The first thing he did was analyze the government of Javier Milei, its president. According to him, even his opponents in Argentina, firms that carry out studies of various kinds, recognize that the economic measures adopted by the president have led the country to a notable recovery.
The Argentine president took office in December 2023, determined to reduce the fiscal deficit to zero, a more ambitious goal than that imposed by the International Monetary Fund itself, with which Argentina has a credit agreement for $44 billion.
To this end, it undertook a draconian adjustment that includes, among others, the paralysis of public works, dismissals of officials, closures of government agencies, cutting subsidies, increases in public rates and the freezing of budgets at a time when inflation is close to 290. % annually and poverty afflicts half of the population.
Watch the interview with Agustín Laje, Argentine political scientist and writer:
“On the economic level, Milei is making an unprecedented adjustment, seeking to accommodate the economic disaster it inherited after two decades of 21st century socialism. This inheritance is made up, among other things, of galloping inflation (1,000% in the last four years of Kirchnerism), planted hyperinflation (the first days of December 2023, 1% daily inflation was recorded. Which, annualized, It means inflation above 3,500%), poverty calculated at around 50% of the country, indigence above 10%, private employment completely stopped since 2011, reserves destroyed, huge fiscal deficit, etc. This mess is being fixed by Milei, and inflation is already starting to go down: March is expected to register a single digit, which would be a resounding economic success for the Government”, he asserted.
Regarding the crossings that have occurred between Milei and Gustavo Petro, president of Colombia, the Argentine writer and analyst assured that the Colombian president came to call the Argentine head of state “the reincarnation of (Augusto) Pinochet (former Chilean dictator, which compared to Hitler (Adolf Hitler, former German dictator) and he is not a military dictator. What Petro said is nonsense, typical of a person who is either an idiot, or is not intellectually honest.”he added.
Regarding Milei's accusations against President Gustavo Petro, calling him a “murderous terrorist,” Agustín Laje maintained that the Argentine president told the truth, but in an inadequate way. “It was not diplomatic, timely, appropriate to treat each other in those terms. Now, what he said is true. Mr. Petro was in a terrorist organization and the description is true. Today he may not belong to a terrorist organization, but he told the truth,” he emphasized.
Later, Laje analyzed what he sees of Colombia. In his view, he notes that President Gustavo Petro intervened in the health sector because his reform was not approved, bypassing constitutional avenues. And, at the same time, in his opinion, more and more Colombians are becoming disappointed and concerned with his actions.
“That's what all the little dictators of 21st century socialism do. The left realized that guerrilla warfare had no results. When they realize that weapons are not really an option to take power, they change the strategy and the first to apply it was Hugo Chávez (former president of Venezuela). He legitimately accesses power and then does not respect the rules and dedicates himself to refounding the State,” he explained.
The writer aimed to point out that former President Evo Morales, in Bolivia, sought to expand the Chavista model; former president Rafael Correa, in Ecuador and the Kirchner spouses (Néstor and Cristina Kirchner), in Argentina.
“In Colombia I see many disenchanted people, but there are no clear alternatives, the president is shaking his hands because I don't think he has a way to advance his reforms through constitutional means,” he added, indicating that these types of leftist governments usually “ throw down the ladder” of democracy, that is, use it to rise to power and then disrespect it in any way possible in order to meet your ambitions.
Anyway, said the Argentine writer, the best thing is that President Gustavo Petro ends his government in 2026, not before because “When the left does not end their governments, they become victims.”
In his view, when a president assumes the role of victim, he has electoral possibilities if his rights are not respected. Therefore, for him, the best thing is “for Petro to finish his government and let's turn the page.”
