Incoming Argentinian President Javier Milei Intends to Convert to Judaism

Javier Milei, the newly-elected Argentinian president and staunch advocate of Israel, is reportedly planning on converting to Judaism.

The incoming president made his first post-election visit to the United States last week to meet with American officials and members of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in the nation’s capital. However, Milei first stopped in Brooklyn, N.Y., home of the Orthodox Jewish Chabad Lubavitch headquarters, and prayed at the gravesite of the movement’s former spiritual leader.

On Tuesday, Bloomberg reportedly confirmed from one of Milei’s spokespeople that the leader intends to convert to Judaism, correcting an earlier claim made by the outlet on Monday that he was already in the midst of the process. Milei was raised Catholic and was vocally critical of fellow Argentinian Pope Francis during his candidacy.

“To go so early to the U.S. or signal he would go to Israel sends a very clear message about Milei’s foreign policy,” Carlos Ruckauf, a former Argentinian vice-president who served in the late ’90s, told the outlet.

However, to some observers, Milei’s posture toward the Middle East is not surprising. “His personal passion on the issue, his strong personal beliefs, let us anticipate that Argentina’s support for Israel will intensify,” a managing director of the consultancy Cefeidas Group told Bloomberg. “We’re talking more about continuity than disruption.”

The news comes after Milei has distinguished himself, particularly among South American leaders, for his support for Israel, including moving the Argentinian embassy to Jerusalem and traveling to the Jewish State for an official visit in the near future. By comparison, political leaders in Columbia threatened to suspend bilateral relations with Israel as officials in Chile and Bolivia severed ties with the embattled country.

In mid November, Milei won a presidential run-off, pitting his libertarian platform against the left-wing Peronist candidate, Sergio Massa. Milei is a self-proclaimed “anarcho-capitalist” whose campaign emphasized anti-establishment rhetoric combined with media stunts such as wielding a chainsaw to highlight his desire to cut taxes and governmental bloat. Milei has proposed cutting eleven of the South American nation’s 19 governmental agencies and adopting the U.S. dollar as Argentina’s currency reels from hyperinflation.

Argentina is home to the continent’s largest Jewish community, composed of more than 200,000 Jews, primarily centered in Buenos Aires and other major cities. Over 20 Argenintian nations were held by Hamas after it kidnapped people following its surprise invasion of Israel on October 7.