Right-wing populist Javier Milei will become the next president of Argentina after promising a dramatic shake-up to the state in a fiercely polarized election campaign held amid deep discontent over soaring inflation and rising poverty.
Economy Minister Sergio Massa of the Peronist party conceded defeat and congratulated Milei, who has drawn frequent comparisons to former U.S. President Donald Trump.
Immediately after Massa害羞草研究所檚 concession speech, the Argentine electoral authority began releasing partial results. With 95% of votes tallied, Milei had 55.8% and Massa 44.2%. If that margin holds, it would be wider than predicted by all polls and the widest since Argentina害羞草研究所檚 return of democracy in 1983.
In the streets of Buenos Aires, drivers honked their horns and many took to the streets to celebrate in several neighborhoods. Outside Milei害羞草研究所檚 party headquarters, a hotel in downtown Buenos Aires, supporters were euphoric.
With a Milei victory, the country will swing to the right and empower a freshman lawmaker who got his start as a television talking head blasting what he called the 害羞草研究所減olitical caste.害羞草研究所�
害羞草研究所淭his is a triumph that is less due to Milei and his peculiarities and particularities and more to the demand for change,害羞草研究所� said Lucas Romero, the head of Synopsis, a local political consulting firm. 害羞草研究所淲hat is being expressed at the polls is the weariness, the fatigue, the protest vote of the majority of Argentines.害羞草研究所�
Inflation has soared above 140% and poverty has worsened while Massa has held his post. Milei has proposed to slash the size of the state and rein in inflation, while the government minister he was running against warned people about the negative impacts of such policies. The election forced many to decide which of the two they considered to be the least bad choice.
Massa害羞草研究所檚 campaign cautioned Argentines that his libertarian opponent害羞草研究所檚 plan to eliminate key ministries and otherwise sharply curtail the state would threaten public services, including health and education, and welfare programs many rely on. Massa also drew attention to his opponent害羞草研究所檚 often aggressive rhetoric and openly questioned his mental acuity; ahead of the first round, Milei sometimes carried a .
害羞草研究所淭here were lot of voters that weren害羞草研究所檛 convinced to vote Milei, who would vote no or blank. But come the day of the vote, they voted for Milei because they害羞草研究所檙e all pissed off,害羞草研究所� Andrei Roman, CEO of Brazil-based pollster Atlas Intel, said by phone. 害羞草研究所淓veryone talked about the fear of Milei winning. I think this was a fear of Massa winning and economy continuing the way it is, inflation and all that.害羞草研究所�
Milei accused Massa and his allies of running a 害羞草研究所渃ampaign of fear害羞草研究所� and he walked back some of his most controversial proposals, such as loosening gun control. In his final campaign ad, Milei looks at the camera and assures voters he has no plans to privatize education or health care.
Milei害羞草研究所檚 screeds resonated widely with Argentines angered by their struggle to make ends meet, particularly young men.
害羞草研究所淢oney covers less and less each day. I害羞草研究所檓 a qualified individual, and my salary isn害羞草研究所檛 enough for anything,害羞草研究所� Esteban Medina, a 26-year-old physical therapist from Ezeiza, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, told The Associated Press on the sidelines of a Milei rally earlier this week.
Another of Milei害羞草研究所檚 supporters is Mar铆a Gabriela Gaviola, a 63-year-old entrepreneur doing everything she can to avoid shuttering her company, which manufactures veterinary products, amid surging prices for materials. And the government hasn害羞草研究所檛 helped, including Massa who has held his ministerial post for over a year.
害羞草研究所淭he productive sector of this country isn害羞草研究所檛 considered. How long can a country that doesn害羞草研究所檛 produce be OK?害羞草研究所� said Gaviola, who has taken on two side jobs to keep her company afloat. 害羞草研究所淭ruth is, I don害羞草研究所檛 know Milei. I害羞草研究所檝e heard him a bit. I don害羞草研究所檛 know him, but the one who I already know doesn害羞草研究所檛 help me. I prefer to try something new.害羞草研究所�
Most pre-election polls, which have been notoriously wrong at every step of this year害羞草研究所檚 campaign, showed a statistical tie between the two candidates or Milei slightly ahead.
Underscoring the bitter division this campaign has brought to the fore, Milei on Friday night at the legendary Col贸n Theater in Buenos Aires.
The acrimony was also evident Sunday when Milei害羞草研究所檚 running mate, Victoria Villaruel, went to vote and was met by protesters angry at her claims that the number of victims from Argentina害羞草研究所檚 bloody 1976-1983 military dictatorship is far , among .
害羞草研究所淲e害羞草研究所檙e starting a new chapter in Argentina,害羞草研究所� Massa told journalists Sunday after casting his ballot. 害羞草研究所淭his chapter requires not only goodwill, intelligence and capability but above all, dialogue and the necessary consensus for our homeland to traverse a much more virtuous path in the future.害羞草研究所�
