The Movistar Arena in Buenos Aires has seen its share of electrifying performances, but on October 6, 2025, the spectacle was something entirely unprecedented: Argentina’s sitting president, Javier Milei, took to the stage in black leather, belting out rock classics to a crowd of 15,000, in an event that blurred the boundaries between campaign rally, rock concert, and literary launch. The occasion? The unveiling of his new book, The Construction of the Miracle, a 573-page compendium of his speeches and economic philosophy, delivered with a showmanship rarely—if ever—seen from a world leader.
As reported by El País and corroborated by viral social media videos, the evening kicked off with the stadium’s lights dimming and the haunting sound of a shofar echoing through the arena. Milei, swept along by a tide of supporters, made his entrance to the Rolling Stones before launching into a raucous setlist of Argentine rock anthems. His presidential band—featuring Representative Bernie Benegas Lynch on drums, his brother on guitar, and Representative Lilia Lemonine on backing vocals—backed him as he sang Charly García’s “Demoliendo hoteles,” Los Ratones Paranoicos’ “Rock del Gato,” and even the Spanish classic “Libre” by Nino Bravo, all while waving the blue and white Argentine flag.
The concert, as Ansa Latina noted, was not just a musical interlude but a calculated political maneuver. With legislative midterms looming on October 26, 2025, and after suffering a stinging defeat in Buenos Aires province’s September elections—home to 40% of Argentina’s electorate—Milei found himself in need of a morale boost. The event doubled as a campaign rally, aiming to recapture the energy of his outsider 2023 presidential run and to rally his libertarian party, La Libertad Avanza, whose fortunes have become increasingly uncertain.
Yet, the night was not without reminders of Milei’s mounting political challenges. Just 24 hours before the concert, his star candidate for Buenos Aires province, José Luis Espert, resigned following revelations of a 2019 campaign donation from a businessman now imprisoned and wanted for drug trafficking. “I have no doubts about the professor’s honor,” Milei said, referring to Espert, but the damage was done. Meanwhile, Economy Minister Luis Caputo was notably absent, having rushed to Washington to expedite a $20 billion aid package previously promised by former U.S. President Donald Trump—another sign of the administration’s urgent need for international support.
In the midst of the music, Milei’s rhetoric oscillated between defiance and reflection. “They listened to the Kirchnerists, they won one round, but they didn’t win the battle,” he declared from the stage, drawing cheers from the crowd. Later, in a more somber moment, he addressed the crowd: “Israel is the bastion of the West, and that’s why terrorists and the left are together, because they know that by destroying Israel they are destroying the world and Judeo-Christian culture.” The president then led the audience in singing “Hava Naguila,” a nod to his frequent references to Jewish culture and history.
The book launch itself—ostensibly the main event—took place after the concert, when the stadium had already begun to empty. Donning the Argentine flag and singing the national anthem, Milei was interviewed by his spokesperson, Manuel Adorni. Here, the president pivoted to policy, touting his government’s progress while acknowledging the steep road ahead. “We are halfway there, don’t give up, we have to finish crossing the river,” he urged supporters, emphasizing the need to “get your feet dirty” to bring about real change.
In conversation with Adorni, Milei repeated his party’s claim of prevailing over the political left, whom he accused of “not tolerating debate.” He predicted that inflation, while currently hovering at a painful 30 percent, would soon stabilize and ultimately become “a thing of the past.” “It’s a horrible number, but we will not print another peso, and inflation will end in Argentina,” he insisted.
The president didn’t shy away from Argentina’s persistent social woes, either. “It’s a horror to have 12 million poor people, but it’s better than what we had before and we are going in the right direction,” he said. He noted that while 7% of Argentines remain indigent—a “painful number” for a country that produces enough food for 500 million people—there have been real improvements: “There are 6 million Argentines who didn’t eat before and now do.”
The Construction of the Miracle lays out Milei’s ultraliberal vision for Argentina, advocating for fiscal adjustment, market liberalization, and sweeping structural reforms. The book was published by Hojas del Sur, a small press known for supporting far-right ideologues such as Nicolás Márquez and Agustín Laje. This marks a shift from his previous book, Capitalism, Socialism, and the Neoclassical Trap, which was launched in May 2024 at the larger Luna Park stadium with a more mainstream publisher, Planeta.
Milei’s embrace of rock music is more than a campaign gimmick; it’s rooted in his personal history. In the 1980s, long before he entered politics, Milei fronted a short-lived rock band called Everest, performing Rolling Stones covers for friends. Though Everest dissolved after just two gigs, the experience left an indelible mark on Milei’s public persona—his penchant for leather jackets, his energetic stage presence, and his willingness to break the mold of traditional political communication.
The spectacle at Movistar Arena quickly became a social media phenomenon, with videos of the president’s performance going viral and sparking commentary around the world. As one user quipped online, “The actual president of the country is doing a live rock concert. I swear you never know how Argentina will surprise you today when you wake up every morning lmao.” Another observed, “This is how Javier Milei closes the campaign for provincial elections in the province (not city) of Buenos Aires. A literal rock concert. Leather jacket. People going wild when he comes on stage. The ideas of liberty matter, but what really makes the difference is charisma.”
For Milei and his supporters, charisma is indeed a central asset. His ability to command a stage, whether in the political arena or under the concert lights, has become a defining feature of his leadership. “Just a fact that charisma matters for winnings. No one can deny it. Reagan was called the great communicator, had he been a terrible speaker, would he have won? No,” another social media user pointed out, drawing historical parallels to other populist leaders.
With legislative elections just weeks away, Argentina finds itself at a crossroads. Milei’s administration, nearly two years in, faces persistent economic hardship, internal scandals, and the daunting task of maintaining momentum amid mounting opposition. The Movistar Arena event was, in many ways, a microcosm of Milei’s presidency: bold, unconventional, and fraught with both spectacle and substance. Whether this audacious blend of politics and performance will translate into electoral gains remains to be seen, but for one night in Buenos Aires, the president gave his supporters exactly what they came for—a fire, as Sandro once sang, that burns with the promise of something different.
