Buenos Aires, Argentina — Groups of Taylor Swift and K-pop fans started a social media campaign against Libertarian candidate Javier Milei ahead of the presidential election runoff on November 19. After women’s rights, feminism and BTS were criticized by the Libertarians, both fandoms felt the need to react.
The “Swifties” have spoken. A group of Argentine fans of the 33-year-old American artist posted a statement on X calling for votes against the Libertarian as “Milei = Trump,” they wrote.
“As Taylor said, we have the necessity of being on the right side of history,” the statement read. “We cannot avoid the fight after having heard and seen Taylor give everything so that the right doesn’t win in her country.”
The group, named “Swifties against La Libertad Avanza [Milei’s party]” included a list of controversial proposals and statements that Milei and other party members made throughout the campaign, but the Swifties emphasized on all statements that were made against women’s rights.
“They consider that same-sex marriage is unnecessary, they say feminism is a lie, that gender salary gap doesn’t exist and even consider the possibility of allowing the trade of organs or children,” claimed the document.
They then proceeded to quote some of Taylor Swift’s political statements that supported their claims and concluded, “Following her legacy, and given the danger that candidate Javier Milei represents, mainly for women and diversities, on November 19 we are NOT going to vote for them.”
“If Taylor Swift voted in Argentina she would vote for Sergio Massa,” said Victoria Nalbantián, a 27-year-old photographer and Swiftie. “Although it does not personally influence my vote, I believe we are in a very important moment in which every vote counts, so if this manages to add some votes to us, then great,” she concluded.
K-popers against a potential vice president
The local K-pop fandom also felt the need to react after old tweets from Milei’s running mate, Victoria Villarruel, that criticized popular boy-band BTS were uncovered. Back in 2020, a viral tweet read “The band BTS has the name of a health plan,” to which Villarruel replied “Or name of an STD.”
Despite being from a while ago, the tweet came to light just days after the October 22 first round of elections and caused the anger of many local fans.
The Argentine BTS fan bases published a statement on X saying, “We repudiate the hateful and xenophobic statements towards the image of BTS uttered by candidate Victoria Villarruel.” And then responded to Villarruel’s humorous reaction to the controversy, “We do not expect the corresponding apologies, due to her recent responses.”
Alejandro Kim, a lawyer of Korean descent and pre candidate for a spot in the Buenos Aires legislature, commented on another of Villarruel’s controversial tweets against BTS. “I know that your days go by meeting with genocides, but BTS moves half a point of South Korea’s GDP,” said Kim. “Congratulations! You merged xenophobia, racism and ignorance in 200 characters.”
Villarruel’s only response to the matter was mentioning it on a tweet as “funny Twitter conversations from a thousand years ago.”
Libertarian Javier Milei will face the second round of the election against Sergio Massa, the current Minister of Economy, to see who will become the next president of Argentina on November 19.
