Buenos Aires, October 4 (RHC)-- The candidates for the presidency of Argentina, Sergio Massa of Unión por la Patria, Javier Milei (La Libertad Avanza), Patricia Bullrich (Juntos por el Cambio), Myriam Bregman (Frente de Izquierda) and Juan Schiaretti (Hacemos por Nuestro País) held on Sunday the first mandatory debate ahead of the elections of next October 22.
The debate between the five aspirants to the presidency of the South American country revolved around the economy, education and human rights, issues in which the far-right Javier Milei stands out for his controversial positions.
Throughout the debate, the ruling party's candidate Sergio Massa was attacked by the rest of the candidates, who blamed him for the economic situation Argentina is going through.
In economic matters, the aspirant of Unión por la Patria, assured that he will promote a law for the laundering of capital, so that funds deposited abroad return without paying taxes, together with an export development plan.
He also pledged to modify the penal system to establish "jail for evaders and those who flee" and will seek to reduce taxes for "SMEs and regional economies".
In his speech Sergio Massa, acknowledged that inflation is the worst problem of Argentines and apologized for the mistakes of the Government of Alberto Férnandez that hurt people.
For his part, the far-right Javier Milei, affirmed that if he becomes president of Argentina, he will reform the State, deregulate the economy, privatize public companies and close the Central Bank.
The candidate of Juntos por el Cambio (Together for Change), right-wing Patricia Bullrich, only mentioned that she would promote economic order and fiscal balance.
Candidate Juan Schiaretti assured that he would be able to implement the same "fiscal balance" achieved in the province of Córdoba and solve inflation.
When asked about Human Rights, the ultra-right-wing candidate of La Libertad Avanza, questioned that the dictatorship caused 30,000 disappeared people, as claimed by human rights organizations. "It wasn't 30,000 disappeared, it's 8,753. We are against a one-eyed vision of history," said Javier Milei.
The statements of the ultra-right-winger were answered by President Alberto Fernández through his social networks.
"It is untenable that someone continues to deny and justify the genocidal dictatorship that tortured, murdered, stole babies whose identity was changed, generated disappearances and condemned tens of thousands of Argentines to exile."
pic.twitter.com/s8HehXww6r Alberto Fernández (@alferdez) October 2, 2023
For her part, candidate Patricia Bullrich compared herself to former presidents Nelson Mandela (South Africa) and Jo sé Mujica (Uruguay), when she said that, like them, she was "part of a youth organization", alluding to her participation in the JP linked to Montoneros.
Bullrich vindicated the "dead of the dictatorship, both civilians and military", defended the security forces and accused the unions of being responsible for the "broken democratic coexistence" in Argentina.
The first of the two mandatory debates established by the National Electoral Chamber (CNE) was held in the city of Santiago del Estero, in the north of the country. The second debate will take place on October 8 at the Law School of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA). In the event of a runoff election, a third debate will be scheduled for November 12.
