Argentina's new president, Javier Milei, was seen with his 'lioness' girlfriend Fatima Florez at a gala event for the country's richest people, just hours after warning Argentinians that they had no money and that the economy needed 'shock' therapy.
The 53-year-old president held his inauguration in Buenos Aires on Sunday, which was attended by nearly thirty world leaders and representatives, including Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky and Hungary's Viktor Orbán.
Shortly after the all-day event, he was seen at a screening of Madame Butterfly at the Teatro Colón, an opera theater often considered one of the best in the world and less than 10 minutes away from the new residence of Milei, Casa Rosada.
The former university professor and economist warned he would give the economy a “shock treatment” and has committed to a program of tough austerity measures in a bid to cool inflation, which stood at 143% in October.
Moreover, Argentina's currency, the peso, is in long-term free fall, poverty levels have risen to 40% and the economy is in deep recession, IMF data show.
Argentina's new president Javier Milei (pictured, right) was seen with his 'lioness' girlfriend Fatima Florez (pictured, left) at a gala event
He has been dating his girlfriend since 2022, after they met on a hugely popular talk show two months before she split from her then husband.
After the interview, Fatima pretended to be her new boyfriend in one of her shows
“The bottom line is that there is no alternative to austerity and there is no alternative to shock treatment,” Milei said in his first speech as president.
'We know that the situation will deteriorate in the short term. But then we will see the fruits of our efforts.”
“There is no money,” Milei said in previous interviews. 'The budget balance is not up for discussion. I will fire any minister who spends more.'
He also wants to reduce the number of ministries from 24 to eight, and has called for the elimination or subsumption of the ministries of education, social development, women, gender and diversity, and health.
In one infamous video, he was seen tearing cards with the names of various ministries off a whiteboard and throwing them away, saying, “The state is not the solution, it is the problem.”
His inauguration was attended by almost thirty world leaders and representatives, including Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky (photo, left).
“The bottom line is that there is no alternative to austerity and there is no alternative to shock treatment,” Milei said in his first speech as president.
“There is no money,” Milei said in previous interviews. 'The budget balance is not up for discussion. I will fire any minister who spends more.”
He has taken bizarre positions on a range of issues, including organ trafficking. The president said he was in favor of allowing the sale of organs between private parties, claiming “it's just a different market.”
“If women can have control over their bodies, why can't everyone else,” he also said.
He also says he has no problem with sex work being legal. He previously said: 'I don't see anything wrong with paying for sex. It's a free transaction.'
But he also denies climate change and has on several occasions denied the existence of global warming, claiming that the scientific community overwhelmingly accepts that global warming and climate change are real and that man-made problems are the result of socialist interventions.
In a speech after his dramatic victory, he promised that Argentina's “reconstruction begins today,” adding that he would “drain the swamp,” referring to countering the influence of special interests and lobbyists.
Milei, who often dresses up as his superhero alter-ego “General AnCap,” short for anarcho-capitalist, made his name by angrily denouncing “political caste” on television programs.
Milei, who often dresses up as his superhero alter-ego 'General AnCap', which is short for anarcho-capitalist (pictured), made a furious name for himself by denouncing 'political caste' in television programs
Argentina's newly elected president, Javier Milei of La Libertad Avanza, kisses his girlfriend and actress Fatima Florez after the polls closed during the presidential elections on November 19
A pro-Trump libertarian with no previous government experience and a resume that includes work as a “tantric sex coach” has been elected president of Argentina
When the results were announced, former President Trump responded with praise for Milei in multiple posts on his Truth Social account on Sunday evening, with a twist on his famous slogan “Make America Great Again.”
“Congratulations to Javier Milei on a great race for the presidency of Argentina. The whole world was watching! I am very proud of you. You will change your country and truly make Argentina great again!'
He also posted a photo of Milei posing with the “Don't Tread on Me” flag, considered a symbol of right-wing libertarian politics, and wrote again: “Make Argentina great again!”
A political unknown until a few years ago, Milei was elected to the Argentine Parliament in 2021 as a member of La Libertad Avanza (“Freedom Progress”).
He prefers to call himself an anarcho-capitalist, meaning he wants to rip up as much government intervention as possible and leave it all to the free market.
“If I had to choose between the state and the mafia, I would choose the mafia,” he once said. 'Because the mafia has codes, the mafia adapts, the mafia does not lie. And above all, the mafia competes.”
His “chainsaw plan” to destroy the bloated state includes abolishing Argentina's public health and education systems and closing ten of its eighteen ministries.
Milei is also so anti-progressive that he has repeatedly – rather bizarrely – targeted Pope Francis, his compatriot, calling him a “damn communist,” “communist turd” and the “representative of the evil one on earth.” in cheeky social media posts simply because of his perceived support for “social justice” and policies to help the poor.
“Jesus didn't pay taxes,” Milei tweeted.
He has been dating his girlfriend since 2022, after they met on a hugely popular talk show two months before she split from her then husband.
During the interview, Fatima playfully told the politician, “You are too alone for your important role.”
In October, the pair returned to the chat show to confirm they were dating.
Fatima explained: 'We started talking on Instagram and we started seeing each other much later.
The pair confirmed they were dating in October
Last month, Javier shared images of his girlfriend cheering him on at one of his gatherings
'It happened very naturally. It happened very little by little. I was working in Uruguay, and we started writing to each other.'
Elsewhere in the interview, Argentina's new president said: “I am very much in love.” The couple described their love as 'exotic'.
Fatima then explained how she officially divorced her husband on her birthday in February – likening it to the historic Battle of San Lorenzo in 1813.
After the interview, Fatima pretended to be her new boyfriend in one of her shows.
Fatima – who wore a shaggy brown wig and bright blue contact lenses – shared a photo of herself backstage: 'I AM YOUR LIONESS.'
Last month, Javier shared images of his girlfriend cheering him on at one of his gatherings.
He captioned the images: 'SHE is the most beautiful flower! I love you… LONG LIVE FREEDOM.”