NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: HBO's 'Last Week Tonight with John Oliver' aired a recent episode that featured the show's host, John Oliver, reserving his harshest criticism for Javier Milei, a right-wing libertarian Argentinian who is vying to be president of the country by challenging its finance minister in an upcoming presidential runoff election.
In a segment that introduced Milei to American audiences, Oliver couldn't help but poke fun at the candidate's eccentricities. Oliver started by presenting a 2019 video clip of Milei in an elaborate costume, dubbing himself "General Ancap," an abbreviation for anarcho-capitalist.
Javier Milei's eccentricities mocked by John Oliver
Amused by the sight, Oliver wittily remarked, "Yeah! Just a classic, run-of-the-mill, presidential candidate dressed like Mr Peanut dressed as a wizard dressed as Batman, pledging to kick the [expletive] out of Keynesians."
The host didn't miss the opportunity to add humor to the situation, quipping about the choice of John Maynard Keynes as Milei's arch-nemesis.
He mused, "If I had one note for that superhero, though, it's that John Maynard Keynes probably isn't the most compelling super-nemesis. Few economists are. There's a reason the Avengers fought Thanos and not Alan Greenspan."
Turning to the pressing issues in Argentina, where high inflation and widespread poverty plague the population, Oliver highlighted Milei's proposed solutions.
Milei has advocated for a drastic 15% reduction in public spending as a percentage of GDP, the elimination of most taxes, and the adoption of the US dollar as Argentina's official currency, per the Daily Beast.
Milei's unorthodox campaign tactics have been garnering attention and raising eyebrows. He's made appearances on television smashing miniature models of the central bank like pinatas and has even been seen brandishing chainsaws in public, symbolizing his intent to cut down government intervention.
To emphasize the potential repercussions of untested ideas, Oliver humorously responded to a Milei supporter's claim that Milei's proposals were not a big deal, saying, "Not to break my one rule and not argue with a guy dressed as a chainsaw but lots of ideas haven't been tested before. We also haven't tried all-trampoline retirement homes or letting a raccoon be chief of surgery. That's because some ideas are just bad."
Can Argentina afford Javier Milei?
Oliver couldn't help but express his skepticism about entrusting the reins of "Latin America's third-largest economy" to a candidate who resembles someone who might have been escorted out of a Comic-Con panel for asking too many questions to a celebrity.
He also noted that Milei's public statements have extended beyond economic matters, with the candidate sharing personal details about his sex life in a 2018 TV interview, revealing that he ejaculates only once every three months.
Oliver quipped, "I completely believe that the guy we saw screaming at dead economists, smashing miniature banks on TV, and waving a chainsaw in the streets may be a little — and I'm sorry for saying this — backed up."
Despite Milei's controversial positions, such as his denial of climate change, praise for former US President Donald Trump, and even insults directed at Pope Francis, who is Argentinian, Oliver expressed concern that in a time of economic hardship, some Argentinians might find Milei's unconventional platform appealing.
The episode concluded with Oliver playfully reassuring viewers that they did not create Milei for the sake of entertainment. “I feel the need to tell you we didn’t invent this man for this show,” he quipped.
Social media reactions on Javie Milei
On social media, Oliver's remarks resonated with many, with some lamenting the tendency to prioritize entertainers over competent government leaders.
"More or less to be expected," one wrote on Facebook.
"The morons among us want their government leaders to be entertainers. Whoever tells the best and most outrageous jokes is who they vote for," another added.
"That guy would be the nail in that country's coffin. They need an FDR to give them a new deal but I don't think they're smart enough to do that. At least the majority of them aren't," someone else insisted.
