Argentinian President Javier Milei is embarking on a trip to Silicon Valley in California, where he will meet with several influential figures, including top tech CEOs. The purpose of these meetings, according to press reports, is to strengthen business relations between Argentina and the United States.
During a one-hour meeting on May 28, Milei spoke to Sam Altman, the head of OpenAI and Worldcoin, about the vast opportunities presented by a libertarian Argentina. Alex Blania, the co-founder and CEO of Tools for Humanity, the main developer of the Worldcoin project, was also present at the meeting. This was Milei’s second meeting with these individuals. Although Worldcoin faced political opposition during its operations in Argentina in the summer of 2023, Milei remains optimistic about its potential.
In addition to Altman, Milei has a lineup of other tech luminaries to meet, including Sundar Pichai from Alphabet, Mark Zuckerberg from Meta, and Tim Cook from Apple. He will also have the opportunity to connect with a group of startup and AI entrepreneurs and deliver a speech at the Pacific Summit.
This visit to the United States marks Milei’s fourth during his term as President, which began on December 10 after a runoff election. He is accompanied by a delegation of high-ranking officials from Argentina.
Among the notable figures Milei plans to meet is former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. On May 28, Milei had a conversation with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during which they reportedly discussed the situation in Gaza.
Economically troubled Argentina would greatly benefit from increased high-tech investment. Although inflation has decreased from 133% to 50% during Milei’s relatively short term, he remains a divisive figure in his home country. However, his frequent meetings with business leaders contribute to enhancing his image.
Milei campaigned for office as a supporter of cryptocurrency and pledged to dissolve the country’s central bank. However, he has disappointed many of his constituents by backtracking on many of his promises.
Despite this, Argentine and Salvadoran regulators recently met on May 23 to discuss El Salvador’s experience with Bitcoin (BTC) as a legal tender. Milei’s visit to the United States will conclude on May 31, after which he will attend the inauguration of Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele for his second term.
Source: Jon Hartley