The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie

Marcos Falcone: Can a Libertarian Still Win in Argentina?

Oct 27, 2023

The podcast discusses the surprising success of the libertarian candidate in Argentina's primaries and the challenges he faces against the established political elite. They explore the cult of personality surrounding Peron and media control in Argentina. They also address the shortage of libertarian women and concerns of election fraud. The hosts discuss Reason's approach to libertarian messaging and the rise of a political figure called Millet. They also explore the intersection of libertarianism and the abortion debate in Argentina.

01:29:43

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Quick takeaways

Javier Malay's campaign focused on slashing government, abolishing the central bank, and dollarizing the economy, but challenges to implementing these plans exist.

Concerns have been raised about Javier Malay's leadership style and potential actions, including resorting to authoritarian measures, but the strength of Argentine institutions suggests limited impact.

Javier Malay strategically appeals to religious voters by emphasizing his pro-life stance on abortion, gaining support in conservative areas where abortion is a contentious issue.

Deep dives

Malay's Surprising Performance in Argentina's Primaries

Javier Malay, a self-described libertarian candidate for Argentina's presidency, achieved a surprising first-place finish in the primaries. However, in the recent presidential election, he finished second behind Sergio Massa, a candidate from the Peronist political movement. Neither candidate reached the threshold to become president, resulting in a head-to-head rematch on November 19th. Monetary policy, fear campaigns, and opposition tactics played a role in the election outcome.

Introduction

2min

Analysis of the Argentine Election

18min

The Cult of Personality and Media Control: Peron's Influence in Argentina

23min

Shortage of Libertarian Women and Concerns of Election Fraud in Argentina

3min

Reason's Approach to Libertarian Messaging and the Malay Candidacy

3min

The Rise of Millet and the Appeal of Anti-Socialism

23min

The Intersection of Libertarianism and the Abortion Debate

14min

Working with the Javier Malay Team and Economic Concerns in Argentina

4min

This is the audio version of The Reason Livestream, which takes place every Thursday at 1 p.m. Eastern.

Javier Milei, the self-described libertarian candidate for Argentina's presidency, surprised the world with a first-place finish in the primaries this August. But in the presidential election this past weekend, he finished second behind Argentina's current economy minister, Sergio Massa, a part of the Peronist political movement that's long governed Argentina. Neither candidate passed the threshold needed to become the next president, so they will have a head-to-head rematch on November 19.

Does Milei still have a chance against an entrenched political elite that began handing out money and free bus passes in the run-up to the election? If elected, how will Milei deliver on his promise to take a chainsaw to government, abolish the central bank, and dollarize the economy? And what can American libertarians learn from the movement Milei has built in Argentina?

Reason's Liz Wolfe and Zach Weissmueller discussed these questions and reacted to recent interview clips of Milei with Marcos Falcone, a political scientist, project manager at Argentina's Fundación Libertad, and podcast host.

Mentioned in this podcast:

Argentina's 2023 presidential election results

"Argentina's (Unexpected) Libertarian Moment," by Marcos Falcone

"Argentina's presidential election delivers a surprise result," writes The Economist

Support for Milei by party affiliation, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit

"A man, a plan, a chainsaw: How a power tool took center stage in Argentina's presidential race," by Daniel Politi and David Biller

"Is Javier Milei's Movement in Argentina a Cult of Personality in the Name of Liberty?" by Antonella Marty and Jose Benegas

"What's in Javier Milei's head?" by Federico Rivas Molina

The post Marcos Falcone: Can a Libertarian Still Win in Argentina? appeared first on Reason.com.