The United States has congratulated Argentine President-elect Javier Milei on his victory in Sunday’s election, and applauded the robust democratic process through which the Argentine public has spoken.
Secretary of State, Antony Blinken in a statement from the State Department stated the strong turnout and peaceful conduct of the vote are a testament to Argentina’s electoral and democratic institutions.
Blinken on behalf of United States said, “We look forward to working with President-elect Milei and his government on shared priorities that benefit the people of both countries, including protecting human rights and democracy, addressing climate change, and investing in the middle class”.
It was reported that the Argentina presidential candidate and economy minister Sergio Massa conceded defeat to far-right libertarian Javier Milei in the country’s presidential runoff on Sunday.
“I have called Javier Milei to congratulate him,” Massa said from his campaign headquarters in Buenos Aires. The economy minister spoke before official results were published.
“The responsibility, the job to provide certainty and guarantees to the functioning of political, social and economic systems in Argentina is the responsibility of the new president, the elected president, and we expect him to do so,” Massa said.
Meanwhile, Argentina elected right-wing libertarian Javier Milei as its new president on Sunday, rolling the dice on an outsider with radical views to fix an economy battered by triple-digit inflation, a looming recession and rising poverty.
Milei, who rode a wave of voter anger with political mainstream, won by a wider-than -expected margin. He landed some 56% of the vote versus just over 44% for his rival, Peronist Economy Minister Sergio Massa, who conceded.
“The model of decadence has come to an end, there’s no going back,” Milei said in a defiant speech after the result, while also acknowledging the challenges that face him.
“We have monumental problems ahead: inflation, lack of work, and poverty,” he said. “The situation is critical and there is no place for tepid half-measures.”
In downtown Buenos Aires hundreds of Milei supporters honked horns and chanted his popular refrain against the political elite – “out with all of them” – as rock music played from speakers. Some people set off fireworks as excitement spread.
