Massa and Milei close campaign for uncertain presidential runoff in Argentina

The libertarian Javier Milei was applauded in a massive event and the Peronist Minister of Economy Sergio Massa He chatted with a group of students as both closed their campaigns this Thursday, in a tense atmosphere in Argentina before Sunday’s presidential runoff, which is expected to be close.

Milei, a 53-year-old economist who proposes dollarizing the economy and significantly cutting public spending, sang, harangued and spoke to cheers at the largest event of his campaign this Thursday in the city of Córdoba, a bastion of anti-Kirchnerism in the north of the country. country.

“We are facing the most important election in the last 40 years,” said the far-right leader. Referring to opponents who claim that his proposal is a leap into the void, he harangued: “What a leap into the void they are talking about, if we are going to hell itself!”

“What we are choosing is whether we want the tyranny of the majorities, Peronist populism, or if we want to re-embrace the ideas of freedom”added the candidate in his brief words, minutes before the start of the Argentina-Uruguay match for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Thousands of supporters carried Argentine and yellow flags, the color of the La Libertad Avanza party, and chanted “the caste is afraid”the candidate’s battle hymn against the political class he denounced throughout his campaign.

“Those of us who are here vote with hope, not with anger [rabia]. Milei is a change that we Argentines need. “If Massa wins, our path is totally uncertain,” commented César Andrada, a 70-year-old merchant who harangued with a megaphone.

Andrada had initially voted for the conservative Patricia Bullrich, who came third in the first round in October and, together with former president Mauricio Macri, later supported Milei.

At the beginning of the event, Bullrich addressed the candidate and said: “It was your turn, you were the one who won the exchange option and with patriotism we accompany you, Javier.” The polls anticipate a scenario of technical tie.

Reclaim memory

Massa, a centrist Peronist, preferred to close his campaign with small meetings. He promised a group of businessmen “a country and a government that defends its industry”before visiting a secondary school in Buenos Aires this Thursday where he was applauded by the students.

“That this is our closing campaign represents the country we want. “I come to tell you that we are going to defend and improve public, inclusive and free education.”Massa launched.

Despite his promises to incorporate all parties into a government of national unity if he wins, Massa struggles to appear credible as the economy minister under whose management inflation reached the peak. 143% annualized and poverty affected more than 40% of the population.

But his voters give other reasons for choosing this 51-year-old lawyer.

“I am going to vote for Massa because I am against Milei, because I defend human rights, health and education. “This time we have to vote for democracy,” Carolina Cova, 27, told AFP as she passed in front of the Carlos Pellegrini school, where the minister made his last act.

This same Thursday, the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo were accompanied on their traditional weekly round by nearly 1,000 people who protested against what they consider the “denialism” of the mileist bloc with respect to the Argentine dictatorship (1976-1983).

“It seems to us that in the face of the discourse of denialism we must vindicate the motto of Memory, Truth and Justice”said Olivia Col, a 21-year-old medical student, who attended with two friends. The electoral ban begins on Friday, prohibiting any campaign event.

The last week has been marked by accusations of fraud that the Milei campaign denounces in advance, something unprecedented in the 40 years of Argentine democracy.

Thus, on Sunday he refrained from sending all his party’s ballots to the electoral centers, claiming that he does not trust the custody mechanism.

Source: AFP.