President of Argentina Javier Milei arrived in New York in the late evening hours of Saturday for a brief visit to the United States in anticipation of addressing the United Nations General Assembly, reportedly on Tuesday.
The trip marks Milei’s sixth visit to the United States since taking office in December 2023. Milei’s address to the General Assembly, a venue for heads of government, will be his first. Similarly to his past trips, Milei’s U.S. itinerary does not appear to include a meeting with President Joe Biden.
According to the Argentine newspaper La Nación, Milei finished the outline of his highly anticipated speech on Sunday, which will reportedly question the “pro-China” attitude of the U.N. and will express the need to defend “Western values.”
Milei’s speech will also reportedly focus on setting the guidelines for Argentina’s foreign policy, reiterate his support for Ukraine against Russia’s ongoing invasion, and reaffirm his backing of Israel in its war against Hamas following the terrorist organization’s unprecedented October 7 attack.
Milei will also reportedly question the role of international organizations and the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda, a “sustainable development” plan to universalize countries’ approach to climate change, combatting disinformation, and other issues the intergovernmental organization deems to be threats to the world.
Argentine outlets reported on Monday morning that in addition to his first speech at the U.N., Milei will also hold several bilateral meetings and encounters with investors and entrepreneurs, including a new meeting with Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Milei kicked off his agenda on Sunday morning with a breakfast meeting with Argentine economist Alberto Ades, managing director of NWI Management. Ades shared a picture from the meeting and stated that it was “a privilege to exchange opinions” with them [Milei and his delegation] on the economic and political situation in our country and the United States.”
Following the encounter, Milei visited the Ohel, the burial site of the seventh Lubavitcher Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson. The Argentine president had previously visited the Ohel in late November 2023, days before taking office on December 10.
Miei concluded his Sunday agenda with an evening presentation at the headquarters of the New York Times, where he spoke about Argentina’s current situation and its relationship with the world. Milei took pictures with Argentine supporters, flashing his characteristic “thumbs up” pose, and signed autographs.
The Argentine president rang the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Monday morning, chanting his famous catchphrase, “Long live liberty, damn it!” Milei will then reportedly present the outlook and plans for the economy of Argentina to New York businessmen and investors.
At noon, Milei is scheduled to meet Elon Musk, followed by an afternoon presentation at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). In parallel, Argentine Economy Minister Luis Caputo is slated to meet investors and analysts at a private lunch organized by the investment bank J.P. Morgan in Manhattan.
On Tuesday, Milei will meet Karan Bhatia, head of government affairs and public policy at Google, a company that reportedly intends to invest in Argentina but “needs to know what legislation will be applied to regulate Artificial Intelligence.”
Milei is reportedly expected to deliver his U.N. speech at around 03:30 p.m. local time on Tuesday – though the scheduling of U.N. General Assembly speeches is often fluid and subject to rearranging as a result of world leaders disregarding the informal 15-minute speaking time limit. Milei is then scheduled to meet Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
The Argentine outlet Infobae reported on Saturday that the official drawing of lots to establish the U.N. General Assembly’s list of speakers determined that Milei would speak minutes before Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Argentina holds Iran and its proxy, the Shiite jihadist organization Hezbollah, responsible for the 1994 bombing of the Argentine-Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) and the 1992 bombing of the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires. The 1994 AMIA bombing was the deadliest terrorist attack in the Western Hemisphere prior to the September 11, 2001, attacks.
Milei reportedly rejected the possibility of meeting Pezeshkian or any Iranian representative, as he has vowed to “realign” the South American nation’s foreign policy with the United States and Israel as its main allies after previous socialist governments pushed Argentina towards China, Russia, and Iran.
According to Infobae, the Argentine Foreign Ministry reached an agreement with El Salvador to swap positions on the list and avoid a possible impasse between the Argentine and Iranian delegations. Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele reportedly agreed on the condition that Milei stays in the General Assembly to listen to his speech — which Milei agreed to, according to the outlet.
Milei is slated to return to Buenos Aires on a private flight in the evening hours of Tuesday.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
