The White House says US President Joe Biden called Argentine President-elect Javier Milei on Wednesday to congratulate him on his landslide election victory in South America’s second largest economy.
“President Biden spoke with President-elect of Argentina Javier Milei to congratulate him and discuss the importance of continuing to build on our strong bilateral relationship,” a White House statement said.
It said a readout of the call will be released later.
Milei, a 53-year-old economist who has promised to abolish numerous government ministries and has campaigned by swinging a chainsaw from the stage, defeated Argentina’s long-dominant Peronist coalition on Sunday.
Voters punished the administration for decades of economic deterioration, resulting in yearly inflation of 143 percent.
To combat inflation, Milei has threatened to abandon the peso in favor of the US dollar and to shut down the central bank, which he accuses of widespread money production to fuel government overspending.
During his candidacy, he promised to cut state spending and eliminate around ten government agencies, among other controversial suggestions.
He eventually toned down some of his bluster, casting doubt on his actual goals.
In a statement issued on Sunday, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken congratulated Milei and praised “the robust democratic process through which the Argentine public has spoken.”