Argentinian President Javier Milei has told New Yorkers they will be “warmly welcome” in Argentina if they want to escape what he described as a “communist” future under incoming New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. Milei made the remarks at a Conservative conference at Mar-a-Lago, where he warned that the Big Apple could face the same economic collapse that Argentina once endured.Addressing the crowd, Milei said, “I dedicate these words to New Yorkers, who have taken the opposite path that of Argentina, and will now be living under a communist party.” He added, “They should know that if the going gets tough, they will always be warmly welcome in our land if they seek to prosper.”Mamdani won New York’s mayoral race last week and identifies as a Democratic Socialist rather than a communist. The mayor-elect has proposed an ambitious agenda for New York City. His plans include freezing rent, raising taxes on wealthy residents and businesses, offering free childcare, making buses free across the city, and setting up government-run grocery stores. Most of these initiatives would require approval from the state legislature and governor Kathy Hochul.Milei’s comments come as he enjoys renewed political momentum at home. His party, La Libertad Avanza, far outperformed expectations in Argentina’s recent midterm elections, according to the New York Post. Markets had been shaken by scandals and poor polling earlier in the year, leading to a fall in Argentinian assets. But after the election results and financial support offered by US President Donald Trump’s team, including a 20 billion dollar currency swap, confidence began to stabilise.Since taking office in December 2023, Milei has pushed tough policies to tackle Argentina’s economic crisis. He slashed government spending, enacted pension reforms and cut entire ministries. The measures were painful but appear to have helped inflation fall, eased poverty levels and produced a budget surplus, although Argentina still faces high debt and a vulnerable currency.
