Javier Milei is a former economist who was a favourite on the Argentine talk show circuit before being elected to Congress in 2021 – the first “self-described libertarian” in the country’s legislature, The Economist reported at the time. He is also a self-styled professor of tantric sex who claims he hasn’t brushed his hair since he was 13 – preferring to let the “invisible hand” do the work. He could now become the country’s president. Milei won 30 per cent of the vote in an open primary on 13 August ahead of October elections, beating both the centre-right and ruling centre-left coalitions. Milei also won in 16 out of 24 regions, reflecting public frustration in a country where annual inflation is running at 116 per cent. He wants to adopt the US dollar as official currency and abolish the country’s central bank; other proposals include banning abortion and legalising the sale of human organs. In an echo of the support for Brazil’s Bolsonaro and Donald Trump, voters told the NYT that they see Milei as a political outsider who will fix a broken system. Brace, brace.
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