Thousands of Taylor Swift fans in Argentina were met with a surprising sight as they lined up for her first-ever concert in the country. Posters urging them not to vote for right-wing populist Javier Milei in the upcoming presidential election surrounded them. One of the posters read, “A Swiftie Doesn’t Vote Milei,” using the term commonly used to describe fans of the Grammy-winning artist.
Some of the Swifties agreed with the sentiment expressed on the posters. Seventeen-year-old Julieta Bracamontes said, “Taylor defends lots of positions and things that Milei doesn’t represent. That sign is right, and I agree with it.” The posters also featured a hashtag stating, “Milei Is Trump.”
Javier Milei, a self-described anarcho-capitalist with socially conservative views, including opposition to abortion, has often been compared to Argentina’s version of Donald Trump. Constanza Trunsky, a psychology student, noted the similarities between Argentina’s political climate and Swift’s past expressions of support for the LGBT community. Trunsky said, “I think Trump is very similar to Milei.”
While Milei has expressed support for marriage equality, he has also voiced opposition to sex education in schools and the allocation of funds to assist the trans community and other minority groups.
Another poster that appeared around the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires featured a stylized stencil portrait of Swift holding a tray of cookies with the message, “Massa 2023.” This referred to Economy Minister Sergio Massa, Milei’s opponent in the upcoming presidential runoff. Fans familiar with a famous photo of Swift supporting President Joe Biden in 2020 recognized the reference.
The intersection of politics and the Swift fandom in Argentina began when a fan club issued a news release urging fans to vote against Milei. The fan club stated that Milei “represents the antidemocratic right that comes to take away all our acquired rights.” This statement came shortly after Massa received the most votes in the October election but fell short of avoiding a runoff.
However, not all Swifties agreed with the fan club’s involvement in politics. Lucila Losinno, 28, expressed her disagreement, saying, “I don’t think it’s something they should get involved in and say that Swifties won’t vote (for Milei) because everyone has their personal opinion, and they can’t generalize like that.”
While some fans were eager to discuss politics, others were keen on shaking off the topic and focusing on the Eras Tour. Nineteen-year-old Malena Garachena said, “I don’t sympathize with any of the politicians, but I don’t know, I feel that putting the face of the artist on something political isn’t very good. But it’s OK, I don’t think she’ll see it.”
