He was by his side at every moment of the presidential campaign.
And it was also this Sunday, the day Javier Milei took office as president of Argentina.
When it was learned on November 19 that the libertarian economist had achieved a resounding victory over Sergio Massa in the runoff, it was she, his sister Karina, who introduced him to a crowd that was euphorically waiting to hear his first speech as president-elect.
Visibly moved, she hugged her brother and they both greeted their followers from the stage who were shouting “freedom, freedom, freedom.”
True to his low profile, he didn’t say much more. Little is known about her life and it is difficult to access her.
But those who know Milei recognize that she is the “great architect” behind the anti-establishment libertarian project.
She is his main strategist, advisor and the central figure of his political group, La Libertad Avanza.
Javier Milei, in fact, calls her “The boss” (in masculine) and has repeated on several occasions that “without her, there would be none of this.”
Now, it is known that he will also officially accompany him in the government, as general secretary of the presidencya position for which he was sworn in this Sunday.
The above was possible thanks to the fact that the president modified a decree – signed by Mauricio Macri in 2018 – that prevented family members from being appointed to public positions.
At BBC Mundo we tell you three facts about her.
1. The “architect” of the Milei phenomenon
Karina Milei is the only sister of the libertarian economist. She is two and a half years younger than him (she is 50 and he is 53 years old).
They grew up in Villa Devoto neighborhood, in the city of Buenos Aires, within a middle class family. His father, Norberto, was a bus driver and his mother, Alicia, was a housewife.
They attended primary and secondary school at the Cardenal Copello Institute, a Catholic educational institution, and from childhood they had a very close relationship.
Their lives came together in the workplace more than a decade ago, when she decided to start working with him while he gave lectures as an economist.
And for almost three years, Karina Milei has been dedicated to her brother’s political career and strengthening La Libertad Avanza, the coalition founded in 2021 with which Javier Milei came to power.
In accordance with Juan Luis Gonzálezjournalist and author of “El Loco, the unknown life of Javier Milei and his emergence into Argentine politics”she is the one behind most of the decisions the president makes.
“In any other party, the issues that Karina monopolizes are divided into seven or eight people. The agenda, the alliances, with which journalist Milei speaks and with whom he does not, who enters the bunker, who accesses the privacy of Javier Milei and who does not”he tells BBC Mundo.
“”He is the one who has the final word”he adds.
Javier Milei himself has acknowledged that he “reports” to his sister. And she, in one of her few public appearances, said that he “is very diligent and pays attention.”
Karina Milei is also the architect of ideas that are considered successful among the followers of the next president, such as draw for the salary he received as a deputy or public economics classes with which he has toured the country.
“For him, Karina is very important, she is the one who supports him, leads him and encourages him. And she tells her what she has to do,” the Argentine political scientist explains to BBC Mundo. Joseph Natansonauthor of “Because. “The rapid agony of Kirchnerist Argentina.”
But before all this happened, Karina Milei was a person outside of politics.
With a degree in Public Relations from the Argentine Business University (UADE), she dedicated herself to her businesses (she had a tire repair shop), art and baking (at one time she even sold cakes).
“Karina Milei’s growth is very impressive. 2 years and 8 months ago, she had never ever been involved in politics. Today, she tells everyone: if you want to be in this space, you already know which phone number you have to call,” says Juan Luis González.
2. His protector in childhood
For analysts, the fundamental role that Karina Milei plays today in her brother’s life and political career is explained, in part, for its containment role in the past.
Javier Milei has publicly said that he had a very hard childhood and adolescence and that his sister’s company was essential in that.
She always supported him and was his biggest fan when he played as a goalkeeper in the Chacarita Juniors Athletic Clubfrom the second division of Argentine soccer.
It has also been key in the president-elect’s turbulent relationship with his parents, whom he has harshly criticized, stating that he suffered physical and psychological abuse.
In an interview with journalist Agustín Gallardo conducted five years ago, Milei recalled that when he was 11 years old he told his father that The decision of the de facto government of Leopoldo Galtieri to announce the landing of Argentine troops in the Malvinas/Falklands Islands, under the control of the United Kingdom.
“My father was seized with a fit of rage. He started punching and kicking me. “He kicked me throughout the kitchen,” said Milei.
“When I grew up, he stopped hitting me to inflict psychological violence,” he said. “He always told me that I was rubbish, that I was going to die of hunger, that I was going to be useless.”
Between 2010 and 2020, Javier Milei cut off relations with his parents and, according to journalist Juan Luis González, he was Karina who managed to reconcile them before the pandemic.
“Milei has a very complex life, with a father who beat him, with a cruel mother, with friends he never had… the only person who was by his side his whole life is Karina Milei,” explains González.
Political scientist José Natanson has a similar view: “Javier Milei is a guy who is very alone, who has a very small environment, and has had a difficult personal life. And his sister has always accompanied him.”
The libertarian economist has not hidden his admiration for her and has expressed on numerous occasions that “she is the most wonderful human being on the planet.”
Even more: the elected president has compared the bond that unites them with that of the most important prophet for Judaism, Moses, and his brother Aaron: “Moses was a great leader, but not a great popularizer. God sent Aaron to communicate. “I am to Kari what Aaron is to Moses.”
“I got the prize with Kari. She is the protector. She is largely responsible for this. I am the disseminator,” she said in statements to Crónica TV.
3. Low profile
Although she is known as the “soul” of the libertarian project, it is very difficult to know what Karina Milei really thinks.
And the sister of the “lion” – as her followers call her because of her mane – does not give interviews nor does she usually speak at public events.
He also does not interact with journalists and has a limited close circle.
One of the few places where he has given statements is in the documentary “Javier Milei, the liberal revolution.”
In it, the sister raises some ideas that were key in the president-elect’s campaign. Among them, tiredness with traditional politics and their fight against “caste”.
“They don’t think about people, I think they only think about themselves. I don’t see that they have empathy with people. Because they really don’t care.” she indicates on the tape.
He also claims that he “admires” his brother and that the “more they hit him, the stronger he gets.”
“I don’t know if many know it, but Javier is one of the best averages in the faculty (…). I admire my brother. What people see about Javier is that he is genuine,” he says.
Javier Milei has said that when they were children she was the extrovert and he was the introvert. But now “we changed roles.”
According to Juan Luis González, his low profile is also due to the fact that “he is not a person very familiar with the rest of the political space; he marks distance.”
“She is the great unknown and deserves a book more than Javier Milei,” the journalist told BBC Mundo.
This Sunday, the president – visibly moved and with a broken voice – swore an oath to his sister to appoint her as general secretary of the presidency.
With this, the important role that he will play in the libertarian administration was formalized.
Although for Juan Luis González she does not need any type of position “to continue being the most important person in Javier Milei’s head.”
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