MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Milei criticizes Mamdani and praises Trump

Milei described his recent Oct. 26 election win as a “plebiscite for two models of the country”

In his appearance on Thursday at the America Business Forum in Miami, Argentine President Javier Milei seized the opportunity to lambast New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, praise his US colleague Donald Trump, and seek investments for his country. Milei described his own electoral victory as a mandate for capitalist reform.

 The Libertarian leader urged Americans “not to be intimidated by some local results,” citing that Mamdani's political movement represented a branch of “21st-century socialism” that is “worse than wolves.” Hence, he proposed Capitalism as a defense against Socialism

Milei's central theme was an apology of free-market capitalism and a dire warning against socialist ideas, which he referred to as the “Kuka risk” (a pejorative term for Kirchnerism/Peronism).

He argued that Western societies have mistakenly accepted the notion that capitalism is a “necessary evil” that requires state intervention to address “unequal impact” and prevent monopolies.

Milei contended that this justification for state intervention leads to ever-expanding government control, eventually reaching the same destination as those who openly hate capitalism: “the total control of the state, the economy, and people's lives—that is, communism.”

In Milei's view, “capitalism is not evil at all,” but rather the natural right to own the “sweat of our brow” is what makes men free. He dismissed the concept of the “present state” as a phrase used to conceal the “path to servitude.”

He also described his recent Oct. 26 election win as a “plebiscite for two models of the country,” pitting the model of “freedom and capitalism” against “servitude.” He claimed his mandate was “irreversible,” stating that “Argentina has finally said no to this madness that has cost us so much over time.”

The President also expressed confidence in his ability to pass reforms, noting that his political space now holds the necessary one-third of Congress to sustain decrees and vetoes. More importantly, he expects to build majorities with “economically rational members of Congress” to approve further reforms.

He also called for the construction of a “great capitalist consensus” in Argentina, aligning all pro-capitalist actors were at least two-thirds of the society. Milei concluded his message by inviting the American business community to invest in Argentina's future. He specifically thanked Donald Trump for securing an agreement on Argentina’s beef quota that was “four times higher than the previous one,” signaling a desire for closer commercial ties with the US.

“I want to invite you to be part of the future we are building,” Milei stated, asking investors to “demonstrate the power and moral superiority of capitalism” and participate in the “redemption that the Argentine people need.”