“The vote for Milei was the first anti-establishment vote in Argentina.”

Within the framework of the international forum "Inequalities in Latin America: tensions, debates and proposals", held from April 16 to 18 in Montevideo, Uruguay, Gabriel Kessler from the Institute of Research in Humanities and Social Sciences of the National University of La Plata in Argentina and member of the CLACSO Working Group on Violence, Governments and Democracy, spoke with CLACSO.tv.

Analyzing the current political situation in his country, Kessler stated that “what is unique to Argentina, and what is breaking down today, is that throughout its history, at least in its democratic era, despite its ups and downs, the idea that the State contributes to your development was always present. What emerged in this situation, which crystallized in the vote for Milei, but which had been brewing for some time, is the idea that the State not only doesn't help me, but is actually an obstacle.”

“For the European far right, the enemy is the migrant, and the idea is to defend the national community. In the United States, with Trump, the idea is to defend American industry and workers,” he explained. In contrast, for the Argentine far right, the state is the enemy, something that “forces him, as a sociologist, to reflect on the fact that we did something wrong for this to be the political proposal for change.”

Interviewed by Gustavo Lema.