Libertarian lawmaker Javier Milei has revealed he has discussed the possibility of serving in a national government led by PRO party leader Patricia Bullrich, claiming that he proposed the two face-off in next year’s primaries over their presidential hopes.
The Avanza Libertad deputy, who took the 2019 elections by storm to land a seat as a national lawmaker, remarked that he could reach an agreement with the opposition Juntos por el Cambio coalition to join them under their banner, but only if they dumped most of their partners, including those from the Unión Civic Radical, the Coalición Cívica and the “doves” (a reference to those on the left of the party, with Bullrich and others on the right-wing of the coalition described as “hawks” by way of contrast).
Focusing on the 2023 electoral campaign, Milei revealed that he would be willing to be a minister in an eventual government formed by Bullrich, should the former security minister defeat him in the primaries.
Although he did not entirely close the door to signing up with the opposition coalition, the lawmaker was typically outspoken in his assessment of Juntos por el Cambio and its party members.
"Juntos por el Cambio, as it exists today, is unviable because the Radicals are the socialist international, the Coalición Cívica is a left-wing detachment of Radicalism and the soft wing of Juntos is also a problem because it recites the ideas that have condemned us to failure." he declared.
Milei went on to describe the "doves" of the opposition coalition as "reloaded Kirchnerites." Nevertheless, the economist admitted that "there is a wing of Juntos por el Cambio with which I get on very well and with which I can work."
When asked whether he would enter into an electoral agreement with this part of the coalition, he replied that he is not "desperate" to indefinitely hold office.
"I am only willing to get involved in management if I think there is a chance of success. I'm not going to spoil my work of cultural battle that I've been doing for more than 20 years, I'm not willing to risk it in something that I know will end badly", he said in statements to the TN news channel.
Milei has already confirmed his presidential ambitions and said that he would welcome unhappy members from the opposition coalition’s “hard wing” into his own alliance.
He confirmed that if Bullrich defeated him in an internal election "outside the structure of Juntos por el Cambio," he would be willing to serve as her economy minister.
He said a similar proposal had also been made to former president Mauricio Macri, but he hinted that the idea was a non-starter.
"I can't be on the other side because they don't want me either and I'm not interested in being wanted. The failures, those who compromise, those who are partners with the Ks, who approve budgets that imply more taxes, I’m not with them," he said of the "moderate" sector of the opposition coalition.
– TIMES/NA
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