For my magazine article, which published today, I crisscrossed Argentina for weeks to unlock the mystery of its president, Javier Milei. A self-described chain-saw-wielding anarcho-capitalist, he is bent on slashing the state and making his troubled country “the freest in the world.” Milei’s 15,144 deregulations have freed up entrepreneurs, and a smaller state has curbed corruption and energized Argentines. But many have lost jobs as national industries face new global competition. He’s also waging a culture war to redeem the military; in the name of “complete history,” he is rewriting the story of the disappearance of at least 9,000 people under the last military junta. The new global right does not apologize, and Milei is one of its core leaders. I found Argentina giddy with new hope, but also uneasy about a president who hates the media and typifies a new breed of rabble-rousing leader, contemptuous of process. His fate will be a test of the staying power of the global nationalist right. Stay in touch: Like this email? Forward it to a friend and help us grow. Loved a story? Hated it? Write us a letter at magazine@nytimes.com. Did a friend forward this to you? Sign up here to get the magazine newsletter.
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