Argentina President Milei says import bans would leave the country with only dulce de leche

President Javier Milei defended his government's push for import liberalisation, arguing that a closed‑economy Argentina would be reduced to “only dulce de leche, biromes and colectivos”. He contrasted this with Switzerland, noting that “if the Swiss stopped importing they would starve or become obese because they would only eat chocolate”. Milei made the comments in a radio interview while citing a recent report that shows record import growth across most sectors and a shift toward cheaper foreign goods, which has been linked to falling industrial activity, rising bankruptcies and the closure of thousands of local firms.

The president used the hyperbole to attack critics of trade openness and to stress the importance of imports for Argentina's economy.