What do voters think of Miley?
(CNN Spanish) — A month has passed since Javier Meili’s first speech as President of Argentina. Then he said: “Adjustment is inevitable, there is no money,” and he stepped on the accelerator.
Economy Minister Luis Caputo announced a significant devaluation of the peso; The Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich, launched a protocol with severe restrictions to close roads during protests; Later, Miley himself announced the Decree of Necessity and Urgency (DNU) with a stronger regulation of the economy, which sparked a great debate in society. And, before the discussion could begin, the government introduced a major bill which, among other proposals, contained over 600 articles, called for Congress to turn over decisions on economic, financial, fiscal, pension, security, and defense matters to the Executive. Having said. Tariff, energy, health, administrative and social, for at least two years.
Soon after, prices skyrocketed – inflation reached 25.5% in December, five times higher than the indicator for December 2022 –; Fuel increased three times, each time by about 30%; Private medical coverage increased its monthly charges by about 40%, and the same trend was repeated in medicines, private schools, rent, transportation, etc.
Faced with this scenario of a deepening economic crisis – it is worth saying that Miley warned about it in each of her speeches – there are those who say that the measures implemented are not directed against politicians whom economists call “caste ” Says, as he says, promised in the campaign. Others wonder if Miley voters are disappointed.
Are Miley voters disappointed?
Miguel Pujol is 45 years old and lives in the northern part of Buenos Aires province. “With some reservations, my assessment is positive. It is going where it needs to go in economic matters and in the political aspect it is being handled quite well,” he told CNN en Español. Caveats: “It was too sudden with food and price liberalization and, at the political level, half as arbitrary with the DNU. Although I generally validate both positions, it should have been a little more liberal, but the balance is positive “.
Alexis Salinas, a 25-year-old from the city of Buenos Aires and founder of Pibes Libertarios, a group advocating the ideas of La Libertad Avanza, also supports this: “We all knew that inflation was going to rise, it will take us these months for the greater good.” We have to live in, we have to wait and be patient” is a lesser evil.
“We have always had a situation of inequality in the interior of the country,” says Bernardo Álvarez, a businessman from Bahía Blanca, a city far from the Buenos Aires metropolitan area. He explains, “Here we pay more than there (the capital) for transportation, fuel, gas, electricity. Here we already live with other costs.” “One of the most important things I see is that there is a more federal approach to this,” he enthuses.
Tabatha Barrera Carlini is originally from the spa district of Villa Gesell, but lives in downtown Buenos Aires. He is not disappointed either. He says “this is a change that was needed” and that he was positively surprised by Bullrich’s anti-protest protocols. He explains, “There is something that can be improved and that is the issue of communication. In the past, for example, he had come out very strongly against union members and representatives and when you are negotiating, This is not a good move for me.” And adds: “ “That’s his personality and that’s how he’s always conducted himself.”
Did Miley take action against what she calls “race”?
Salinas says Miley isn’t messing with “race,” but she doesn’t criticize it. “That’s what he has to do, he has to talk, I’m fine with that, he’s doing his job.”
In contrast, Pujol believes he fulfilled this promise: “To touch the pockets of union members… more than if someone voted for him to go after the interests of the so-called ‘caste’ Nothing is important,” he says.
A magazine love in the midst of crisis
Along with the debate over price increases and the deeper reforms introduced, the President set a parallel agenda.
In the middle of the summer season in Mar del Plata, one of the most popular resorts where he presents his work, the passionate kiss he gave on stage with his partner, the actress Fátima Flórez, was part of the public. Conversation.
There was also speculation about the relocation of Olivos’ mastiff dogs to his presidential residence. Similarly, the shape of his feet was discussed when his girlfriend made a picture of her fused feet viral.
And these are just a few of the many pictures from the government’s first month.
Salinas says, “I prefer transparent love before all Argentines, not hypocritical love like the previous government, in which Alberto Fernández blamed his wife for the problems.”
“I am completely isolated from social networks and sometimes there are things that I do not understand. I do not understand how a president publishes memes, it seems quite childish to me, but I also understand That he wants to make himself look like ordinary people. “One of the others,” says Alvarez, a businessman from Bahía Blanca.
Does Miley have a blank check from her voters?
“The question is not how it starts, but how it will define the circumstances of the next four years,” says political analyst George Giacobbe. “There’s going to be a discussion that’s central and you have to try not to forget to look at it all the time, and on top of that there’s going to be another discussion, which is like the previous discussion. Is the state big or the boy, the guy boorish “Ideological questions arise about whether it is or not. And the bigger issue here is this: How long can public opinion tolerate the pain that Miley is proposing for a better world,” he adds.
Victoria De Masi is a journalist for the site elDiarioAR and investigated the movement around Miley’s personality before her presidential candidacy. Speaking to CNN, he says that he does not believe that voters feel sorry for their vote, but rather hope so. “Behind Libertad Avanza, embodied by Javier Miley, there is not only a great movement, but also a great social and cultural movement. What there is is a movement towards a new discourse,” he reflects. He adds that he does not see any radical or far-right vote: “What Miley is doing wrong is thinking that all the huge support she’s got in the polls is absolutely loyal. Miley’s voter is a skewed voter. who came to vote for him for various reasons.” ,
#NoLaVen: How is Miley doing in the culture battle?
The night Miley announced the much-discussed DNU with her ministers and trusted people, there was an uproar in various parts of the country in reaction to the megadecree. Later, the most powerful unions announced a general strike to be held on 24 March.
The president accused the protesters of having “Stockholm syndrome” when consulted by local media. “They love the model that makes them poor,” he said.
Later, on X, first on Twitter, the hashtag #NoLaVen became a trend, and Miley posted a photo with the Argentine flag displayed above the Casa Rosada, with the same phrase superimposed.
Long live the damned freedom! pic.twitter.com/FpSdUnSdcR
-Javier Milei (@JMilei) 26 December 2023
“The level of effectiveness of La Libertad Avanza and its great digital ferocity led to the instant establishment of hashtags. For example, #Afuera, #Noheplata, #Tabularasa,” De Masi highlights. “And now the last one, #NolaVen. It’s brilliant because he’s telling you something else, he’s telling you: ‘You’re blind,’ he’s telling you: ‘You’re stupid,’ you’re saying: ‘It’s in your favor and you don’t realize it,'” she added.
(tags to translate) Xavier Miley