President of Argentina Javier Milei participated in a reception Tuesday at the U.S. embassy celebrating the 250th anniversary of America’s independence — becoming the first Argentine head of state ever to participate in a 4th of July celebration, according to local outlets.
The U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires hosted its 250th American independence reception on Tuesday evening at the Palacio Bosch, the official residence of the United States ambassador to Argentina, led by Ambassador Peter Lamelas. Per the embassy, the event saw the participation of more than 1,500 guests, including Argentine government officials, members of the diplomatic corps stationed in the country, civil society, private sector representatives, and friends of the United States in Argentina, among other groups.
“The reception honored the founding ideals of the United States while celebrating the deep ties between the United States and Argentina in areas including trade, investment, education, science, technology, culture, and security,” the U.S. embassy said in a press release.
“The evening featured a variety of American cultural performances and concluded with a special performance by Jefferson Starship, the iconic American band whose music has left an enduring mark on rock history and inspired generations of fans around the world,” the text continued.
President Milei, a close ally of the United States, participated in the reception alongside members of his cabinet of ministers, lawmakers, governors, and other Argentine authorities. The Office of the President of Argentina published footage of Milei at the event. The video features Village People’s iconic song, “Y.M.C.A,” which has become a fixture at President Donald Trump’s rallies.
“It has been 250 years since a people decided that freedom was not a distant dream, but a God-given right,” Ambassador Lamelas said at the event, noting that President Trump had entrusted him with “supporting this new era of change and transformation and working alongside President Milei’s government” in Argentina.
“Now is the time to build a stronger, deeper, and bolder relationship,” the diplomat emphasized.
Argentine outlets noted that Milei’s attendance at the United States embassy’s reception marked the first time that an Argentine head of state has participated in a Fourth of July diplomatic reception. According to Infobae, Milei did not deliver a speech during the event, but he took the stage to join Ambassador Lamelas in singing the national anthems of Argentina and the United States. Milei, alongside his sister Karina Milei, listened to Jefferson Starship’s performance and a brief performance by Fátima Flórez — who dated the Argentine president between 2023 and 2024. Milei and Flórez amicably broke their relationship citing difficulties caused by her work and Milei’s presidential duties.
Ambassador Lamelas reportedly emphasized that President Trump’s America First agenda does not mean exclusion for America’s allies and stressed, “America First doesn’t mean America alone, it means America united with our partners.” A pre-recorded message from President Trump on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the 4th of July was played during the reception.
Per Infobae, the ambassador, a Cuban-American, recounted the tale of how he fled from communist Cuba as a child on a Red Cross boat and how Castro regime officials branded him and his family gusanos (“worms”) and “traitors to the revolution.”
“I was born in Cuba, and I’m an American by the grace of God,” Lamelas told those gathered at the reception, and added, “With courage, just like President Milei has here, like the Lion.”
Ambassador Lamelas explained that Tuesday’s reception is part of “Freedom Two Fifty,” a broader initiative launched by the American embassy in Buenos Aires that will see the diplomatic mission travel to several places in Argentina to promote American culture. References to iconic aspects of American culture, such as Jazz music and Hollywood, were featured during Tuesday’s reception.
According to Infobae, President Milei planned to visit the United States to participate in the main 250th anniversary of the Fourth of July celebrations in Washington, but he had to reschedule his next visit to the United States for a later time, according to the Argentine outlet.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.