Javier Milei and Nayib Bukele do not hide their good political harmony. The first admires the security model that ended the influence of gangs in El Salvador. The second sees in the far-right “a friend” of whom he has “the best impression in the world.” Milei participated on June 1 in the ceremony with which Bukele began his second term. The Salvadoran now repaid the gesture with a state visit that was expected to be very brief and will ultimately last five days. Both presidents met this Monday at the Casa Rosada. They did it behind closed doors and there was no joint press conference. The Argentine organized a reception at the presidential residence in Olivos for tonight.
Bukele landed in Buenos Aires on Thursday, but did not have official activity until after the weekend. Until then, his agenda was private. The Salvadoran knows Buenos Aires well from the times when he accompanied his wife’s university studies in the Argentine capital. He stayed in one of the most luxurious hotels in the city and on Monday at noon he participated in his first event. Together with the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alicia Mondino, he left flowers at the monument to José de San Martín, the Liberator, located steps from the Foreign Ministry headquarters. It was the only time he spoke to the press. “I have the best impression in the world about Milei, I love what he does, we are friends and we are going to achieve good things for both countries. We hope to delve into an extensive agenda, in nuclear energy, trade, security,” he said.
Security is the issue that most interests Milei and her minister on the matter, Patricia Bullrich. A defender of a tough line against crime, Bullrich visited the Terrorism Confinement Center in El Salvador four months ago, the prison that Bukele shows to the world as evidence of his success against gangs. “Since Bukele has been president, everything has changed in an impressive way. From being one of the most insecure countries in the world to being one of the safest. Congratulations Bukele,” the minister said then. This Monday, the minister invited her Salvadoran counterpart, Gustavo Villatoro, to deliver 300 trucks to the Federal Forces. In any case, the Milei Government does not believe the complaints that human rights organizations make against Bukele for alleged abuses and excesses in his crusade against crime.
Milei received Bukele with all honors, with a red carpet on the steps of the Casa Rosada and the granadores forming a hallway in his honor. Both presidents posed for a photo in the White Room of the Government headquarters and then locked themselves alone. To close the meeting, they went out to the balcony overlooking the Plaza de Mayo and greeted a dozen Salvadorans who had come with banners to cheer for their president.
The YouTube channel of the Government of El Salvador followed the visit live. “Many Argentines recognize Bukele. They see in him a leader of global importance, it is observed that here in El Salvador we have a world-class leader. The best-rated president in the world is in Argentina,” the official presenters repeated during the broadcast. The point of view in El Salvador coincides with the one that the Argentine Milei reserves for himself. “Wherever I go I am a sensation, I am the most popular politician in the world,” he repeats in each interview.
On Tuesday, Bukele will visit the Vice President of Argentina, Victoria Villarruel, in Congress, with whom Milei maintains a silent internal dispute. It will also be in Deputies. He is scheduled to return to his country that same day at night.
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