Argentina: “Ultra-Liberal” Javier Milei Wins Primaries

Javier Milei, described as an “ultra-liberal” candidate, won the primary elections in Argentina.

Milei, with his organization La Libertad Avanza (Freedom Advances), has managed to turn voices into the media phenomenon that he has created in recent months. In Argentina, there is talk of an “unthinkable idea,” and the polls are clear: with 30% of the vote, he wins the most votes in PASO, the acronym for the compulsory primary for all political parties that determines the electoral lists of candidates. The second place with 2 percentage points behind belongs to the formation Juntos Por El Cambio (Together for Change, 28.27%) with Patricia Bullrich as the candidate gaining the most votes. Sergio Massa who leads the Peronist formation Union Por la Patria (Union for the Motherland) collected 27.7%. Considered the loser of the round, Massa explained, using a football metaphor, that it was only the “first half,” and in order to gain power, one needs to reach the “penalty shootout.”

These primaries are taking place at one of Argentina’s most delicate moments: a default has nearly happened in recent days, inflation is skyrocketing (110% year-on-year), and national gold reserves are running low.

PASO provides the requirement to exceed 1.5% in order to then run in real elections. Thus, “La Libertad Avanza,” “Juntos Por El Cambio,” and “Unión Por la Patria” have passed this barrier. Following by a large margin are “Hacemos Por Nuestro País” (“Let’s work for our country”) with Juan Schiaretti (3.8%) and “Frente de Izquierda y de Trabajadores – Unidad” (“Left Workers Front – Unity,” 2.6%).

“We are able to beat the political caste in the first round,” Miley explained, quoted by El Clarín. “I never stopped dreaming, and today my dreams are coming true… We were able to build such a competitive alternative that will put an end not only to Kirchnerism, but also to the useless parasitic caste that is destroying our country.”

Among the key arguments of the new Argentine political phenomenon is the reduction of the stifling presence of the state in the economy and society, as well as the replacement of the peso by the dollar.