🏛️ POLITICS & ECONOMY · INTERNATIONAL

Milei and Macron at the Élysée: The $75 Billion "Bazooka" to Shield the Election Year

The Argentine president was received in Paris by his French counterpart and, hours earlier, told investors at the OECD that his government is "well armed" against destabilization attempts. The figures, the announcements and the open questions.

📷 View image: Élysée Palace, Paris (absolute link)

Élysée Palace, Paris. Photo: Eric Pouhier, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.5). To insert it, download it from the link and upload it to your blog.

•     🤝 Milei was received by Macron at the Élysée on Thursday, with his sister Karina Milei.

•     💵 He said he has $75 billion available to face volatility in 2027.

•     ⚡ TotalEnergies announced investments of nearly $10 billion.

•     📈 He projected that 2028 will be "the best economic year" if he is re-elected.

📑 In this story

1. The meeting at the Élysée

2. The "bazooka": what it is made of

3. The message to investors

4. A critical reading: what to keep in mind

🏛️ The meeting at the Élysée

To a military fanfare, an embrace from Emmanuel Macron and a greeting between Karina Milei and Brigitte Macron, the Argentine president arrived at the Élysée Palace on Thursday. According to official sources (in Spanish), the two leaders discussed artificial intelligence, the progress of Argentina Week and announcements by French companies, mainly in energy.

According to an Infobae report republished by other outlets (in Spanish), a private meeting of about 40 minutes was followed by a broader session with part of both cabinets and invited business leaders. The French side, Argentine government sources said, asked how the country sustains its fiscal adjustment, a subject of particular concern in France.

The delegation included governors such as Gustavo Sáenz, Ignacio Torres, Raúl Jalil, Marcelo Orrego and Jorge Macri, among others, as well as officials such as Diego Santilli. The visit is part of Argentina Week, organized by Argentina's embassy to attract European capital.

💣 The "bazooka": what it is made of

Hours earlier, at OECD headquarters (Château de la Muette), Milei spoke for about 50 minutes to investors and bankers. There he said, as reported by Infobae, that the government has a "bazooka" of roughly $75 billion against "destabilizing and coup-seeking attempts" during the 2027 election process.

The breakdown, as detailed in his speech:

📣 The message to investors

The president urged investors to "come in now," because once the country reaches investment grade it may be "too late." He tied that rating to lower interest rates, more growth and less poverty. He also projected cumulative expansion of more than 16 points over his term, against under 6% for the OECD average, and repeated that 2028 will be the best economic year in history if he is re-elected.

The event produced one concrete announcement: TotalEnergies CEO Patrick Pouyanné announced plans of nearly $10 billion, highlighting the ability to repatriate dividends and the incentive regime for large investments. Milei noted that the previous Argentina Week had announced more than $16 billion.

🔎 A critical reading: what to keep in mind

•     These are the government's own figures. The outlets consulted repeat the breakdown presented by the president; none includes an independent audit of the total.

•     The components are not equivalent. Reserve purchases, swap lines and futures positions are different instruments with different conditions and uses. Adding them into one number is a communications choice that analysts often qualify.

•     The political accusation. Milei linked sectors of the opposition to possible destabilization attempts; the articles cited present no evidence of such attempts.

•     The French context. Macron's side showed interest in the fiscal adjustment, but according to sources the meeting centered on investment, AI and geopolitics.

❓ Frequently asked questions

When and where did the meeting take place?

On Thursday, October 1, 2026, at the Élysée Palace in Paris, during Argentina Week.

What is the $75 billion "bazooka"?

It is the set of resources that, according to Milei, the government has to face volatility in the 2027 election year (see table).

What is Argentina Week?

An investment forum organized by Argentina's embassy in France, bringing together officials, governors and companies in energy, mining, agribusiness, technology and finance.

🔗 Sources consulted

•     Infobae — Milei at the Élysée Palace (Spanish)

•     Infobae — Speech at Argentina Week (Spanish)

•     Forbes Argentina — The "bazooka" and 2028 (Spanish)

•     Cadena 3 — Investment and adjustment (Spanish)

•     DolarHoy — Breakdown and TotalEnergies announcement (Spanish)

Quotes are translated from Spanish by the newsroom. Last reviewed: October 1, 2026. Information may be updated.

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