The president of Argentina, Javier Milei, has made a bold decision that has his country talking. Rather than traveling to the World Economic Forum in Davos (Switzerland) on a private or chartered flight, Milei opted to take a regular flight, citing significant cost savings.
According to the president, this decision allowed him to “save” around $392,000. However, his spokesperson later revised that figure to just over $320,000. “If we take care of the currencies, the pesos take care of themselves,” stated Milei on a social media post, emphasizing the importance of diligence even in minor details.
The president first flew to Frankfurt, Germany, and then traveled to Zurich before heading to Davos. He is scheduled to speak at the forum on Wednesday, January 17, and has plans to meet with International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.
Milei’s presence at Davos is highly anticipated, as this is his first trip abroad as the leader of Argentina, a country currently facing economic crisis. The president leads a libertarian experiment that has drawn international attention. At 53 years old, he is considered an ultra-liberal economist, with his trip to Davos being closely watched by more than 100 government leaders, businessmen, and economists in attendance.
Milei’s views and policies have been described as “extremist” and have raised eyebrows in international circles. His upcoming meeting with the IMF director is particularly significant, as it follows a technical agreement between Argentina and the organization to revive a credit program worth $44 billion.
In another twist, it was revealed that the government paid 4.5 billion pesos to temporarily rent a house in Davos to promote Colombian tourism during the forum. This decision sparked controversy, with many questioning the value of the rental. The head of communications at the Casa de Nariño justified the investment, stating that the rented house was intended as a showcase to attract investors to Colombia, unrelated to the president’s events.
Milei’s presence at the World Economic Forum in Davos is stirring up both admiration and skepticism, as leaders and figures in global finance strive to understand the direction in which Argentina is headed under his leadership.