On Friday, Argentina’s libertarian president Javier Milei and Tesla CEO Elon Musk met for the first time, strengthening a friendship that started on social media. Both are well-known for their strong support of free markets and their criticism of government overreach and progressive cultural values. Continued below the fast vid clip
They met at Tesla’s factory in Austin, Texas, where they talked about the need to open up markets more and the importance of removing bureaucratic barriers that discourage investors, as stated by Milei’s office.
Argentina’s ambassador to the US, Gerardo Werthein, who was also at the meeting, mentioned that they discussed potential investment opportunities for Tesla in lithium mining. Argentina has one of the largest lithium reserves, which is essential for electric vehicle batteries.
Milei, an economist and former TV commentator, won a surprising election in November by promising to cut government spending and reduce inflation. He has since connected with various global right-wing leaders, including Elon Musk, former US president Donald Trump, and Brazil’s former far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro.
Milei has made headlines with his speeches promoting free market principles at major forums and conferences, boosting his international profile.
Musk has shown his support for Milei, even sharing an interview with him and celebrating his election win as a positive sign for Argentina’s future. Milei, an avid user of Musk’s social media platform X, mentioned spending several hours daily on social media.
Both Milei and Musk have also shown support for Israel in its conflict with terrorists in Gaza, and have had meetings with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently. They also share strained relationships with some leftist governments.
During the campaign, Milei called Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva “corrupt” and offered Musk support in a conflict involving Musk’s social media company in Brazil. Last week, the company criticized a Brazilian court’s order to block certain accounts.
On Sunday, Musk, who is a strong supporter of free speech, suggested that a Brazilian supreme court justice should either resign or be impeached, leading to a call from Brazil’s attorney-general for urgent regulation of social media platforms.
Critics in Argentina have labeled Milei’s recent US trip, his third since his election, as personal and a distraction from domestic issues.
Before meeting with Musk, Milei visited Miami, where a Jewish community group honored him for his support of Israel.
Back in Argentina, Milei’s political coalition faced challenges, with three lawmakers leaving the group after a disagreement with top advisers.
Despite these issues, Milei shared enthusiastic posts from his meeting with Musk, anticipating future collaborations to promote freedom in Argentina. Musk also expressed optimism about their shared future endeavors.
