeting again with my dear friend, the president of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (@lopezobrador_).
We exchange ideas and visions about the present and future of our countries and our beloved Latin America.
pic.twitter.com/Z1NjIUGmsS
— Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) March 6, 2024
The opposite attitudes were visible to all.
López Obrador brings a tense past with Milei, with whom they previously had crossed statements.
In a television interview within the framework of the last presidential elections in Colombia, the leader of La Libertad Avanza accused the North American president of being “pathetic, regrettable, disgusting” in his statements about the electoral process and his support for Gustavo Petro.
He criticized him and accused him of being a representative of “the radical left.”
While the head of the Mexican Executive did not want to give statements after the mileista victory last November and only limited himself to saying that Argentina had scored "an own goal."
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