Milei confirms running mate choice for re-election bid

Argentine President Javier Milei has confirmed he has selected a running mate for his potential re-election bid in the upcoming elections, though he has opted to keep the individual's identity confidential for the time being. This announcement comes amid a backdrop of increasing tension with his current vice president, Victoria Villarruel.

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I have defined my running mate for next year, but I prefer to keep the name reserved for now.

Milei also used the interview to reiterate his long-standing opposition to the Primary, Open, Simultaneous, and Compulsory (PASO) elections. He argued that these primaries represent a significant public expense, costing taxpayers an estimated $250 million annually, without fulfilling a genuine function beyond facilitating internal party disputes. He expressed hope that Congress would support their elimination.

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From here on, our only mandate is to continue accelerating on this path, as fast as reality allows us.

The president emphasized that the reform of the Central Bank's organic charter is the government's foremost legislative priority for the current semester. He aims to provide the institution with technical safeguards and explicitly prohibit monetary emission to assist the treasury. Milei stated that merely cleaning up the Central Bank's balance sheet is insufficient, as future populist administrations could revert to inflationary practices. He stressed the need to enshrine the preservation of currency value and the prohibition of financing the Treasury in law, rather than relying on the discretion of whoever is in power. Furthermore, he advocated for shielding Central Bank presidents from removal by the ruling party, which he described as capricious.

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From even before being president, I have been against the PASO. They do not fulfill any real function other than spending taxpayer money on private party primaries that should be resolved internally.

Looking ahead to a potential second term, Milei declared that the sole mandate would be to "continue accelerating on this path, as fast as reality allows." He projected a prolonged period of economic expansion, driven by the reforms his administration has undertaken.

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The reform of the Central Bank's organic charter... is the most important we are going to promote.