Argentine President Javier Milei emerged as the star of the Madrid Economic Forum, an event initially framed as a space for economic reflection but ultimately transformed into a platform for attacking the left. Milei arrived at Madrid’s Vista Alegre Palace like a rockstar, accompanied by music from La Renga, enthusiastic greetings, and a speech blending defense of his austerity policies with fierce criticism of socialists and the state. What is the Madrid Economic Forum? An event organized by firms advising investors in Andorra and sponsored by a cryptocurrency platform. Over two days, figures such as Albert Rivera, Esperanza Aguirre, and ultraliberal YouTubers took the stage. Milei’s closing speech shifted the event’s tone. While he highlighted his economic achievements in Argentina, he also attacked socialists, labeling them “scum,” and criticized the media. Milei’s provocative finale, urging the audience to “fight corrupt politicians head-on,” cemented the forum’s transformation into a political rally. The atmosphere was charged, with the audience shouting hostile chants against Pedro Sánchez and applauding Milei’s most incendiary remarks, including his claim that “in 40 years, Argentina will undoubtedly be the world’s leading power.”
— new from EL PAÍS
