Voters Lean Libertarian as the Pro Bitcoin Javier Milei Surges in Argentinian Polls

During Sunday’s primary presidential election in Argentina, libertarian candidate Javier Milei has come up at the forefront. Milei, a staunch critic of the central bank and a supporter of Bitcoin, has garnered a significant share of the votes.

As of Sunday, with around 90 percent of the votes tallied, Milei secured 30.5 percent, catching many off-guard. The main conservative opposition bloc trailed slightly at 28 percent, while the ruling Peronist coalition lagged at 27 percent. This change in voter sentiment signals a clear discontent with Argentina’s current political landscape, especially given the mounting inflation rate of 116 percent and the disturbing fact that four in 10 Argentinians live in poverty.

Milei didn’t hesitate to highlight this sentiment in his post-results speech. “We are the true opposition,” he emphasized, adding, “A different Argentina is impossible with the same old things that have always failed.”

Milei’s past remarks provide insight into his economic perspective. He has labeled the central bank as a “scam,” seeing it as a tool politicians use to exploit citizens through inflation. And while he appreciates Bitcoin, saying it “represents the return of money to its original creator, the private sector,” he stops short of suggesting its use as legal currency like El Salvador. Rather, Milei proposes a “dollarization” approach for Argentina, considering the country’s escalating inflation woes.

Argentina’s current state of affairs has indeed fueled widespread disenchantment, enabling Milei to gain traction. Many Argentinians, frustrated with the prevalent economic crisis and subsequent policies, find hope in Milei’s suggestion to replace the peso with the U.S. dollar.

As the electoral process unfolds, no contender is expected to clinch more than 45% in the primary round. Subsequently, a general election will take place in October, featuring the top candidates from each party. Should the October polls fail to produce a clear winner with 45%, a decisive runoff vote is slated for November.