HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver witnessed its host directing his strongest critique Sunday night towards Javier Milei, a right-wing libertarian Argentinian who is challenging the finance minister in the upcoming presidential runoff election.
Oliver unveiled Milei to American viewers with a 2019 clip of Milei cosplaying as “General Ancap,” short for anarcho-capitalist. In the clip, Milei dressed like Mr. Peanut dressed as a wizard dressed as Batman, vowing to defeat Keynesians. Oliver humorously commented on Milei’s choice of superhero nemesis, stating that John Maynard Keynes is not the most compelling choice and comparing him to Alan Greenspan.
Given Argentina’s high inflation rate and the fact that 40 percent of the population lives in poverty, Oliver highlighted Milei’s proposed solutions: cutting public spending by 15 percent of GDP, abolishing most taxes, and adopting the U.S. dollar as Argentina’s currency.
Milei has gained attention by smashing models of the central bank in piñata form on TV and in campaign videos, as well as wielding chainsaws in public as a symbol of his desire to reduce the size of the government. Despite Milei’s untested ideas, one of his supporters dressed as a chainsaw reassured reporters that it isn’t a concern.
Oliver responded by humorously mentioning other untested ideas, such as all-trampoline retirement homes and a raccoon serving as chief of surgery, emphasizing that some ideas are simply bad. He cautioned against entrusting Latin America’s third-largest economy to someone who appears to have been removed from a Comic-Con panel for excessive questioning of Scarlet Johansson.
In addition, Oliver pointed out that Milei has been excessively vocal about personal subjects, including sharing details about his sex life. In a 2018 TV interview, Milei revealed that he ejaculates only once every three months. Oliver humorously speculated whether Milei’s outbursts, bank-smashing antics, and chainsaw-waving activities may be a result of frustration.
Despite Milei’s controversial beliefs, such as dismissing climate change as a socialist lie, praising Donald Trump as one of the best American presidents, and insulting Pope Francis, Oliver expressed concern that desperate Argentinians may be swayed by his messaging.
To add a touch of levity, Oliver jokingly assured viewers that Milei was not created specifically for the show.
