Argentine economist Javier Milei’s rising prominence faces setback ahead of 2023 presidential elections

Argentine economist Javier Milei, known for his conservative views, has been gaining prominence in the run-up to the 2023 presidential elections.

Championing a platform against political establishments, Milei’s popularity began to rise after his television and radio appearances, where he critiqued Argentina’s political class.

His “Advance Freedom” coalition secured five seats in legislative elections, strengthening his political influence.

However, Milei’s polling numbers have decreased two weeks before the primaries.

Initially, Javier Milei seemed well-positioned as a front-runner, with May polls indicating a 29% voter intent in his favor.

However, recent data shows him trailing behind Sergio Massa of the ruling “Union for the Homeland” coalition and Horacio Larreta and Patricia Bullrich from the center-right coalition.

Milei, a proponent of Austrian School economics, suggests drastic measures such as the dollarization of Argentina’s economy as a solution to the country’s high inflation rates, which reached 115% in June 2023 – a 30-year high.

Despite his bold proposals and appeal among disgruntled middle-class voters, experts question his ability to make substantial gains due to his lack of deep-rooted political infrastructure.

His political and economic proposals have earned him the nickname “Argentine Bolsonaro.”

However, Milei’s campaign has faced controversy as allegations of selling candidacy positions for monetary gains surfaced in July, which he has firmly denied.

Despite the challenges, Milei remains a significant figure in the Argentine political landscape as the election draws near.