Argentina‘s new president Javier Milei has slashed the country’s Ministry of Culture and nine other administrations just several days after being sworn into office. Having campaigned as a far-right libertarian economist, Milei is known as many things — from being a former tantric-sex coach to brandishing a chainsaw on his campaign trail — he beat out former Minister of Economy Sergio Massa by garnering support from many young voters disillusioned by Argentina’s soaring inflation.
As an admirer of Donald Trump, Milei too, was a former TV personality who campaigned to save the economy, “kick out politicians” from their post and gut many of the nation’s social services, including public health, education and culture. He is also notably obsessed with his deceased English Mastiff, Conan (named after Conan the Barbarian), to whom he “telepathically” communicates to for political advice.
Milei’s frenetic nature and adoration from his supporters doesn’t come necessarily as a surprise, given the rise of populist figures from non-political backgrounds. In a past interview, Milei once said he’d pick the mafia over the state. His reason: “Because the mafia has codes, the mafia adapts, the mafia doesn’t lie. And above all, the mafia competes.”
Delivering on his campaign promise, Milei has merged the Culture, Education, Health, Labor and Social services into a new organization called The Ministry of Human Capital. According to the Argentine government’s website, the newly formed sector seeks to “promote public policies for the development of a national culture that encourages artistic creation and cultural expressions, having diversity and plurality as fundamental axes.”
40% of Argentina’s population currently lives below the poverty line and with inflation rising over 140%, Milei had some controversial resolutions to fixing the nation’s economy, including ditching the Argentinian peso in favor the US dollar. Whether the “Chainsaw Man” delivers on that promise is yet to be seen.
