I thought that this campaign photo of Milei with a chainsaw provides a useful metaphor for his intentions. And given the wildly emotional nature of the Argentines and the disaster that their nation has become, it is easy to see how this can be appealing.
Bearing in mind what happened to Nisman, Milei would do well to engage some serious protection.
Look at the US. People there that voted for years for Ron Paul or Ralph Nader or IndependentâŚinstead of picking the lesser of 2 evils Republican or Democrat.
Those voters certainly do not âdeserveâ the absolute mess that the republicans and democrats have foisted on the US in the last several decades
It is not reasonable to generalise and pin the blame on âevery voterâ with this platitude. It is logically fallacious at best. At worst it is like seeking to rationlize evil in the world or bad things happening to good people with reincarnation (well they must have deserved it somehow or somewayâŚthey must not have really been good people)
Somebody wants to blame the person who voted Democrat or Republican or Peronist every electionâŚfine blame those voters with the âthey deserve itâ pejorative.
Not the voters who have voted against the shenanigans and parties every step of the way.
They exist in every country
As a class or bloc, the âpoorâ in Argentina â or lower socioeconomic classes if you prefer â who have endlessly supported Peronism, knowing it to be demonstrably corrupt, bear a large part of the responsibility for Argentina being in its current straits. That is the nature of this democracy thing.
An interesting policy platform for Milei, which has the usual peronistas apoplectic and suggests that the media characterization of âright wingâ is not accurate.
Milei has selected Diana Mondino for a likely foreign minister slot if he wins the presidential competition and isnât assassinated first. Mondino takes issue with the usual imperialistic and aggressive Argentine policy toward the Falkland Islanders, saying that â gasp!!-- the rights of the islanders must be respected. And Milei has seconded that policy, something certain to reduce some of his popularity with the old guard in Argentina, who view that as heretical and tantamount to treason.
Which brings us to the question of what sectors of the population are most supportive of Milei?
Interestingly, many of those who previously had been peronismoâs biggest fans but are now disenchanted (to say the least) with its increasingly profound economic failures. In earlier surveys, Milei resounded with those under 30, the lower middle class, and a certain portion of the urban poor. If such a trend continues and solidifies in that demographic, Milei may very well get the support he needs for a true upset in the elections.
