“I want to start by remembering Charlie Kirk, one of the best promoters of the ideas of liberty… who never turned his back on debate,” the Argentine leader told hundreds at the Conservative Political Action Conference’s first-ever meeting in Paraguay.

“His death must not paralyse us,” added Milei, who had previously ascribed Kirk’s murder to “a wave of left-wing political violence.”

“We have the obligation to stay at the forefront and not give up in the battle for ideas. Sooner or later, goodness and truth will prevail,” he told those gathered.

CPAC held a minute of silence for Kirk. The close ally of US President Donald Trump was shot dead last week at a public event at a university in Utah.

On Tuesday the 22-year-old suspect, Tyler Robinson, was formally charged with aggravated murder.

Prosecutors said Robinson told a friend he had killed Kirk because he had “had enough of his hatred.”

Kirk, a 31-year-old father of two, used his audiences on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube to build support for conservative talking points, lashing out at migrants and transgender people, among others.