The economist takes over 30 percent of the votes, while Peronism is relegated to third place
The ultra-right and ultra-liberal candidate Javier Milei has surprised and has become the candidate with the most votes in the primary elections for the Presidency of Argentina, the PASO, capitalizing on a vote of discontent that, according to his own words, he hopes will serve to put end in October to the “caste model”.
Milei, from the La Libertad Avanza party, has 30.14 percent of the votes, which is equivalent to more than 7 million votes, according to official data collected by the Argentine newspaper ‘La Nación’, while the opposition coalition Juntos for Change has obtained 28.27 percent (more than 6.5 million voters) and the Peronist Unión por la Patria has obtained 27.19 percent (some 6.3 million votes).
“Let them all go. This competitive alternative will not only put an end to Kirchnerism, but it will put an end to the parasitic, stupid and useless caste of this country,” Milei declared after the first official results were known, at the end of an election day in in which the participation has been around 70 percent.
“We are facing the end of the caste model, based on that atrocity that says that where there is a need, there is a right, but it is forgotten that this right has to be paid for,” added the ultra-liberal candidate, who has assured that this victory is “the first step for the reconstruction” of the country.
In addition, Milei, who did not reach 20 percent in voting intentions in the polls prior to the elections, has celebrated being both the most elected force individually and the most voted at the party level and has asked “decent Argentines ” to join “the liberal revolution” to “remove” the politicians who “do not want to change”.
In Together for Change, the votes have been divided between the former Minister of Security, Patricia Bullrich, very close to the opposition leader Mauricio Macri (with 16.99 percent) and the head of Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta (with 11.28 percent).
“Thanks to all the Argentines who supported us throughout the country. Congratulations to Patricia Bullrich for the victory in these primaries that we have carried out with great respect and seriousness,” Larreta has published on her X social network account, formerly Twitter, after knowing the first official results.
For Bullrich, his coalition has taken this Sunday “an important step” towards “hope”, since he considers that the results show that the citizenry demands “a root change” that implies leaving behind corruption and putting an end to “waste” economic. Now, he faces the remaining months until October with “open arms to everyone.”
PERONISM, THE GREAT DEFEATED
On behalf of the Peronist Unión por la Patria (UP), the Economy Minister, Sergio Massa, with 21.35 percent, and Juan Grabois, leader of one of the forces furthest to the left of the pro-government coalition and It comes from the social movements, which has received 5.84 percent of the votes, according to an estimate of 90 percent.
Massa aspires to recover the “transversality” of former president Néstor Kirchner to climb positions and have options in the final meeting. In this sense, he has denied that the left is defeated — he promises to fight “until the last minute” — and has calculated that Argentine politics is now “divided into thirds”, already warning of the risks that some of the Milei’s most radical proposals, who have proposed dollarizing the economy, closing the Central Bank and a strong hand against crime.
Grabois also believes that there is room for improvement. “If UP prioritizes the demands of those below, concrete commitments with those who do not have housing or live in a neighborhood without adequate conditions, of those who cultivate and protect the land, of registered, informal workers and of the popular economy that they do not make ends meet (…). If we firmly retake the flag of sovereignty and the recovery of common goods, I have no doubt that any dehumanizing proposal can be defeated,” he published on social networks
The Simultaneous and Mandatory Open Primaries (PASO) are usually an x-ray of the state of mind of the country, whose discontent with the political class has been seen again during the local elections, with high percentages of abstention and blank votes.
In these primary elections, the candidates to renew a part of the National Congress have also been chosen, as well as the shortlist that will fight to assume control of the provinces, including the future head of Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires and other positions. local and municipal executives. Thus, the rival to beat is Juntos por el Cambio, which is around 56 percent, and especially Jorge Macri, who has won by one and a half points in the internal struggle against Martín Lousteau.
The dispute for the post of governor of Buenos Aires is more closely fought, although the current person in charge, Axel Kicillof, has retained the first position in the face of opposition stakes.
