Miley was met with protests in Germany

Hundreds took to the streets of Hamburg to protest against the Argentine president. In the city, Miley received a medal from a controversial neoliberal group that maintains ties with far-right politicians. Hundreds of demonstrators protested on Saturday (22/06) in Hamburg, northern Germany, against Argentine President Javier Miley. He is in town to receive an honor from a neoliberal establishment with ties to far-right politicians.

The demonstration was called for by organizations from the Argentine and Latin American diaspora, German NGOs and left-wing organizations.

On Sunday, Miley is still expected to meet briefly with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, in a visit whose schedule has been significantly reduced in recent days.

Greetings from a group associated with the far right

With banners bearing messages such as “Neoliberal Misery,” some activists gathered in front of the hotel where Miley received the medal from the Hayek Society, a think tank originally founded in 1998 to promote the liberal ideas of Austrian economist Friedrich Hayek (1899-1992). ) this afternoon. .

But in recent years, the community has come to be seen as a controversial entity after the entry of several politicians from the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, in a movement described by a former liberal member as a process of “reactionary infiltration”. As a result, dozens of former Liberal members left the society in the 2000s.

Upon receiving the medal, the Argentine President was received by about 200 people, who applauded and chanted “Freedom” at the Haven Hotel in Hamburg.

“You [Milei] “It calls for a radical change of direction without populist promises of cheap solutions,” declared the head of the Hayek Society, Stephan Koothes. “Its main opponent is called cultural Marxism, because the pure economic socialism of Karl Marx has long been liquidated on a theoretical basis and a ‘practical level,’” commented the head of the Hayek Society, who also criticized “egalitarian nihilism, the illusions of identity politics, and postcolonial false paths.” and radical feminism.”

Among those attending the event were controversial former head of German intelligence Hans-Georg Maassen, known for spreading conspiracy theories and his ties to several far-right figures, and MP Beatrix von Storch, from Germany’s extreme Christian wing. The AfD, which sparked controversy in 2021 when it met with then-President Jair Bolsonaro and other far-right Brazilian figures in Brasilia.

Von Storch took a photo of the party in Hamburg and posted a message on the social network with the title: “Freedom instead of socialism,” quoting one of Miley’s phrases.

“Anti-Millie Month”

In parallel with the protests in front of the hotel where Miley received this honor, about 400 other people, according to regional NDR radio, marched to demand the abolition of the award of the medal, carrying posters with messages such as “Miley is not freedom, it is fascism” and “Argentina is not for sale.” .

This call was part of the so-called “Anti-Mili Month”, a series of events called in different parts of Germany by a platform of Argentine and German organizations.

The agenda of protests against the Argentine president ends on Saturday in Berlin with a “Festival of Democracy” that includes tango lessons and live music.

Meanwhile, major German newspaper headlines on Saturday described Miley’s visit as a visit by a “difficult guest.”

Reduce visitation

After receiving the Hayek Medal in Hamburg, Miley will travel to Berlin, where he will meet on Sunday with the Federal Chancellor of Germany, Olaf Scholz, in what the authorities described as a “short working visit” that will ultimately be shorter than expected.

Originally, the Argentine will be received with military honors and must participate in a joint press conference with Schulz. But plans changed at the last minute, according to the German government, due to the Argentine president’s refusal to speak to journalists.

German government spokesman Stephen Hebstreit explained on Friday that “this is ultimately a very short working visit, at the request of the Argentine President,” stressing that there was a “clear refusal” by Miley to participate in the visit. Press conference for the press. According to Hebstreit, Chancellor Schulz “meets many heads of state and government (…), and is closer to some than others (…). He also talks to difficult partners.”

However, German media have also speculated that the brief visit may be linked to comments from a German government spokesman who this week described Miley’s aggressive remarks against Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez as “bad I like”.

In May, during a trip to Madrid to participate in a conference of the far-right Spanish Vox party, Miley referred to the Spanish Prime Minister’s wife, Begonia Gomez, as a “corrupt woman,” leading to diplomatic tension between Spain and Argentina.

jps/as (DW, Efe, ots)