Argentina's Javier Milei: the radical who could blow up political status quo

Argentine presidential candidate Javier Milei reacts during the closing event of his electoral campaign ahead of the November 19 runoff election, in Cordoba, Argentina, November 16, 2023. REUTERS/Matias Baglietto

BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - When Argentine libertarian Javier Milei announced his entry into politics in 2020 in a bid to "blow up" the system, few predicted that three years later the wild-haired economist and former TV pundit would be on the cusp of the presidency.

Milei has railed against the "thieves" of the political elite, praised gangster Al Capone for his free market credentials and on live TV smashed a piñata of the central bank, which he blames for Argentina's triple-digit inflation and intends to shut.