Argentina's Donald Trump new president

 

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Want to make it legal to sell human organs 

   

Javier Miley Javier Milei wins the presidential election in Argentina 

 

John Edgar  

Updated 06.51 | Published 00.41  

 

Argentina's Donald Trump wins a landslide victory.  

 

The controversial ultra-liberal Javier Milei, 53, will be the country's next president.  

Quick version  

• Ultraliberal Javier Milei, 53, wins Argentina's presidential election after a runoff as his opponent Sergio Massa, 51, accepts defeat.
  
• Milei, often compared to Donald Trump, has controversial proposals such as closing Argentina's central bank, making the dollar the national currency and banning abortion.
• Some Argentine voters support Milei's extreme views, while others vote for him in desperation for change.  
  

Javier Milei, 53, wins the second round of Argentina's election and becomes the country's next president. 

 

It was clear last night since opponent Sergio Massa, 51, admitted defeat.  

 

With 95 percent of the votes counted, Milei was at 56 percent in support and Massa at 44 percent.  

 

Javier Miley. Photo: Natacha Pisarenko 

 

Compared to Trump  

 

Milei is described as a right-wing populist ultra-liberal and is often compared to Donald Trump, a man he has often praised.  

 

Among Milei's proposals and plans are closing Argentina's central bank, replacing the currency with dollars and banning abortion. 

 

He also wants the sale of human organs to become legal.  

 

Javier Milei with his favorite gimmick, the chainsaw. It will symbolize how much he intends to cut government spending when he becomes president. Photo: Natacha Pisarenko / AP  

 

Many Argentine voters share the new president's extreme views, but others have voted for Milei in desperation for change.  

Angry voters  

 

This is what political observers in Argentina say to The New York Times.

 

- They don't care about Milei's ideology. They see that Milei is angry and that he wants a shift, says history professor and newspaper columnist Carlos Pagni.  

 

FACTS  

 

Javier Miley  

 

The ultra-liberal Javier Milei, 53, has been written about around the world for his controversial statements, such as advocating the legal sale of human organs and introducing the US dollar as the new currency in Argentina. At campaign meetings, he has often held up a chainsaw to symbolize the sharp reduction in government spending.  

 

In the first round of elections, he came second with just under 30 percent of the vote.  

 

Milei became nationally famous when he began appearing as an economic commentator on television, arguing with other guests about the right path for crisis-stricken Argentina. He is often compared to former US President Donald Trump.  

 

In 2021 he was elected to the Argentine Congress with his newly formed party La libertad avanza. 

 

(TT)