Milei: Markets see my re-election coming

Argentine President Javier Milei, in a recent interview, emphasized market confidence in the economic direction, stating that investors are already pricing in his victory in the next presidential election. He claimed the country is "shielded" against a potential speculative attack and that the country risk is declining. "Financially we are shielded, the country risk is falling. Markets look to the future. They clearly see that we are going to be re-elected," he said.

Milei defended the economic recovery process, saying, "What matters is the cyclical trend. In reality, the Argentine economy is growing at a rate of 4%. GDP data came in at 2.3%, while the average annual growth was 1% before our arrival, over the last 100 years." However, he acknowledged that the first quarter of the year was weaker, attributing it to the "attempted coup d'état in the second half of last year."

He accused Congress of trying to violate fiscal balance, stating, "There is a political corporation that is an enemy of the country, willing to set the country on fire for power. Many do not care about stealing from the most vulnerable sectors; they were the managers of poverty. We have finished with them."

Finally, Milei expressed optimism about economic activity, highlighting the decline in country risk, the Large Investment Incentive Regime (RIGI), and infrastructure projects as growth drivers. He also assured that real wages will continue to recover, pensions are "growing in real terms," and labor reform will promote formal employment.

Milei's remarks come amid Argentina's struggle with high inflation and economic crisis. The market's expectation of his re-election is seen as a vote of confidence in his radical austerity measures and structural reforms, though opposition parties point to the social costs of these policies.