MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei becomes first Argentine President to attend Hanukkah ceremony

Hanukkah “marks the triumph of the few over the many,” Milei explained as he lit a candle

While Economy Minister Luis Toto Caputo's message describing the government's next measures was aired, President Javier Milei appeared at the República Oriental del Uruguay Square in Buenos Aires for the celebration of the Jewish Hanukkah festivity.

“After so many years, the light is going to come out and that will be a moral revolution,” said Milei who also pointed out that the “forces of heaven” will help the light overcome the darkness.

“Thank you for inviting me to such a beautiful act as lighting a candle. This celebration is very important and even more meaningful at the moment we are living in Argentina”, said the leader of La Libertad Avanza wearing his kippah.

“The main lesson is that light prevails over darkness, after so many years light is going to come out and this is going to be a moral revolution because we are going to make it about values,” he added.

Attendees also prayed for the “release of the hostages” kidnapped by the terrorist group Hamas on Oct. 7 and for the Israeli soldiers, the deceased, “the support to the people of Israel and the prompt recovery of the wounded.”

Milei, who sat next to businessman Eduardo Eldstein throughout the ceremony, stressed that Hanukkah “marks the triumph of the few over the many and the power of the faith of those who, being poor, imposed themselves over the powerful” and predicted that “the forces of heaven will support Argentina and Israel at this moment”.

After the speeches, Milei lit the sixth Hanukkah candle, accompanied by Rabbi Tzvi Grunblat, and celebrated that “it will be the first time that a President in office will attend this important traditional meeting of the Jewish community in its almost 40 years of being held in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.”

Also attending the ceremony was Supreme Court Justice Ricardo Lorenzetti, who highlighted the importance of the event for “the defense of cultural identity” because “the Jewish community was forced to renounce its identity.” Lorenzetti also praised Argentina's “cultural diversity and peaceful coexistence.”