Argentina’s Milei heads to Paris to attract investment

President Javier Milei is set to travel to Paris this week as Argentina seeks to attract investment through a forum, according to the government. His visit coincides with signs of economic stagnation in Argentina, with GDP declining by 0.6% in the second quarter compared to the previous quarter. The trip follows Milei's recent criticism of Europe, claiming they are overly regulated, immigration-heavy, and prone to "woke" thinking.

In a recent interview with French broadcaster LCI, Milei expressed disappointment in European leaders, particularly Donald Trump, for not speaking the truth about their challenges. Milei, a firebrand libertarian and anarcho-capitalist, will deliver a speech at the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development in Paris on Thursday and meet with French President Emmanuel Macron later that day.

The forum, known as Argentina Week, will take place from September 30 to October 2 and will be led by Milei and his government delegation. Since assuming power in 2023, Milei has implemented austerity measures that have led to a budget surplus and reduced inflation to an annual rate of 35%. However, three years of austerity have negatively impacted the industrial sector, employment, and consumption in Argentina, which is Latin America's third-largest economy.