On Wednesday night, Palacio Bosch in Palermo was decked out to celebrate the 250th anniversary of US independence, but the true honoree was Javier Milei. Ambassador Peter Lamelas, host of the event, spared no praise for the Argentine leader, whom he called a «great friend» of the Donald Trump administration. In a speech promising to «strengthen the alliance» between Washington and Buenos Aires, Lamelas made it clear that the White House is betting big on the libertarian experiment.
The event, held ahead of July 4, featured a video from Trump himself, who sent a direct message from afar: «It’s an honor to be friends.» The phrase, chanted by those present, sealed an evening where political gestures spoke louder than words. Milei, visibly at ease, followed Lamelas’s speech from the front row, accompanied by his sister Karina, Secretary General of the Presidency, and advisor Santiago Caputo, who warmly greeted Buenos Aires Mayor Jorge Macri.
The guest list read like a who’s who of Argentine power. Present were the newly appointed Chief of Cabinet Diego Santilli; Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno; Justice Minister Juan Bautista Mahiques; Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Martín Menem; head of the libertarian bloc in the Senate Patricia Bullrich; Governors Rogelio Frigerio and Alberto Weretilneck; and judges Sebastián Casanello and Julián Ercolini, along with prosecutor Carlos Stornelli. Also in attendance were Senators Francisco Paoltroni and Carolina Losada, and journalist Joaquín Morales Solá.
In a climate of camaraderie, Milei agreed to be photographed with everyone who asked in a VIP tent, while two tenors sang the Argentine and US national anthems. The surprise of the night was a performance by Fátima Florez, who impersonated Liza Minnelli to sing «New York, New York,» watched closely by the President and his sister. Outside, libertarian deputy Juliana Santillán tried unsuccessfully to enter.
Lamelas, in his speech, was emphatic: «We celebrate 250 years since a people decided that freedom was not a distant dream, but a God-given right. We move forward with the conviction that the best chapter is yet to be written.» And he concluded: «Now is the time to trust, to invest in Argentina, to open doors and close deals, to create jobs and build together. We stand with Argentina side by side. God bless the United States of America, God bless Argentina.»
Milei received a formal invitation to travel to the United States during the official July 4 celebrations, in the context of the soccer World Cup, although official sources indicated he has not yet confirmed his attendance. What is certain is that the night at Palacio Bosch was an explicit endorsement: Washington backs Milei without reservation, in an alliance that promises to shape the region’s course.
para mi milei es un capo yankee de verdad trump lo banco y lamelas lo mimo mientras los zurditos lloran nosotros festejamos vamo argentina carajo viva la libertad carajo basta de llorar
Para mí este ridículo Milei es un vendepatria, haciéndose el amigo de Trump y Lamelas mientras el pueblo se muere de hambre. Me parece que la alianza codo a codo es para cagarnos a nosotros, unos basuras. Esto huele a traición, che.