Argentine President Javier Milei shed light on the stumbling blocks in his ambitious plan to integrate the US dollar into the Argentine economy—a move hampered not by economic challenges but by what he describes as the nation’s “dirty” political landscape. Despite Argentina grappling with skyrocketing inflation and a central bank in dire straits, Milei’s dollarization dream remains just that, a dream thwarted by potential political fallout.

Milei, who assumed office amid an economic crisis with the central bank “practically bankrupt” and inflation rates estimated to have surged to an annualized 17,000% last December, pinpointed political adversaries as the main obstacle to his radical economic overhaul. His initial strategy to sell the central bank’s liabilities on the market for dollars was abandoned, not for its lack of merit, but for fear of political backlash and potential legal consequences.

“They probably would have accused us of some monkey, shady business and would have sent us to prison,” Milei stated, highlighting the anticipated accusations of fraud from opposition parties—a reflection of the deep-seated corruption that has plagued Argentina’s political and economic sectors for years.

Despite these setbacks, Milei remains steadfast in his conviction that adopting the US dollar is crucial for Argentina’s long-term stability. By removing monetary control from the central bank, he believes it would address what he sees as a moral issue, equating the central bank’s practice of printing money to pay off debts to theft.

Though Milei’s vision of dollarizing the Argentine economy has been met with resistance, there are signs of improvement. Inflation, while still high, has begun to slow, with consumer prices rising at a rate lower than expected in February.

As Argentina continues to navigate its complex economic and political landscape, Milei’s unwavering commitment to reform and transparency signals a contentious but potentially transformative period ahead. Whether his vision for a dollarized economy will come to fruition remains to be seen, but for now, the battle between economic ideals and political realities rages on.