Argentinian President Javier Milei stated it could be “an honor” for Argentina to host the subsequent version of Devconnect, a gathering of impartial occasions that foster the expansion of the Ethereum ecosystem.
Milei made the assertion in response to Vitalik Buterin’s reward of Argentina’s Ethereum group. He stated the vitality and dedication of builders primarily based within the nation are actual and the occasion needs to be held there.
The Ethereum co-founder assessed that the latest LIBRA memecoin scandal shouldn’t be seen as a motive to cease believing in crypto however as a motivation to unfold training.
He added:
“I proceed to be very optimistic about Argentina and Latam’s contributions and function within the area.”
In one other X put up, Buterin advised that the subsequent version of Devconnect needs to be hosted in Argentina. He stated this may very well be a “nice alternative” to showcase good examples of crypto utilization to the Argentinian group after which tagged Milei within the put up.
Milei responded through social media:
“THANK YOU VERY MUCH VITALIK BUTERIN FOR YOUR WORDS ABOUT ARGENTINE TALENT!!! It could be an honor for Argentina to host Devconnect. I agree that it could be an important alternative for our nation.”
In response to Chainalysis’ “2024 Geography of Crypto Report,” Argentina has the Fifteenth-largest crypto adoption index and leads Latin America in crypto worth acquired, at an estimated $91.1 billion between 2023 and 2024.
LIBRA controversy
The interactions between the Argentinian President and the Ethereum co-founder come within the backdrop of serious controversy. Milei endorsed the memecoin LIBRA on Feb. 14, saying the token was a technique to fund Argentinian ventures.
The token reached a $4.5 billion valuation earlier than crashing 95% over the weekend. A report by Nansen estimated that 86% of merchants misplaced $251 million, and 70% of wallets buying and selling the token over the weekend endured losses.
Hayden Davis, a key determine behind LIBRA, stated in an interview that Milei had no monetary stake within the token after the fiasco. Davis reportedly claimed to affect the Argentinian President by paying Milei’s sister.
Notably, Milei stated he didn’t intend to advertise the token and solely shared it on social media as a gesture of fine religion towards the trade.
