Rep. María Elvira Salazar applauded Javier Milei's inauguration as Argentine president, calling it "a new dawn" for the country during her Monday appearance on Newsmax.
Joining "Eric Bolling The Balance," the Florida Republican characterized Milei's victory as a rejection of decades of socialist policies that have kept Argentina from realizing its full economic potential.
"Argentina has everything. It has oil. It has beef. It has soy, lithium. It has lots of land. It has water. It has wood. I mean, I cannot explain [it] to you. It is like the United States," said Salazar.
However, Argentina is "in a miserable economic condition. Half of the population is on welfare. They have 150% inflation a month. A month! Could you imagine?" she continued. "And this guy [Milei] has come to try to change everything."
Salazar, herself the child of two Cuban exiles, attended Milei's inauguration on Sunday to show that she stood with his "steadfast dedication to the principles of liberty and free markets."
"The energy in Argentina is palpable. It's a new day for Argentines who voted to leave decades of socialism in the past," Salazar posted on X. "¡Viva La Libertad!"
Milei beat Sergio Massa for the presidency on Nov. 19 by over 11 percentage points, 55.65% to 44.35%, according to the BBC.
His right-wing populist campaign serves as the first real challenge to the country's left-wing ideological consensus that has dominated since the rule of Juan Perón in the middle-to-late 20th century.
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Luca Cacciatore ✉
Luca Cacciatore, a Newsmax general assignment writer, is based in Arlington, Virginia, reporting on news and politics.
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