Differences in Latin America from Presidential Primaries in Argentina

Argentina celebrates its open and mandatory primary election (STEP) for president in context of pronounced polarization and focusing on the dispute between the current president in search of re-election, Mauricio Macri (Together for Change), and the opponent's contender Alberto Fernandez (Frente de Todos), who includes former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchne in his formular as Vice President.

This is the first instance of three, which may be necessary for the final election of the new Argentine president: the general election will be held on October 27 and if necessary – if no candidate reaches the minimum conditions (45% of the vote, or 40% plus a 10% difference with the second) – there will be a second round on November 24,

But even if it looks early on the calendar, this Sunday's results will note a very clear trend and difficult to follow this can have major political effects and also economically in the midst of a severe crisis in the country, which in the last year has hit Makri and empowered its rivals.

After a year full of presidential elections across Latin America (already held in Panama and El Salvador, and soon to be held in Bolivia, Uruguay and Guatemala), the region is closely scrutinizing this Sunday's results in Argentina. On the one hand they offer the opportunity to deepen Makri's political project, a liberal and market candidate, regardless of the problems faced. On the other, the alleged return to the populist and protectionist model that Kirchner embodied between 2007 and 2015.

Another attention-grabbing aspect is related to the features of the STEP system, a unique open world primary that will take place without a single internal competition between countries.

This means that the Argentine political forces they have already resolved their internal differences, but since the implementation of PASO is mandatory by law, Argentines are called to participate in a selection essay before the general ones on October 27th.

"If Macri is not doing well, you have to be patient. You have to fight to improve or vote for someone in his line. The possible vote in favor of Christina Kirchner, who asked God not to happen, will turn our dear Argentina into another Venezuela, and we do not want that"Bolsonaro said in a video ad in May.

In addition, the Brazilian president says the former Argentine president "was related to Dilma [Rousseff], to Lula [da Silva], to Venezuela from [Nicolás] Maduro and Hugo Chavez and Cuba "referring to members of the so-called 21st Century Socialism and other left-wing governments that dominated the preferences in the first decade of the beginning of the century.

Bolognaro placed special emphasis on former Brazilian presidents Rousseff and da Silva, political enemies against whom he has qualified in both campaign and rule, and that they maintain good relations with the Kirchner government.

In July, the Brazilian president insisted: "I don't want Argentina to follow Venezuela's line. That's why I encourage Macri's re-election.""Christina Kirchner's candidate said she would review the agreement between Mercosur and the European Union. And that brings economic problems for Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay," he added.

Bolsonaro did not stop there in support and interest in the elections in the neighboring country. During a brief meeting with US President Donald Trump at the G-20 Summit in Japan in June, the Brazilian president has expressed concern about the eventual victory of Alberto Fernandez and suggested that his American couple visit Argentina before the election to confirm Makri, as the newspaper pointed out Folk from Sao Paulo.

He also proposed an extensive meeting with Latin American leaders to create a common front and avoid "the emergence of a new Venezuela in South America".

On the way back, former Labor Party (PT) presidential candidate Fernando Hadad signed a collective petition in July in Puebla, Mexico. "promoting the triumph of Alberto Fernandez's leadership in the next election."

Hadad was chosen by the leader of the Five Lula da Silva, disabled to participate in the 2018 presidential election for a controversial prison sentence for corruption against Bolsonaro, but he lost the election by an important margin.

"Our region is experiencing a new wave of neoliberal governments that are pushing for encouragement the interests and privileges of the socio-economic elite at the expense of the development of our peoples"expresses a document signed by 30 Latin American political and intellectual leaders.

Alberto Fernandez actually visited Lula da Silva in prison in July. "What I'm looking for is to draw attention to Lula's unfairness. And also to violence against the rule of law in Brazil, " He said on the occasion, causing discomfort to the Bolsonaro government.

The Brazilian press was also briefed on the election. "Last year, President Macri was relatively calm as he was, though by a slight margin, above the polls," writes Ariel Palacios for the magazine Epoca, part of the Globo group.

"But after the dollar rose and inflation escalated, it was overcome by former President Christina. Desperate, she chose an unusual letter. He, a critic of peronism, called out a symbol of peronism in parliament, Senator Miguel Angel Picho, as his vice," he added. .

Venezuela's opposition leader Juan Guido also clarified his position in support of Macri: "We and I know the risks of hegemonic and authoritarian regimes. We are witnessing this catastrophe, and we must therefore be mindful of what we know and what we have experienced. "

"I feel a responsibility to tell you that if you believe that Together for Change is a way to stop and push back this policymaking that has made us so many years and has ruined Venezuela, (…) then it is no longer a political obligation, but also a moral one to speak together with those who continue to defend freedom and democracy, "said Guido, who was declared President of Venezuela by the National Assembly, unlike the government of the Chavez regime in Nicholas Maduro.

Macri is one of the Latin American presidents, members of the Lima group who recognized Guido's legitimate authority over that of Maduro, This still retains power.

"If this is to help save democracy in Argentina, it will be worth a doubt. Mauricio's success, The people of Venezuela will be forever grateful to you. We go on, "he concluded.

Also, Colombian President Ivan Duke violated the protocol and expressed support for the Argentine president in his bid to win re-election. "Without a doubt, Mauricio Macri is an educator who has been convulsed and who during his term of office what he has done is to try to reorient Argentina's productive capacity to turn into equity and benefits within a market economy "during a visit to Argentina.

"I believe President Macri's re-election is in favora fundamental thing about Latin America"he said in statements to the Argentine newspaper The nation

Former President between 1994 and 1998 Ernest SumperInstead, he signed the same document as Hadad in support of Alberto Ferrandes and Christina Fernandez de Kirchner.

Daniel Martinez, Uruguay's presidential candidate for Frente Amplio official, who will contest this year's election, was another to sign Puebla's document, such as Hadad and Sumper, expressing his support for Alberto Fernandez.

"There is a lot of sacrifice in the beginning because you have to get the boat straight and put it on the right route. All that's done is what needs to be done and going in the right direction, and the fruits are just around the corner, "Pignera said.

"I believe in the wisdom of the Argentine people to take the right path, not in bad policies that end only in disasters and isolationism.here are the two paths and i hope the Argentines choose the right path "he concluded.

Former presidential candidate Marco Enriquez-Ominami of the Progressive Party, on the other hand, was another of the signers in Puebla in support of Fernandez.