MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei rides tank through Independence Day parade

Milei and Villarruel ride a newly-refurbished Argentine tank

Argentine President Javier Milei and Vice President Victoria Villarruel rode an Army tank during the military parade celebrating the country's Independence Day along Buenos Aires' Libertador Avenue. Although this type of event has been rare, heads of state are usually saluted by passing troops instead of being a part of the attraction thousands cheered on both sides of the street despite the current economic plight.

Although inflation has slowed down under Milei amid a sharp spending cut, the flip side has been a deepening recession with a 5.1% drop in Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and an increase in unemployment.

In addition to active troops, also participating in the march were some 3,000 veterans of the 1982 South Atlantic War with the United Kingdom over the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, who wore their uniforms and decorations. As they passed by, crowds watched them in silence or applauded crying “Long live the homeland!”

Their participation sparked controversy given Milei's admiration for former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as a stateswoman, which has earned him strong criticism, particularly from nationalist groups siding with the Malvinas cause.

Milei's tank was one of the six TAM (Argentine Medium Tank) units, recently modernized by the General Directorate of Research and Development (DIGID) of the Argentine Army and Israeli defense contractors Elbit Systems.

While Villarruel posted on X “Thank you President Javier Milei for giving all Argentines the embrace with our Forces, which we needed so long ago!,” former Army Chief of Staff Lieutenant General César Milani wrote on the same social media platform that ”Here are those who profess the destruction of the Argentine State on board the TAM (Argentine Medium Tank), a project designed and developed by my administration in charge of the Armed Forces. It is the result of an efficient State concerned about National Defense. I am very proud to see it parading through the streets of our homeland, despite the burden they have to carry.”