From the outside looking in, it seems that Millei is a fraud, from an Austrian economist standpoint at least. Of course people from Argentina would have a better understanding of what’s happening on the ground and I could be wrong, but everything from continuing to borrow from IMF, central bank still not shut down, peso’s continual decline to the recent bailout by Uncle Sam, seem to partially substantiate my claim.
Discussion
What’s going on there?
Let’s just say whilst he has cut spending and reduced bloat, the IMF/WB playbook is still being deployed. As this is going down, he goes on to publish a book on how he turned the Argentinian economy around
https://blossom.primal.net/d36660a5df0b040b38cdc2411558137547925d3f100287f6a5bdff9eb526ef47.mp4
One way or another, every single public "hero" (or actually the 'star') of today is tomorrow's villain. The brighter the spotlight, the longer the shadow it casts... 🙃
“Either you die a hero or live long enough to become the villain.”
Tough situation he is in. Here is a headline from late 2024: "Inflation In Argentina Dips Below 200% For First Time In A Year".
You can't practice pure Austrian Economics without putting a wrecking ball to the Economy, which would probably cost him his job if not his life.
He's managing the best he can I think.
The problem is that he still claims to be an Austrian economist and quotes Rothbard, Hayek etc while still leaning on Keynesian logic. Sure inflation dipped, definitely will give him that, but I don’t think it dipped because of an economic boom
yea, I don't know. I can't think of an Austrian Economy that exists today, as much as I would like to see one. Just chalk him up as another political shill.. (USA doesn't qualify as Austrian, more like Minsky's Credit/Finance economy as opposed to a capital/industrial based economy. USA long survived because of dollar hegemony, which is slowly sliding).
Well Millei sold us on thinking that he was the next Hayek who was going to "afuera" all the wasteful spending and use Austrian economics principles to restore the Argentine economy, seems like he is more of an MMT-er than an Austrian.
From AI:
Economic Outlook
Under President Javier Milei's administration, Argentina has made notable fiscal improvements, turning a 5% fiscal deficit in 2023 into a 0.3% surplus in 2024, while reducing annual inflation from nearly 300% to under 40%. GDP growth is projected to reach 5.5% in 2025, which should help improve the debt-to-GDP ratio through economic expansion.
The debt-to-GDP ratio is expected to continue declining in the coming years as the economy stabilizes and grows, with projections showing a gradual improvement from the current elevated levels.
The Reality of Modern Economies
The search for Austrian-style economies reveals a stark truth: pure free market economies do not exist in the modern world. As one analysis notes, "in practice, no country in the world has ever achieved a 100% capitalist, 'laissez-faire,' or free-market economy. All capitalist economies are mixed to one degree or another".
Even the most market-oriented economies maintain significant government intervention. Countries frequently cited as examples of free markets - including Singapore, Hong Kong, and the United States - all feature substantial state involvement in economic planning, regulation, and monetary policy that would be anathema to Austrian economists.
Well the one area that AI sometimes doesn't too well is nuanced discussions. Millei definitely has had some wins and was probably the best man to win the election given the other alternatives on the table. My issue is more with how he branded himself, what he promised to deliver and what he has actually delivered. Here are a few things that Ai probably missed but are worthy of consideration:
1. Since he took over about two years ago, money supply (M2) has exploded by about 114%
2. Between $40b - $80b worth of gvt debt is being rolled over with maturities that are less than a year, meaning less money for productive businesses but to servicing the interest payments. A huge reason why inflation is still running hot despite all the benefits AI pointed out above
3. His failure to close the central bank is the reason why the two problems above persist and will likely continue to persist
4. Argentina today, after the recent IMF bailout which Millei begged for, now has the highest outstand debt to the IMF in IMF history. Debt that everyone knows can never be repaid, esp when you consider that Argentina alone makes up 40% of the IMF's lending portfolio. Not to mention an additional $42B that was borrowed from intl lenders like the WB, under Millei
5. GDP growth is an easy metric to manipulate in the short term when you are printing like crazy, which is exactly what Millei is doing. That's to say nothing of how useless a metric GDP is for measuring economic growth objectively
I could go on, the point is that he isn't what I thought he was. Chainsaw theatrics and economic realities are two different worlds
I remember max Keiser mentioning that because he is not Bitcoin only he is welcoming scams by proliferation of alt pins
Absolutely! 💯🔥but even if you put that aside, he is still an IMF pawn despite the tough guy talk and that says it all
This is a rational assumption. However, didn’t Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez of El Salvador also cave to IMF’s power of the purse?
He did and while I think there are differences between ES & Argentina, I did write an article or two about ES’ capitulation
President Bukele had massive public support and viable debt alternatives to remain solvent.
Shouldn’t we consider that he was given an offer he couldn’t refuse by Economic Hitmen?
“If we faltered, a more malicious form of hit man, the jackal, would step to the plate. And if the jackals failed, then the job fell to the military.”
- John Perkins, “The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man”
I don’t know but It’s very likely, because at the end of the day he was not only indebted to the IMF but the whole #btc thing was something they didn’t really want
Does he? 😂
You sure? 😂
“Bukele is highly popular in El Salvador, where he has held a job approval rating above 75% during his entire presidency and averages above 90% approval, and is popular throughout Latin America. “ - (Wikipedia, 2025, para 4)
E.g. … Debt-for-Nature Bonds & Volcano Bonds
https://gfmag.com/economics-policy-regulation/el-salvador-green-debt-swap/
Monetary colonialism in motion.
How's that economic model working out there bud?
You well?