Javier Milei just came in first with over 30% in Argentina's open presidential primary. He's a Libertarian. He's an economist who understands Austrian, free market economics. He did not shy away from controversial libertarian positions. Legalizing drugs. Eliminating the Argentina Central Bank and dollarizing the economy. Slashing government spending and taxes. Reduced restrictions on gun ownership. Even legalization of human organ sales. He is anti-abortion which some libertarians will agree with and some not.
In Argentina the open presidential primary allows voters to vote for anyone in any party. Milei won all the votes in his nascent La Libertad Avanza Party (or Freedom Advances in English). Hardline conservative law and order candidate Patricia Bullrich won the most votes in Argentina's center right party with 28%. The left-wing Peronist party winner was Sergio Massa with 27%.
So it will be Libertarian Milei, Conservative Bullrich and Peronist Massa on the ballot in October. If one candidate does not poll at least 45% or more than 10% over the second place candidate in October, there will be a runoff in November.
The next President of Argentina could very well be a Libertarian. With huge challenges. Inflation is variously estimated at 115% to 140% or more. The value of the Argentine peso on the black market is half the official rate. Unions have a stranglehold on public sector employment. The debt to the International Monetary Fund is a huge $44 billion or nearly $1,000 for every man woman and child in Argentina. The last time dollarization was tried in Argentina, it ultimately failed. If Milei wins, he will have a tiny contingent in the country's legislature. That will make enacting his agenda very difficult. Already, the world's mass media are calling him far-right and comparing him to Trump and Brazil's Bolsonaro.
The left-wing populist Peronists came to power in 1942. With brief interludes of me-to conservative rule, they have been in charge for almost a century. They transformed one of the richest, most productive countries in the world to third-world status. The people may have...finally...had enough.
We send our encouragement and best wishes to Javier Milei and hope that the name of his party, Freedom Advances, is prophetic.