The candidates for the presidency of Argentina faced each other this Sunday in the debate prior to the elections on October 22, with mutual accusations about corruption and mismanagement of the economy, and with strong reproaches to the right-wing candidate Javier Milei, favorite in the polls.
(Also: Why does the libertarian Javier Milei attract the vote of the youngest in Argentina?)
Economy Minister Sergio Massa, candidate of the Peronist coalition Unión por la Patria (center-left), accused Milei, a liberal and anti-establishment economist, of promoting slavery with his proposals on deregulation of the labor market.
(Keep reading: This was the presidential candidate debate in Argentina: how did Javier Milei do?)
In turn, conservative Patricia Bullrich, of the center-right coalition Together for Change, asserted that Milei’s proposal to dollarize the economy would be done “with starvation wages”.
Former Minister of Security, Bullrich also criticized him for his position on that matter. “Milei wants to release the weapons, and the released weapons fall into the hands of criminals,” she said.
(Also read: The image with which Javier Milei compared himself to Goku and generated controversy)
With a speech against what he calls the “chorra (thief) political caste”, Milei has been the surprise of this electoral campaign. In the August 13 primaries she obtained the largest vote (29.8%) and Polls place him in first place for the October election, although with a probable second round on November 19.
“They cannot be the solution to the problem, because they are the problem,” he said this Sunday about the other candidates.
Argentina is going through a serious economic crisis, with inflation of more than 120% annually and poverty of 40%.
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Climate change
This Sunday was the second debate of the five candidates and revolved around production and work, safety, and environmental protection.
On that point, Milei emphasized that “we are not going to adhere to the 2030 Agenda, we do not adhere to cultural Marxism, we do not adhere to decadence”.
“I do not deny climate change. I say that there is a temperature cycle in the history of the Earth, this is the fifth point of the cycle. The difference is that in the previous four there were no human beings. All those policies that blame beings of climate change, the only thing they are looking for is to raise funds to finance lazy socialists who write second-rate papers.
(Also read: The doubts surrounding the dollarization proposal for Argentina)
There are two million more poor people in the year that you have been in government (…) The entire country is wondering when are they going to stop hustling (stealing)?
Accused of being sexist, Milei was questioned by the Left Front candidate, Myriam Bregman, about his position on the crimes of femicide. “Equality before the law,” he responded.
The debate also heated up between Massa and Bullrich, who would compete for a place in the second round, according to the polls.
“There are two million more poor people in the year that you have been in government (…) The entire country is wondering when are they going to stop hustling (stealing)?” Bullrich rebuked him.
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“Screaming is not enough to correct the poor performance you are doing,” the minister replied.
To win in the first round, 45% of the votes are required, or else 40% and a difference of at least 10 points with the second candidate.
If no one obtains that result, there will be a second electoral round on November 19. The inauguration is scheduled for December 10.
Other themes
Corruption in the ruling party, the sale of weapons and organs, taking care of citizens instead of criminals and Until the creation of an Argentine FBI, they were at the crossroads of security proposals of the presidential candidates who will compete on October 22.
Although in the first debate, which was held on the 1st. October in Santiago del Estero (northwest), the latest cases of corruption that affected the ruling party – specifically the one that ended in the resignation of the chief of staff of the Government of the province of Buenos Aires, Martín Insaurralde – barely came to the fore, On this occasion there was no shortage of allusions.
(Continue reading: Setback for Cristina Kirchner: Argentine court reopens two cases against her)
The one who attacked first was the candidate of the Together for Change coalition (center-right), Patricia Bullrich, who pointed out that “to change there is only one way, to end the ‘Insaurralde’ and the mafias that plague the country” and alleged that the Minister of Economy, an official candidate, “cannot because he is part of it, he is one of them”.
The former Minister of Security in the Government of Mauricio Macri (2015-2019) was combative on her star issue and, in addition to proposing lowering the age of criminal liability to 14 years, said that she would enter Rosario, city of the province of Santa Fe severely affected by the violence associated with drug trafficking, “with all forces, including the Armed Forces.”
INTERNATIONAL EDITORIAL
*With information from EFE and AFPA
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