Argentina’s new president said his government will be committed to democracy, free trade and peace
Libertarian Javier Milei (La Libertad Avanza) was elected president of Argentina this Sunday (19.nov.2023). The right-wing candidate defeated Economy Minister Sergio Massa.
With 99.28% of the ballots counted, Milei appears with 55.69% of the valid votes, against 44.30% for the government candidate. The Argentine’s inauguration will be on December 10, succeeding current president Alberto Fernández.
In a speech after the official result, Milei said that his government will be committed to democracy, free trade and peace. “We will work, together with all the nations of the world, to build a better world. Tonight is a historic night because one way of doing politics ends and another begins.”he said.
The president-elect dedicated part of his speech to thanking the support of former candidate Patricia Bullrich and former Argentine president Mauricio Macri, stating that the politicians defended “the change that Argentina needs”.
Watch (16min9s):
Here is the full speech:
“Good evening everyone. To everyone who is present here, to those who are celebrating in the streets and above all to all good Argentines, because today the reconstruction of Argentina begins.
“Today is a historic night for Argentina. Thank you very much to everyone who came, to everyone who made this possible. Thank you to the team that has been working for 2 years to transform Argentina and to achieve the miracle of having a liberal and libertarian president. Thank you very much.
“Thank you to my sister Karina, because without her none of this would be possible.
“Furthermore, I would also like to thank this giant who accompanied me throughout this entire process, this giant who usually remains in the dark called Santiago Caputo and who is the true architect of this.
“Furthermore, I would like to thank all the members of La Libertad Avanza, who worked tirelessly to achieve this goal. Furthermore, I want to especially thank the inspectors from both Libertad Avanza and PRO, who put their bodies into defending the votes. Because we said that the vows existed, but we had to supervise them, and they fulfilled them. Thank you very much, inspectors!
“On the other hand, I want to especially thank President Macri and Mrs. Bullrich, who selflessly, in an act of greatness like never before seen in Argentine history, put their body to defend the change that Argentina needs.
“I want to tell all Argentines that today the end of Argentina’s decadence begins. Today, we begin to turn a page in our history and return to the path we should never have lost. Today the impoverishing model of the omnipresent State ends, which only benefits a few while the majority of Argentines suffer.
“Today the idea that the State is a loot to be shared among politicians and their friends comes to an end. Today this view that the victims are the victims and the victims are the victimizers comes to an end. Today we return to the path that made this country great. Today we once again embrace the ideas of freedom, the ideas of Alberdi.
“Ultimately, the ideas of our founding fathers, which made us, after 35 years of being a country of barbarians, become the 1st world power. These ideas are based on 3 very simple premises: a limited government that strictly fulfills the commitment that was made; respect for private property and free trade. I want to be very clear about one thing: the model of decadence has come to an end, there is no going back. The results of this model are visible to everyone. From the richest country in the world, we became the 130th. Half of Argentines are poor and 10% are indigent. Enough of the impoverishing caste model. Today we once again embrace the model of freedom to once again become a world power.
“At the same time, I want to tell all Argentines and all political leaders that all those who want to join the new Argentina will be welcome. It doesn’t matter where they came from, it doesn’t matter what they did before, it doesn’t matter what differences we have. I am sure that what unites us is more important than what separates us. Because this will help us put our country back on its feet and become a power again.
“Ultimately, whenever you want to add to the change that Argentina needs, you will be welcome. We know there are people who will resist. We know that there are people who want to maintain the system of privileges for a few and that impoverishes the majority of Argentines. To all of them I want to say the following: within the law, everything. Outside the law, nothing.
“In this new Argentina, there is no place for violent people. There is no place for those who break the law to defend their privileges. We will be ruthless towards those who want to use force to defend their privileges. We want to ask the government to be responsible. Let them understand that a new Argentina has arrived and act accordingly. That they fulfill their responsibility until the end of their term, on December 10th. Thus, once the mandate is complete, we can begin to transform this tragic reality for thousands of Argentines.
“May it be understood well. The Argentine situation is critical. The changes we need are drastic. There is no place for gradualism, there is no place for middle ground. If we don’t move quickly with the structural changes that Argentina needs, we will go straight to the worst crisis in our history. It is essential that all those who wish to embrace the ideas of freedom work together from December 10th and we will be able to respond to a society that has been abandoned by the political class in recent decades.
“We have monumental problems ahead. Inflation, stagnation, lack of real jobs, insecurity, poverty and destitution. Problems that only have a solution if we embrace the idea of freedom. Problems that can only be solved if those who want a different Argentina work together. To all those who are watching us from outside Argentina, I want to tell you that Argentina will once again occupy a place in the world that it should never have lost.
“I also want to say that our commitment is to democracy, free trade and peace. Let’s work side by side with all the nations of the free world to build a better world.
“Today is a historic night, not because of us, but because one way of doing politics has ended and another has begun. To Argentines, I want to tell them that, despite the enormous problems the country has, despite the situation looking grim, I want to tell them that Argentina has a future. But this future only exists if it is liberal.
“We didn’t come to invent anything. We came to do the things that history has shown works. We came to do the same thing we did during the 19th century in our country. The same as countries like Ireland did not long ago. We came to embrace the ideas of freedom, those that guarantee the property of Argentines. If we embrace these ideas, not only will we solve today’s problems, but within 35 years we will once again become a world power.
“Without a doubt, today we are going to celebrate. But it is also true that tomorrow, first thing in the morning, we will work so that on December 10th we can bring the solutions that Argentines need. So I want to thank everyone for the enormous work to follow, for believing that we can. How many times have we said, and are tired of repeating, that victory in battle does not come from the number of soldiers, but from the strength that comes from the sky.
“So I want to thank everyone, and I couldn’t end it any other way: long live freedom, damn it! Long live freedom, damn it! Long live freedom, damn it! God bless the Argentines.”
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