Defending “Western Values”

Giorgia Meloni and Javier Milei To Promote “Western Values” Together

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Javier Milei. Photo credit: Natacha Pisarenko

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and President Javier Milei met in Buenos Aires after the G20 summit in Brazil to discuss strengthening ties between Italy and Argentina. This marked Meloni’s first bilateral meeting in Latin America since taking office in 2022—a choice she emphasized was no coincidence during their joint press conference. Both leaders were eager to highlight the shared principles guiding their governments, including, as they framed it, the defense of “Western values.”

For Milei, this means waging a battle against the “woke virus” and “gender ideology.” His remarks in Buenos Aires echoed the ideas he championed earlier this month while meeting US president-elect Donald Trump. Milei also focused his attention on migration, suggesting that Italy’s restrictive policies under Meloni should serve as a model. These policies, embraced by right-wing governments worldwide, are endangering the health and lives of migrants even more than previous European policies.

Ironically, while talking about the “fraternal ties” between the two countries, Meloni credited much of this connection to the migration of about a million Italians to Argentina.

Another key issue discussed during the meeting was economic ties. Milei, whose neoliberal policies have pushed thousands of Argentinians into poverty over the past year, reaffirmed his commitment to the free market. “Against the economic nonsense and the advance against the right to property, we strictly defend the free trade market, common sense, and private property,” he said.

In a more toned down speech, Meloni outlined a vision for future cooperation between Italy and Argentina through a new intergovernmental plan focusing on three main areas: “political cooperation,” fighting organized crime—drawing on Italy’s processes against the mafia—and enhancing trade relations. In this last area, Meloni said, “there is extraordinary potential for growth.”

“We plan to further enrich our collaboration, especially in strategic areas such as energy transition, infrastructure, the procurement of critical raw materials, aviation and space,” the Prime Minister added. The mention of raw materials by a European leader to a Latin American counterpart, given the history of colonial plunder in the region, might have sent anyone else running. But not Milei, who apparently sees this future arrangement as beneficial to the ruling classes of both nations.

The two heads of state’s similarities also extend to regional politics. Echoing Milei’s stance, the Italian Prime Minister attacked Nicolás Maduro’s government, asserting that Edmundo González had won the election and announcing that the European Union would continue in its efforts to obstruct Maduro’s work. “President Milei and I are clearly also aligned politically; a political alignment between two leaders who fight to defend the West’s identity and the cornerstones of its civilization,” Meloni declared, signaling more meetings to come with the Argentinian government.