Argentine President Javier Milei reaffirmed in Davos World Economic Forum his strategy of structural trade openness, regardless of the judicial halt to the EU-Mercosur agreement. He highlighted a record trade surplus of US$ 11.286 million in 2025 and criticized socialism in his speech. Critics like Jorge Asís and Roberto Cachanosky questioned the clarity and originality of his intervention.
On January 21, 2026, at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, President Javier Milei defended free-market capitalism as 'the only just system', recognizing fundamental rights like life, liberty, and private property. He cited Ulpian to argue that liberalism is a just doctrine, based on 'living honestly without harming anyone and giving each their due'.
Milei reported economic progress: inflation down to 30% and poverty to 27%, thanks to 13,500 structural reforms led by Minister Federico Sturzenegger. He criticized socialism, recalling Thomas Sowell's words: 'it sounds very nice, but its counterpart is that it always ends badly, horribly badly', and mentioned disasters like in Venezuela.
Amid the European Parliament's halt to the EU-Mercosur pact, referred to the EU Court of Justice, Milei stressed that Argentina does not condition its global insertion to external agreements. In 2025, the country achieved a trade surplus of US$ 11.286 million, with exports of US$ 87.077 million and total trade of US$ 162.868 million, record levels.
Milei met with Swiss President Guy Parmelin and presented his plan to CEOs like Jane Fraser of Citigroup and Carlos Torres Vila of BBVA, seeking investments. Accompanied by Karina Milei, Luis Caputo, Federico Sturzenegger, and Pablo Quirno.
However, journalist Jorge Asís criticized the speech as 'redundant oratory', stating: 'Defending the categorical attributes of free enterprise capitalism is an obviousness that does not shake'. Economist Roberto Cachanosky ironized about its academic style, citing Ortega y Gasset: 'Clarity is the courtesy of the philosopher', and suggested it seemed written by ChatGPT.
This intervention reinforces Milei's vision of an Argentina integrated into the world through clear rules and competitiveness, beyond delays in regional blocs.
