Argentine President Javier Milei, speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos in 2026, reinforced his defense of the free market. He stated that Western elites have promoted misguided policies and emphasized that change is already underway: “statist and woke ideology is giving way to economic freedom.” In his speech “America as a Beacon of the West,” Milei moderated his tone compared to 2024/2025 but maintained the pillars of his message. He defended “free-market capitalism” against what he calls “harmful socialist policies” and proposed that “America (understood as a group of free nations) must be the beacon that revitalizes classical Western values.” He stressed the importance of institutions that reduce uncertainty and foster business activity and highlighted ethics as the foundation for economic development. His Davos speeches evolved: in 2024, he delivered a broad critique of the modern world; in 2025, he spoke of the “international rise of freedom”; and in 2026, he focused on the “renaissance of freedom” led by America. This sequence shows an evolution from sharp criticism to proposing a collective movement and finally to a more institutionalized leadership on economic and geopolitical values.
