Who Is Javier Milei, Argentina's President-Elect?

Take a listen to the article, and take some notes on what it is about and any information you hear.

Who Is Javier Milei, Argentina's President-Elect?

Take a listen and a read of the article and take some notes before clicking next and answering some questions. You can come back and listen anytime. If you want to test yourself, go on without reading and see if you can answer the questions. Also, you can have a look at the questions and come back and take another listen.

Javier Milei became Argentina's new president-elect on Sunday.

A few years ago, Milei was a television talking head known for his screeds against government spending and the ruling political class. Until mere months ago, hardly any political expert believed he had a shot at becoming president of South America's second-largest economy.

But Milei, a 53-year-old economist, has rocked Argentina's political establishment. At the heart of his economic plan for Argentina is a proposal to replace the local currency, the peso, with the U.S. dollar in order to end the scourge of inflation.

A self-described "anarcho-capitalist," Milei's libertarianism is a novelty for Argentina. He has spoken in favor of loosening the country's labor laws and eliminating half of all government ministries, including health and education. As a symbol of the deep cuts he champions, he has at times campaigned with a revving chainsaw in hand.

"Argentina is going to reclaim the place in the world that it should never have lost," Milei said at his victory rally Sunday. His followers have embraced the slogan "Make Argentina Great Again."

Vocabulary:

scourge - problem

talking head - a commentator or reporter on television who addresses the camera and is viewed in close-up.

rocked - created some problems

revving - speeding up an engine

novelty - something new and interesting

had a shot at - there was a possibility

mere - only