Milei visits Trump’s home turf eyeing free-trade deal with United States

President Javier Milei hopes to leverage his deepening relationship with US president-elect Donald Trump into a free-trade deal for Argentina.

Milei, 53, arrived in Florida on Thursday for a two-day stop at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, where Argentina's leader is due to address the latest Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) forum on Friday.

In his speech, Milei is expected to call for the formation of “a ‘league of conservative nations,” according to reports in local media outlets.

Strong criticism of the United Nations’ “2030 Agenda” of sustainable development goals was also set to be voiced, with the La Libertad Avanza leader eyeing for the establishment of a new multilateral body of like-minded governments and leaders.

Milei’s trip to the US was intended to deepen his developing relationship with Trump, the Republican leader who defeated Democrat Kamala Harris in the November 5 election. 

The two shared a phone call earlier this week, in which Trump reportedly told Milei that he was “his favourite president,” according to the Argentine leader’s chief spokesperson.

But the two-day trip to Trump’s home turf also had an ulterior motive. Milei anticipated on Wednesday that his administration will seek a free-trade agreement with the United States, a proposal that would provide a major boost for Argentina’s stuttering economy.

Milei ultimately desires an accord between the two nations committing to “freedom of trade and military cooperation.” 

His government also wants closer ties with the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Argentina wants greater coordination through joint missions, information agreements and the purchase of technological equipment for Argentina’s intelligence services, the State Intelligence Secretariat (SIDE).

On the economic side, Milei administration officials are hopeful that Trump’s victory will lead to smoother negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) over Argentina’s US$44-billion loan programme. 

Milei and Economy Minister Luis Caputo want a new deal, accompanied by a fresh disbursement of funds, some US$10 million that would be used to strengthen Central Bank reserves and allow the removal of Argentina’s complex web of capital controls, known locally as the ‘cepo.’

Earlier this week, Milei celebrated that the US seems to be “copying our model,” also revealing that his Deregulation & State Transformation Minister Federico Sturzenegger had been in contact with billionaire Elon Musk "to see how to deregulate the US economy."

Musk has taken on an increasingly larger role in Trump’s inner circle and has been named co-chief of a new “government efficiency” department tasked with slashing spending.

Milei was expected to meet Musk while in Florida.

In what promises to be a packed few days, Milei will return to Buenos Aires to host French President Emmanuel Macron on Saturday.

He will then fly to Rio de Janeiro over the weekend to attend the G20 Leaders Summit, which begins Monday. 

Milei returns to the capital next Wednesday to host Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, an ally and another star of the global right.

Diplomatic debut

Businessman Alejandro ‘Alec’ Oxenford, Milei’s nomination for Argentina’s ambassador to the United States, made his diplomatic debut with a Wednesday night dinner with Marc Stanley, Washington’s envoy in Buenos Aires.

“Yesterday I had the honour of being invited by the US Ambassador to his residence, where I received warm congratulations on my appointment as Argentine Ambassador to the US. We have an ambitious work agenda for the benefit of Argentines and Americans,” Oxenford wrote in a post on social media.

“‘The alliance between Argentina, the United States and Israel is a special force that unites common values and objectives towards a future of peace and prosperity,” said the fintech entrepreneur, who is part of a group of influential business leaders who backed Milei’s candidacy for the Presidency.

Oxenford, who has no formal experience as a diplomat, was chosen as a replacement for Gerardo Werthein, the businessman who was appointed foreign minister by Milei earlier this month following Diana Mondino’s departure.

Mondino was ousted after Argentina voted against the US trade embargo of Cuba at the United Nations General Assembly, which Milei considered in the latest in a string of errors.

Milei intends to get the nation’s diplomats in line, reiterating his message that the nation’s geopolitical alignment is with the United States and Israel.

– TIMES/NA/PERFIL