His legions of fans call him “the crazy” and “the wig” due to his ferocity and unruly mop of hair, while he refers to himself as “the lion.” Javier Milei, a 53-year-old economist, has rocked Argentina’s political establishment and inserted himself into what has long been effectively a two-party system to become president of South America’s second-largest economy. A few years ago, Milei was a television talking head that bookers loved because his screeds against government spending and the ruling political class boosted ratings. His political success has come from amassing a groundswell of support with his prescriptions of drastic measures to rein in soaring inflation and pledging to crusade against the creep of socialism in society.
