Argentina’s President Milei flies to the World Economic Forum
Published: Wednesday, Jan 17th 2024, 14:10
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Argentina's new President Javier Milei has set a good example in terms of austerity by taking a scheduled flight to the World Economic Forum in Davos GR. The ultra-liberal politician, who has governed the economically hard-hit country since December, arrived in Switzerland on Tuesday.
Accompanied by the Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo, among others, Milei traveled on a Lufthansa scheduled flight from Buenos Aires to Frankfurt and from there on to Zurich Airport, according to media reports.
"In fact, we were able to save around 392,000 US dollars through the chosen mode of travel," wrote Milei in a post on the X platform, where he commented on a photo of himself on board. The money came from the efforts of the Argentinians and it was his moral duty to take care of every last detail, he added.
Footage published online showed the 53-year-old chatting with fellow passengers on board the regular passenger plane and taking photos. A video showed how supporters greeted Milei singing as he arrived in Zurich.
Milei took over the presidency of Argentina at the end of 2023 amid a severe economic crisis and announced a radical austerity program. South America's second-largest economy is suffering from a bloated state apparatus, low industrial productivity and a large shadow economy that deprives the state of many tax revenues. The annual inflation rate recently rose to more than 200 percent. Davos is Milei's first trip abroad as president.
©Keystone/SDA
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