BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — As hundreds of Taylor Swift followers eagerly lined up Thursday for the celebrity’s first-ever live performance in Argentina, they noticed themselves surrounded by posters urging them to not vote in favor of right-wing populist Javier Milei in subsequent week’s presidential election.
“A Swiftie Does not Vote Milei,” learn one of many posters, utilizing the time period generally used to explain followers of the 12-time Grammy winner.
Some Swifties agreed. “Taylor defends numerous positions and issues that Milei doesn’t symbolize,” mentioned 17-year-old Julieta Bracamontes. “That signal is correct and I agree with it.”
On the backside of the poster a hashtag learn “Milei Is Trump.”
Milei, a self-described anarcho-capitalist who holds numerous socially conservative positions together with opposition to abortion, has typically been described as Argentina’s Donald Trump.
“I believe Trump is similar to Milei,” mentioned Constanza Trunsky, a psychology scholar, noting the factors in frequent between Argentina’s present political local weather and the views Swift has expressed prior to now, significantly her assist for the LGBT neighborhood.
Milei has mentioned he helps marriage equality, which has been the regulation in Argentina since 2010, however has spoken up towards intercourse schooling in faculties and is against the state devoting funds to help the trans neighborhood in addition to different minority teams.
One other poster that immediately appeared in quite a few areas across the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires confirmed a stylized stencil portrait of Swift holding a tray of cookies of various shapes that learn, “Massa 2023,” in reference to Financial system Minister Sergio Massa, Milei’s opponent within the Nov. 19 presidential runoff.
Essentially the most hardcore Swifties instantly knew the picture made reference to a well-known picture of an overalls-wearing Swift holding cookies in favor of President Joe Biden’ s 2020 candidacy.
Politics first burst into the South American nation’s Swift fandom late final month, when a fan membership issued a information launch calling on followers of the celebrity singer to vote towards Milei.
Milei “represents the antidemocratic proper that comes to remove all our acquired rights,” the fan membership mentioned in a information launch.
The group spoke up shortly after Massa obtained essentially the most votes within the Oct. 22 election, acquiring 37% of the overall, nearly seven factors greater than Milei however not sufficient to keep away from a runoff.
However not all Swifties agreed with the fan membership meddling in politics.
“I don’t suppose it’s one thing they need to become involved in and say that Swifties gained’t vote (for Milei) as a result of everybody has their private opinion, and so they can’t generalize like that,” Lucila Losinno, 28, mentioned Thursday whereas ready to get into the live performance.
Others who had been impatiently ready for the Eras Tour to reach in South America have been wanting to shake off any discuss of politics.
“I don’t sympathize with any of the politicians, however I don’t know, I really feel that placing the face of the artist on one thing political isn’t superb,” mentioned Malena Garachena, 19. However “it’s OK, I don’t suppose she’ll see it.”