Shortly after Javier Milei was elected president of the second-largest nation in South America in November, Elon Musk took to X to express his optimism for Argentina’s future.
Since then, Musk has been actively promoting Milei on X, his social media platform, to his massive following of 182 million. Musk has shared videos of Milei criticizing “social justice” and even posted a controversial image suggesting that watching Milei speak is more satisfying than sex, which quickly became one of his most popular posts.
While Musk has helped elevate Milei as a prominent figure on the right, he has also used their relationship to advocate for his own business interests, particularly Tesla and SpaceX.
In a television interview, Milei revealed that Musk had contacted him expressing a keen interest in lithium, which is a key component in Tesla’s car batteries. Musk has referred to lithium as ”the new oil” and has been pushing for favorable conditions for international lithium miners in Argentina, where Tesla sources a significant amount of its lithium.
This pattern of aligning with right-wing leaders to benefit his companies is not unique to Milei. Musk has shown support for politicians like Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil and Narendra Modi of India on X, using his platform to endorse their views and policies.
In return for his support, Musk has been able to secure advantages for Tesla and SpaceX in various countries. This includes lower import tariffs for Tesla vehicles in India, expanding the market for SpaceX’s satellite internet service in Brazil, and ensuring a stable supply of lithium for Tesla’s batteries in Argentina.
Musk’s endorsement has not only boosted the international profile of these right-wing leaders but has also been used by them to validate their policies and popularity. For example, Modi of India saw Musk’s visit as a sign of trust and support for his leadership.
Despite requests for comments, Musk, Tesla, SpaceX, and X did not respond to inquiries.
2024-05-12 04:50:12
Link from www.nytimes.com