Following Argentina’s surprising presidential election results on October 22, Finance Minister Sergio Massa will face libertarian Javier Milei in a run-off on November 19. The economy is the major concern for voters, amid triple-digit inflation, economic contraction, and high debt. But foreign policy is also a campaign issue, given the dramatic disagreements between the candidates about Argentina’s international relationships.
Milei has proposed major changes to Argentina’s foreign policy. Rejecting what he describes as “cultural Marxism,” he has promised to distance the country from its two biggest trading partners, Brazil and China. He favors rejecting an invitation to join the BRICS bloc, and he has expressed admiration for far-right parties, such as Vox in Spain, and far-right politicians, such as José Antonio Kast of Chile.
