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Until a year ago, it was hard to imagine Javier Milei, 53, would become president of Argentina. Known as a libertarian economist and a colorful character on television, he appealed to the angry working classes, who blamed the political elite for the dire economic situation they found themselves in, with inflation running over 200 percent. Preaching economic “shock therapy” and drastic budget cuts as the only cure to Argentina’s long-term economic ills, Milei was elected in November and has followed through by cutting the value of the peso in half, reducing government subsidies and eliminating thousands of public-sector jobs. Most analysts agree that Milei’s tough medicine is the only way out of Argentina’s economic troubles, but they wonder if he will be able to keep the population on his side as these measures take effect. Last week, Milei was in Miami and took time to talk with The Post’s Lally Weymouth. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. Excerpts:

Lally Weymouth: Reportedly, former president Alberto Fernández planned to increase Argentina’s dependence on Russia and its involvement with China only two years ago. But you have changed Argentina’s posture and brought Argentina closer to the United States and Israel.

Javier Milei: Absolutely. We have undertaken a radical change in our country’s international policy. We have decided to espouse the ideas of freedom, which are the foundation of the West and have brought so much prosperity to the........

© Washington Post