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Original article: Milei recibe a Kast en Casa Rosada y lo suelta sin filtro: “va a copiar el modelo”

Milei Welcomes Kast at Casa Rosada, Declares: ‘He Will Copy the Model’

Argentinian President Javier Milei met with Chile’s elected President José Antonio Kast on Tuesday at the Casa Rosada. The meeting, which lasted over an hour amid an atmosphere of euphoria and celebration, saw the «libertarian» candidly assert that the republican «will copy» the controversial neoliberal model implemented in Australia, which has led to a severe social and economic crisis.

Following the meeting, attended by the Secretary General of the Presidency, Karina Milei, and Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, the Argentine government indicated that the main topics of conversation revolved around the desire to develop a common roadmap starting in March 2026, when Kast assumes the presidency. This roadmap includes priorities such as regional and border security and combating transnational organized crime, among other matters.

«The selection of our country as the first international destination for the elected President of Chile reflects the strategic importance of the bilateral relationship, which will enter a phase of renewed momentum and commitment in light of the main challenges on our common agenda, as well as regional and global issues,» a statement read.

«The presidents instructed their teams to initiate contact to resume meetings on major bilateral agenda mechanisms in order to strengthen a fruitful and modern relationship that boosts the economic development and prosperity of our nations,» they added.

«He Will Copy the Model»

Additionally, the President’s Office shared a video featuring highlights from the meeting at Casa Rosada on their social media account X.

«Congratulations, what a victory! Congratulations! I have no doubt it was glorious,» said Javier Milei as he welcomed the republican with a hug, who is the first Pinochetist to come to power in Chile since the return to democracy.

Another hug followed between Kast and Karina Milei. «Congratulations on your strong defense of that gentleman. He is unassailable,» she commented to the libertarian’s sister.

From the background, Milei celebrated and enthusiastically proclaimed: «He will copy the model.»

Meanwhile, Kast continued to praise Karina, saying: «He is capable of tackling that for you,» referring to the typical chainsaw he uses to announce cuts, primarily in social programs.

During the meeting, the libertarian confirmed his attendance at the presidential inauguration ceremony in Chile, scheduled for March 11 in Santiago.

Kast Praises Milei: «There is Much to Learn from Argentina»

Before boarding his flight to Buenos Aires, José Antonio Kast briefly spoke with the press at Santiago Airport regarding his relationship with the Argentinian president.

«With President Javier Milei, we know each other from various activities we’ve done together in different countries. This builds a relationship, and today we want to maintain contact in this capacity as president-elect to make progress, as it’s clear that we need to start strong on March 11 with as many connections as possible,» he told Meganoticias.

Furthermore, he took the opportunity to reaffirm his support for the measures applied by the libertarian in Argentina, asserting that under his administration, Chile can draw relevant lessons.

«There is much to learn from Argentina; from how they have reduced inflation, which has allowed them to decrease extreme poverty; from the management of certain penal institutions that have restored security, and from how they have faced organized crime, which is similar to what we have in Chile,» he stated, without mentioning that according to official figures, inflation in Argentina rose to 2.5% in November, marking a high monthly increase sustained since May.

This result highlights the effectiveness of the neoliberal economic plan initiated by the libertarian president, which, despite an intervened dollar and significant import openings, fails to stop price increases affecting the quality of life in Argentina.

The Threat of the «Chainsaw» in Chile

Behind the public greetings and photos and videos on social media lies a deep strategic alliance. The relationship between Chile’s elected President José Antonio Kast and Argentine President Milei stands as a pivotal axis of an ultraliberal and anti-state agenda in Latin America.

Kast’s promise of fiscal cuts finds its mirror and inspiration in the libertarian’s government, which has made the chainsaw a symbol of his crusade against the state, generating an «economic shock» without anesthetics.

After the ultraright’s arrival at Casa Rosada, his Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo, launched a series of measures that included a 50% devaluation of the peso, reducing the number of ministries from 18 to 9, and severe cuts in health, education, science, and public works. Subsidies for basic services were eliminated, pensions were frozen, and interest rates were liberalized.

Although the La Libertad Avanza government touts a reduction in inflation—from 9.3% in 2023 to 5.2% in 2024—and a fiscal surplus praised by the IMF, the social and productive costs have been exorbitant.

The figures are stark: industrial activity fell by 9.4% in 2024, and construction plummeted by 27.5%. An industrial sector report acknowledged that around 1,200 industrial establishments closed during 2024. Domestic demand contracted, with retail sales declining by 28.5% in the early months of the government. Unemployment reached 7.9% in the first quarter of 2025.

The libertarian experiment has shown such fragility that it required an international lifeline. The administration of U.S. President Donald Trump recently provided a support line of $20 billion, as journalist Mauricio Becerra noted in his article «Milei’s Chainsaw that Splashes on Kast» for El Ciudadano.

Though U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent justified it by claiming that «President Milei is restoring economic stability after decades of mismanagement in Argentina,» Trump’s own words painted a darker picture: «They have no money, they have nothing; they are struggling hard to survive… they are dying.»

Beyond the congratulations on social media and shouts of «freedom,» the Kast-Milei relationship is the spearhead of a political and economic project articulated at the continental level.

While Milei attempts to sustain his government with external support following a year of severe social consequences, Kast seeks to apply the «chainsaw» in Chile. During his presidential campaign, he warned that the country would face an initial «economic shock» and indicated that his plan includes cutting around $6 billion from fiscal spending in the first 18 months of his administration, although he did not specify how he would accomplish this.

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