Guillermo Francos: I am convinced that Milei will win next year's elections

Guillermo Francos stated that Javier Milei will win next year's elections and that the ruling party will maintain its idea of government. The latest setback of the government in Congress once again brought its ability to negotiate and build parliamentary agreements into question. Guillermo Francos, former Chief of Staff to Javier Milei, avoided dramatizing the defeat and recalled that during his tenure he also suffered a setback with the Basic Law. "I also had a significant failure almost at the beginning of my government," he said, adding: "No one is infallible." In an interview with Infobae al Regreso, the former official also expressed confidence that the outcome of the upcoming elections will favor the ruling party. "I am convinced that Milei will win next year's elections and will continue with this idea of government," he affirmed. According to his reading, center-right sectors and liberalism will end up converging behind the President, including Mauricio Macri's space, whom he described as "an important figure in Argentine politics." Francos also projected a much more favorable parliamentary scenario for La Libertad Avanza. He recalled that the government came to power without a consolidated party structure and with limited legislative representation, but now has its own bloc and allies in both the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate. Looking ahead to the upcoming elections, he estimated that the force "very likely" will become the majority in the lower house and "may become the majority in the Senate." The economic discussion was centered around one of Milei's main banners: fiscal balance. In response to criticism about the social cost of the adjustment, Francos argued that Argentina needed to clean up an economy that had operated with deficits for decades. "You have to attack the ailments in some way," he explained, and proposed that stabilization must be accompanied by a tax reduction that allows the private sector to invest and produce. Francos maintained that La Libertad Avanza can grow in Congress and reach a majority in both Deputies and the Senate (Infobae en Vivo). In this context, he highlighted the slowdown of inflation and attributed this result to the ordering of public accounts. "President Milei has set it as an unnegotiable goal for the economy of the future: fiscal balance is fundamental," he said. He also emphasized that Argentina faces a difficulty that other countries can overcome more easily: the lack of financing, which he linked to the distrust accumulated over decades. For Francos, restoring that trust is a necessary condition for long-term investments. "Argentina for many decades was the world champion in generating distrust," he affirmed. As an example of the change the government seeks to promote, he mentioned the Incentive Regime for Large Investments (RIGI) and assured that it allowed the presentation of projects worth about US$150 billion. Among the developments he mentioned was the pipeline that will connect Vaca Muerta with Punta Colorada, which he attributed the capacity to generate about 40,000 jobs during its construction. Francos clarified that this impact will be progressive and that it will not solve the labor market problems by itself, but presented it as a demonstration of the effect that large infrastructure projects can have on regional economies. The lack of public investment was another point of discussion. Francos acknowledged that the state is currently not allocating enough resources to infrastructure but defended the concession model as an alternative for private companies to undertake the works and recover their investment. The former Chief of Staff downplayed the government's setback in Congress and recalled that he also suffered a setback with the Basic Law (REUTERS/Mariana Nedelcu). "What will happen tomorrow is that they will concessionize so that the private sector invests," he explained, mentioning both national roads and the planned process for railways. For the former official, the change involves revisiting a historical conception according to which the state had to solve a large number of needs on its own. Francos also spoke about his current relationship with Milei and the possibility of holding a public office again. He said he maintains contact with the President, although he clarified that he does not receive regular management consultations because the Executive already has its own team. When asked directly about a possible return to La Libertad Avanza and public office, he replied: "I never left." "I am in this space and life’s turns will say if I have a role to play or not. I am willing to collaborate always," he added. In this way, he did not confirm a return but left open the possibility of taking on some role in the future. In the ruling party's political construction, Francos also highlighted the role of Karina Milei, whom he described as a figure in whom the President has "absolute trust." He especially valued her work in turning La Libertad Avanza into a national force and considered that this structure will be decisive in sustaining the political project. Francos supported a new role for the state with concessions for roads and railways, with private sector investment in infrastructure (Infobae en Vivo). Regarding the relationship between Milei and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Francos considered that both leaders bear responsibility for the deterioration of their personal relationship. However, he questioned the decision to withdraw the Argentine ambassador in Brazil, considering it "a bit exaggerated." He clarified that despite political differences, he does not expect consequences for bilateral exchanges: "The trade relationship between the two countries will continue to be the same." Finally, Francos reviewed his departure from the Chief of Staff position and denied that it was an imposition by Milei. He explained that he was the one who raised the need for a government restructuring because he believed a new stage was beginning. Regarding the subsequent appointment of Manuel Adorni, he acknowledged that the events ultimately proved that the choice caused a problem for the Executive, although he maintained that the President could not have foreseen that outcome when making the decision. Looking ahead to 2027, Francos thus made a strong political statement about the future of the government but also a signal about his own: he trusts in Milei's continuity, expects legislative growth for La Libertad Avanza, and remains willing to collaborate with the space he helped build. —Infobae accompanies you every day on YouTube with interviews, analysis, and the most prominent information, in a close and dynamic format. • From 7 to 9: Infobae at Dawn: Nacho Giron, Luciana Rubinska, and Belén Escobar. • From 9 to 12: Infobae at Nine: Gonzalo Sánchez, Tatiana Schapiro, Ramón Indart, and Cecilia Boufflet. • From 12 to 15: Infobae at Noon: Maru Duffard, Andrei Serbin Pont, Fede Mayol, and Facundo Kablan. • From 15 to 18: Infobae in the Afternoon: Manu Jove, Maia Jastreblansky, and Paula Guardia Bourdin; rotating during the week: Marcos Shaw, Lara López Calvo, and Tomás Trapé. • From 18 to 21: Infobae at Return: Gonzalo Aziz, Diego Iglesias, Malena de los Ríos, and Matías Barbería; rotating during the week: Gustavo Lazzari, Martín Tetaz, and Mica Mendelevich. 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