President Javier Milei fiercely defended his administration’s economic trajectory, pushed for a sweeping reform of the Central Bank (BCRA) charter, and shared his expectations for Argentinas upcoming World Cup quarter-final match against Switzerland on Saturday.
In an radio interview with Now 97.9 FM, Milei asserted that his policies have driven economic growth, claiming that consumption and export levels have hit “historic highs.”
During a Thursday Cabinet meeting, the President outlined the executive branch’s upcoming bill to reform the Central Bank, confirming it will be sent to Congress within the next few weeks.
“We deregulated, opened the economy, fostered human capital accumulation, and modernized the labor market,” Milei said. “This strategy is designed to make Argentina grow, and the reality is that the numbers are highly positive.”
Central Bank Reform Turning to the core legislative focus of the week, Milei heavily criticized previous Kirchnerist administrations, stating the current BCRA charter was “designed to just wave your hand and have a stack of cash thrown at you.” Recalling that his administration inherited hyperinflationary conditions, Milei detailed some key pillars of his proposed reform:
First, the reform aims to establish a single mandate by stripping the BCRA of its current five competing objectives, since according to him its sole responsibility is preserving the value of the currency. To prevent future inflationary spikes, the second pillar strictly prohibits the Central Bank from financing government spending. Milei remarked that previous governments ran fiscal deficits for 123 years under the guise of “humane” policy, which he characterized as deeply inhumane.
The third point is meant as a safeguard for BCRAs leadership against arbitrary political dismissal, meant to bolster institutional governance. Fourth, the bill introduces strict dividend restrictions, prohibiting the distribution of dividends so they can only be used as payments if inflation enters negative territory. Finally, the administration intends to eliminate non-transferable bills entirely, a move Milei claimed would end 91 years of political abuse against the private sector.
Milei doubled down on his commitment to a zero-deficit budget and the fiscal shutdown.
“Anyone against this is in favor of unbalanced budgets and fiscal irresponsibility,” he warned.
Argentina deserved more against Egypt The President also weighed in on Argentina’s run in the 2026 World Cup ahead of Saturday’s clash against Switzerland. Reflecting on the dramatic previous match against Egypt, Milei noted, “Argentina had several chances, but the goal was closed to us until the 90th minute. We deserved more, but goals are scored, not deserved.”
“I fervently hope this acts as an emotional boost to push the players to their absolute limits,” Milei said, adding that what the squad has achieved so far is already “admirable.”
Regarding Switzerland, Milei stated he had no fear because “on the pitch, everyone is equal.” He concluded by praising national team manager Lionel Scaloni, highlighting his “extraordinary leadership” and noting that “managing the egos of superstars is a job not just anyone can do.”
*With information from mbito