Argentina's Javier Milei says he might get Nobel Prize

Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei believes his radical economic program could win him a Nobel Prize.

"Together with my senior advisor Demian Reidel, we are rewriting a large part of economic theory," Milei said during a visit to the Czech Republic on Monday.

"If we get it right, I will probably receive the Nobel Prize for Economics Sciences together with Demian," he added.

Milei made the comments while purportedly accepting an award from Czech think tank, the Liberal Institute. However, the Liberal Institute said the ceremony was an unauthorized event that had been organized by individuals who had not been involved with the think tank for years.

How has Argentina's economy fared under Milei?

A self-described "anarcho-capitalist," Milei was catapulted to power last year as Argentina faced a severe economic crisis.

His government has axed thousands of jobs in the public sector and cut back on social programs.

Although inflation has since fallen, economic performance has also dropped by 5.1% in the first quarter compared to the same period last year.

Almost 56% of Argentinians live below the poverty line, with around 18% living in extreme poverty, according to the Catholic University of Argentina.

zc/jsi (dpa, EFE)