BUENOS AIRES — In a confrontational address to Argentina’s Congress on Sunday, libertarian President Javier Milei celebrated his administration’s accomplishments while launching verbal attacks against opposition legislators and expressing admiration for his connection with U.S. President Donald Trump.
During the hour-and-a-half presentation, Milei engaged in heated exchanges with opposition members of parliament, branding them as “thieves,” “murderers” and “ignorant” while showcasing what he characterized as his administration’s major successes during his first year in office.
The congressional address came following a string of policy wins for Milei’s government, encompassing workplace reform legislation, modifications to juvenile criminal accountability laws, the Mercosur-European Union commercial pact, and preliminary passage of environmental protection measures for glaciers.
“This has been one of the most productive extraordinary sessions in our history, fulfilling all the campaign promises made in 2025,” Milei said.
Key themes in Milei’s remarks centered on Argentina’s capacity to export natural resources and energy supplies, along with the nation’s advantageous geographic position. He stressed the importance of staying aligned with Washington, pointing to successful financial assistance from the U.S. government in the previous year and referencing his “special relationship” with Trump, whom he called a “key ally.”
Milei added that “we have to create the century of the Americas. Make America Great Again.”
The Argentine leader also contended that his country holds essential minerals sought by Western nations and highlighted the nation’s strategic positioning between two oceans and near Antarctica. “We are a natural link in the West’s strategic value chain,” he asserted.
Throughout his remarks, Milei engaged in heated confrontations with opposition representatives, branding them as dishonest and corrupt, while also targeting former leftist leader Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who remains incarcerated on corruption-related charges.
Last Friday marked a significant legislative triumph for Milei when lawmakers approved his workplace reform package that will dramatically reshape Argentina’s employment landscape, despite strong resistance from left-leaning political groups and the nation’s primary labor organization.
Political analyst Juan Negri from Torcuato Di Tella University’s Political Science department told The Associated Press that Milei now holds considerably more legislative influence.
“We find him with significant support and, through his allies, with a parliamentary majority that seemed unprecedented in 2023,” he said.
When Milei took office in 2023, he faced an opposition that vowed to block the free-market reforms championed by his La Libertad Avanza party, which ranked as merely the third-largest congressional faction in both legislative chambers. During his early presidential months, Milei experienced intense conflicts with lawmakers, whom he denounced as a “rat’s nest” for blocking his policy agenda.
Following the 2025 legislative contests, La Libertad Avanza partnered with the conservative Republican Proposal (PRO) party to become the dominant force in both congressional houses, securing the one-third threshold necessary to sustain presidential vetoes.
The administration has also solidified backing from previously hesitant or critical allies, including certain PRO members “who are now perfectly aligned with the ruling party,” according to Gustavo Marangoni, a Buenos Aires political analyst and head of the M & R Asociados consulting group.
Marangoni noted that Milei has also gained support from numerous provincial leaders who, despite their varied political backgrounds, have recognized the benefits of working cooperatively with the federal government.
