Visit to Berlin

Chilly reception for “anarcho-capitalist” Milei

Just a brief photo opportunity, the rest of Javier Milei's visit to Olaf Scholz took place behind closed doors.(Bild: AFP)

The reception with military honors was cancelled at short notice, as was the joint press conference: Germany's Chancellor Olaf Scholz met the Argentinian President and self-proclaimed "anarcho-capitalist" Javier Milei behind closed doors at the Berlin Chancellery on Sunday. The meeting began with a brief photo opportunity, with the two greeting each other with a handshake in front of the government headquarters.

Only one hour was scheduled for the meeting - at Milei's request, according to the German side. During the welcome, several dozen demonstrators protested against the visit in front of the Chancellery with placards such as "Away with Milei".

With chainsaw and "rats" slogan
The head of state of South America's second-largest economy, which belongs to the G20 group of the most important industrialized and emerging countries, is considered an eccentric and is often compared to former US President Donald Trump. During the election campaign, he appeared with a chainsaw running, he likes to refer to disagreeable members of parliament as "rats" and for him, the state is the root of all evil.

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It was expected that the meeting at the Chancellery would mainly focus on economic issues. Argentina has many raw materials, such as lithium, which is urgently needed in Germany. In addition, talks on a free trade agreement between the European Union and the South American economic confederation Mercosur remain deadlocked.

Appearance in the presence of AfD politician
Milei had already arrived in Germany on Saturday and received the medal of the liberal Friedrich August von Hayek Society in Hamburg - in the presence of AfD politician Beatrix von Storch and the chairman of the right-wing conservative Werteunion, Hans-Georg Maaßen. In his speech, he struck a rather moderate tone and limited himself to explaining his radical liberal reform course.

Before Scholz, only four heads of state and government have received Milei since he took office six months ago: Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Italy's head of government Giorgia Meloni, El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele and Pope Francis as head of state of the Vatican. Due to ideological differences, Milei skipped the usual trips for Argentinian presidents to important neighboring countries such as Brazil and Chile. He has already been to the USA several times - but without an appointment at the White House. Instead, he met with Tesla boss Elon Musk and former President Trump.