Nikolas Sargeant
Argentinian President Javier Milei will meet privately with several high-profile figures, including top tech CEOs, during a trip to Silicon Valley in California as he tours the United States. He will use these occasions to promote business relations with Argentina, according to press reports.
Milei informed OpenAI and Worldcoin head Sam Altman about “the enormous possibilities offered by a libertarian Argentina” during their hourlong meeting on May 28. Alex Blania, co-founder and CEO of Tools for Humanity, the main developer of the Worldcoin project, also attended the meeting. This was Milei’s second meeting with them. Worldcoin was active in Argentina in the summer of 2023 but faces political opposition.
Other tech luminaries on Milei’s agenda include Alphabet’s Sundar Pichai, Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, and Apple’s Tim Cook. Milei will also meet with a group of start-up and AI entrepreneurs and speak at the Pacific Summit.
This marks Milei’s fourth visit to the United States during his term, which began on December 10 after a runoff. He is accompanied by a cadre of the country’s high officials.
Among other figures, Milei will meet with former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. On May 28, he spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, reportedly discussing the situation in Gaza.
High-tech investment would be a welcome boost in economically troubled Argentina. Although inflation in Argentina has fallen from 133% to 50% during his relatively short term, Milei remains a divisive figure at home. His frequent meetings with business leaders enhance his image.
Milei ran for office as a proponent of cryptocurrency and promised to dissolve the country’s central bank. However, he has disappointed many of his supporters by backtracking on several of these promises.
Nonetheless, Argentine and Salvadoran regulators met on May 23 to discuss El Salvador’s experience with Bitcoin as legal tender. Milei will leave the United States on May 31 and attend Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s inauguration for his second term.
