A study by the University of Buenos Aires (UBA) reveals that Argentines strongly underestimate their country's relevance in the global economic ranking. Social perception places Argentina at 102nd out of 200, whereas the World Bank ranks it 23rd among 188 economies. This gap, nearly a hundred positions, points to a persistent pessimism in Argentine political culture, symbolizing a wide divide between collective self-esteem and objective indicators. This climate influences the assessment of the future and the willingness, especially among the youth, to imagine a life project outside of Argentina. The study also found that nearly four in ten young people consider the possibility of moving abroad. While half of society believes that studying or working does not guarantee progress in the country, the other half still believes in the Argentine 'land of opportunity'. In terms of international relations, despite a cultural orientation toward the West, Argentina is adopting a more pragmatic stance on strategic alliances. According to the survey, the countries Argentina should prioritize relations with are the United States (29%) and Brazil (19%). Meanwhile, China (3rd place, 14%) is also emerging as a key actor with whom relations can be built without tension with the US. An analysis of social media conversations showed that alongside Javier Milei, Donald Trump and Israel were most frequently mentioned, however, 7 out of 10 mentions of Milei and Israel were negative.
