AP
Argentina’s new right-wing president has taken centre stage on social media – with his hair seemingly a focal point of discussion.
Former TV pundit Javier Milei – nicknamed “the crazy” or “the wig” by his followers – stunned political experts by winning 56 per cent of the vote in the presidential elections to complete a journey which started in 2020 when he entered politics and promised to “blow up” the system.
Against a backdrop of inflation approaching 150 per cent, rising poverty and a sliding currency, Milei and his Liberty Advances coalition saw their support grow to make him the eventual winner of the context.
This was despite heavily criticising Argentine-born Pope Francis as an “imbecile”, mocking the nation’s late football icon Diego Maradona and even praising former British prime minister Margaret Thatcher, little loved in Argentina for her role in the 1982 Falklands War.
His expletive-ridden tirades have targeted his political rivals, contributing to his rise in popularity.
Also known as “the wig” due to his unruly mop of hair, he refers to himself as “the lion”, believes sex education is a plot to destroy the family, and has raised the possibility of people being allowed to sell their own vital organs.
It didn’t take long for social media to do its thing following his surprising victory. Here’s a small pick of the response:
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