In a country that has long prided itself on its openness to immigrants, the declaration drew criticism from the Argentine president's opponents and prompted comparisons to U.S. President Donald Trump.

Before kicking off a three-day visit to Madrid, Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei stirred controversy, accusing the socialist government of bringing "poverty and death" to Spain.

Argentina's newly empowered President Javier Milei presented figures to lay bare the scope of the nation's economic "emergency," and sought to prepare the public for drastic public spending cuts.

As economist Javier Milei assumes Argentina's presidency, the nation wonders which version of the anti-establishment crusader will govern.

A former TV pundit and ultra-conservative economist has won Argentina's presidential election. Now he faces the challenge of turning around a crippled economy with staggering inflation of over 140%

Sunday's vote is between a far-right libertarian and the current economy minister. The winner will confront challenges such as triple-digit inflation, poverty and an increasingly polarized population.