Javier Milei, the 53-year-oldwinner of Argentina’s provisional presidential elections is a legislator who identifies as a Libertarian and “anarcho-capitalist.” His campaign focused on reducing public spending, restricting abortion access, and abolishing the central bank. Additionally, Milei proposes transitioning the country’s currency from the Argentinian peso to the U.S. dollar. Beyond his policy proposals and eccentric personality, Milei also gained criticism for seeking counsel from his cloned English Mastiffs.
Javier Milei seeks counsel from cloned dogs
Milei’s victory marks a historic rise for the former TV pundit. Upon entering the political arena as an outsider, he vowed to “break up with the status quo,” drawing parallels to former U.S. President Donald Trump and Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro. Reuters reported that Milei’s unconventional online campaign against his established political rivals gained traction on social media platforms such as TikTok, with his outspoken criticisms and dynamic rallies routinely going viral.
The wild-haired Milei was a former rock singer who played in a Rolling Stones cover band before becoming a well-known economist and radio and TV pundit. As per Time, Milei demonstrated his ambitions on the campaign trail by smashing a piñata in midair and wielding a chainsaw on stage. He offered no shortage of controversial statements, from referring to Pope Francis as a “filthy leftist” to dismissing climate science as a socialist conspiracy.
Still, critics of Milei frequently highlight his unconventional behavior and eccentric statements as evidence of his incompetence in governing a nation experiencing heightened instability. The President-elect’s mental acuity and capability to lead have come under scrutiny, particularly due to the widely reported revelation about his choice of advisors: Conan, Murray, Milton, Robert, and Lucas, his cloned dogs. After winning the presidential primaries in August, Milei publicly offered his thanks to his pets, whom he values as his strategists. “Who else?” Milei said. “My four-legged children.”
Milei uses psychic to connect with deceased dog
In 2004, Milei adopted an English Mastiff named Conan, a nod to the 1982 film “Conan the Barbarian.” According to Argentinian journalist Juan Luis González, who unofficially chronicled Milei’s life in a biography titled El Loco, the pet evolved into what Milei described as his “true and greatest love.” In a piece for the Buenos Ares Times, González stated Milei viewed his dog as “literally his son.”
While a number of pet owners may relate to a deep bond with their pets, the sentiment goes much further. Milei extensively mentioned his dog Conan, not just in a number of interviews but also during campaign rallies. According to González, an A24 News reporter inquired about the dog’s age in an interview. Milei responded, “So old I’ve lost count.”
In truth, Conan passed away in October 2017. Following the dog’s death, Milei sought the assistance of a parapsychologist and a telepathist, who claimed to have the ability to read the deceased dog’s mind and facilitate a form of psychic communication between Milei and Conan, Time reported.
Milei claims that In a telepathic exchange, Conan revealed God’s mission for him to become the President of Argentina, based on their purported connection dating back over 2,000 years as a gladiator and lion in the Roman Colosseum. This led Milei to interpret their fate as a prophecy for his distinctive, animal-influenced presidential campaign.
Javier Milei consults canine cabinet
In 2018, Milei reportedly paid around $50,000 to U.S. company PerPETuate to clone Conan using his DNA. As mentioned by Reuters and The New York Times, the cloning process yielded five puppies. The English Mastiff puppies were named after the original Conan and notable economists Murray Rothbard, Milton Friedman, and Robert Lucas. He considers the other four dogs as his “grandchildren.”
In an interview with the Spanish newspaper 20minutos, González expressed concern about the presence of such an “unstable leader” in an already unstable Argentina.
“What I can say is that he is an unstable leader, he has a very marked emotional imbalance. He makes decisions based on what he consults with the dog office that he has,” he said. González further stated that Milei “is convinced that the dogs advise him in different areas: one in politics, another in economics, another gives him general advice.” He added, “This man who would command the fate of the country wakes up each day, does medium sessions with the dogs, and then make a decree based on that. It’s very shocking.”
In September, the Economist interviewed the Milei and asked for details about reports regarding his canine advisors. Milei did not deny the reports and instead responded with pride.
“What is it they say, that my dogs determine my strategies, yes? That they are like a strategic committee? They are the best strategic committee in the world,” Mileil replied “Tell me: when has an outsider-outsider achieved what we achieved in two years? If so, they are the best political analysts in the world.”
US politicians congratulate Javier Milei on victory
On Sunday, November 19, the right-wing populist won a run-off election against the incumbent economy minister, Sergio Massa, with over 55% of the votes. This victory represented the highest percentage for a presidential candidate since 1983, the year Argentina restored constitutional rule following a turbulent historical period known as The Dirty War.
“Congratulations to Javier Milei on a great race for President of Argentina,” Trump said on his Truth Social Platform. “The whole world was watching! I am very proud of you,” Trump added. “You will turn your Country around and truly Make Argentina Great Again!”
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) also offered congratulations on X, formerly known as Twitter. writing, “Argentina God bless you!!”
Shortly after the election results were announced, Milei approached the stage with a thunderous ovation from his followers. The President-elect promised to usher the country into a new political era, CNN reported. “Today we turn the page on our history and we return to the path that we should never have lost,” Milei said. “Today we retake the path that made this country great.”
