Javier Milei invites Vitalik Buterin to host Ethereum’s Devconnect in Argentina amid LIBRA token controversy

Argentinian President Javier Milei said it would be “an honor” for Argentina to host the next edition of Devconnect, a gathering of independent events that foster the growth of the Ethereum ecosystem. 

Milei made the statement in response to Vitalik Buterin’s praise of Argentina’s Ethereum community. He said the energy and determination of builders based in the country are real and the event should be held there.

The Ethereum co-founder assessed that the recent LIBRA memecoin scandal should not be seen as a reason to stop believing in crypto but as a motivation to spread education.

He added:

“I continue to be very optimistic about Argentina and Latam’s contributions and role in the space.”

In another X post, Buterin suggested that the next edition of Devconnect should be hosted in Argentina. He said this could be a “great opportunity” to showcase good examples of crypto usage to the Argentinian community and then tagged Milei in the post.

Milei responded via social media:

“THANK YOU VERY MUCH VITALIK BUTERIN  FOR YOUR WORDS ABOUT ARGENTINE TALENT!!! It would be an honor for Argentina to host Devconnect. I agree that it would be a great opportunity for our country.”

According to Chainalysis’ “2024 Geography of Crypto Report,” Argentina has the 15th-largest crypto adoption index and leads Latin America in crypto value received, at an estimated $91.1 billion between 2023 and 2024.

LIBRA controversy

The interactions between the Argentinian President and the Ethereum co-founder come in the backdrop of significant controversy. Milei endorsed the memecoin LIBRA on Feb. 14, saying the token was a way to fund Argentinian ventures. 

The token reached a $4.5 billion valuation before crashing 95% over the weekend. A report by Nansen estimated that 86% of traders lost $251 million, and 70% of wallets trading the token over the weekend endured losses.

Hayden Davis, a key figure behind LIBRA, said in an interview that Milei had no financial stake in the token after the fiasco. Davis reportedly claimed to influence the Argentinian President by paying Milei’s sister.

Notably, Milei said he did not intend to promote the token and only shared it on social media as a gesture of good faith toward the industry.

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