President Javier Milei is organizing a regional summit in Argentina to position himself as leader of Latin America's right wing, unite free-market allies like Bukele and Noboa, and become Washington's primary interlocutor while challenging Brazil's progressive axis.
Right-wing leaders have won seven South American presidential elections by adopting Trump-style rhetoric and authoritarian tactics, yet fail to resolve persistent insecurity and economic stagnation, with Argentina's Javier Milei representing the region's most extreme experiment in libertarian governance and AI deregulation.
Brazilian political analyst Leandro Gabiati suggests that rising U.S. influence in Latin America, ideological tensions, and electoral polarization are reshaping regional democracies, with voters increasingly mobilized by rejection of specific leaders rather than positive political identification.