The American billionaire Elon Musk has promised investments in the lithium and battery sector in Argentina, as well as the holding of a “major event” in the South American country after receiving Argentine President Javier Milei at a Tesla factory in Austin, Texas.
“It is a great pleasure for me. It’s amazing. Thank you for everything you do for the world,” Milei told Musk after their greeting. “It’s an honor to meet you as well. Welcome,” Musk responded at the beginning of a meeting that lasted an hour and twenty minutes, as reported by the newspaper ‘El Nacional’.
The meeting has served to reinforce Musk’s interest in Argentina’s lithium, a country that has one of the world’s largest reserves of this key mineral for battery manufacturing. The entrepreneur and Milei agreed on the need to eliminate “bureaucratic obstacles” for foreign investors.
Argentine Ambassador to the United States Gerardo Werthein, present at the meeting, highlighted that Musk wants to help Argentina and that they discussed “looking for opportunities” in the lithium production chain.
“We talked about investment opportunities in Argentina in lithium and the importance of studying investments in lithium and adding value. We are very committed not only to exporting raw materials but also to adding value. He said he wants to help Argentina,” Werthein recounted.
“We agreed to work along this line and see what opportunities may arise for lithium and for processing lithium in subsequent stages, either in batteries or in the production chain,” he added. Musk later posted a photo with Milei on his social network, X, before Twitter: “For an exciting and inspiring future!”
The meeting also addressed government policy, ideas of freedom, the work of entrepreneurs, and the impact of demography on global development.
Musk emphasized the need to promote the global birth rate and a possible congress in Argentina to discuss demography, technology, and economic growth, as well as freedom. Musk, as indicated by the delegation, showed great interest in participating and accepted the invitation to Argentina, according to the Argentine delegation. “We agreed to coordinate the timing and work on it,” explained Werthein.
Presidential spokesman Manuel Adonri highlighted that Milei and the entrepreneur agreed on the need to free up markets and defend ideas of freedom and spoke “about the importance of removing bureaucratic obstacles that deter investors.”
Milei also offered Musk, according to Adorni, “collaboration in the conflict involving the social network X in Brazil within the framework of the judicial and political conflict in that country.”
Despite no specific announcements being made, the Argentine government emphasized the “harmony” between the two. “The chemistry that was present in the meeting is very difficult to describe. It was as if two kindred souls had come together. They agreed on all the points they touched on, but each added their own perspective, making them different individuals, each in their own category,” Werthein stated.
<p”It was like love at first sight, they agreed to hold a major event in Argentina so that the public can enjoy the exchange of ideas between these two giants of our generation,” he added.
