Milei hunts 'red terrorists' in echo of Argentina's past

Argentine President Javier Milei's administration is reportedly initiating a hunt for "red terrorists," a term echoing the harsh rhetoric of past military dictatorships. This campaign appears to target individuals perceived as dissidents, particularly those in academia, media, and cultural spheres, who question the "values" of the "New Right."

The government's actions draw parallels to the language used by former dictator Jorge Rafael Videla and the "macartista" (McCarthyite) style of the right-wing Peronist movement. Historian Marcelo Larraquy noted the similarity between this contemporary phrasing and the "mournful crudeness" of the 1970s.

Milei himself has stated that "terrorists disguised as students, journalists, professors, and researchers" exist, claiming that Antonio Gramsci's strategy of infiltrating education, media, culture, and the state has entered a "stage 2.0," which he attributes to former Vice President Cristina Kirchner.

This perceived crackdown is further fueled by a request from the United States government, described as the "new motherland of the libertarians," to "identify and map" the threat of "red terrorism." This directive was reportedly conveyed to Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno in a mid-July meeting.

The government's rhetoric has escalated to the point of reviving terms like "red" and potentially "subversive" to label any opposition. The article suggests this is an attempt to "anathematize" any reporter, columnist, intellectual, artist, or scientist who disagrees with the current administration's agenda.