Buenos Aires became the headquarters of the Madrid Forum, a two-day event with the participation of two main figures: Argentine President Javier Milei and Vox leader Santiago Abascal. Several international guests also attended the event and one of the focuses of the first day was the serious situation that the VenezuelaOne of the slogans of the event was to “support the Venezuelan people and denounce the lukewarm reaction of the international community.”
Early in the morning, the Libertad Palace – formerly known as the Kirchner Cultural Center, whose name was changed by the Milei government – officially began the Third Regional Meeting of the Madrid Forum. In this case, in its Río de la Plata 2024 edition.
Abascal was in charge of starting these days with an opening speech. In a brief presentation, he assured that “the good guys” are beginning to be “organized” and “united” against socialism, which he called a “powerful enemy” linked to “organized crime.” He in turn called for the unity of the extreme right. “Beyond small differences, important things unite us. We have a duty to strengthen our union,” he said.
In a discourse centered on a dichotomy between good and evilspoke out against abortion and said: “The good guys are those who defend freedom in all orders“We are the ones who defend the right to life in the mother’s womb.” In turn, the leader of Vox assured: “The good ones are those who defend private property as an indispensable element of freedom.”
Abascal, for his part, spoke about the situation in Venezuela. “We have a duty to be firm and tell the truth about what happened in Venezuela. They stole it freedom and elections” he said at an event also attended by Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.
Milei, against politics and the press
Then the Argentine president Javier Milei He delivered a strong speech in which he dedicated “a special greeting” to the leader of Vox, whom he called “my great friend”. “Today I am going to talk to you about two phenomena that, although relevant for our country, can be observed in countries of the Western world. The first is the ‘state party’, those political structures that, regardless of the party seal they use, reject the model of freedom,” said the head of state at the beginning of an angry speech.
The other The focus of his speech was socialism.which has been called a “bottomless abyss.” “Unfortunately, the main countries of the free world are becoming increasingly popular with the ideas that have plunged Argentina into misery,” he said.
A third objective One of his attacks has been the press, which has already been the target of his speeches on several occasions in which the local press criticized the government. “Journalists and the media, which today are nothing more than a propaganda service, sold to the highest bidder,” the president said. Currently, the Casa Rosada’s relations with journalism are strained, after the executive branch limited access to public information by decree.
In turn, much of Milei’s speech was dedicated to his predecessor at the Casa Rosada, former President Alberto Fernández, whom he called a “drummer” and an “autocrat.” He also spoke harshly strict quarantine implemented by the previous government four years ago.
