Argentina presidential candidates campaign to the end for Sunday’s election

World Today

Argentina will see a run-off presidential election on Sunday after the results of an October poll were too close to name an outright winner. The vote will decide the successor to Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, who is unable to run for a third term in office.

CCTV’s Joel Richards reports from Buenos Aires.

Barely two percentage points separated Daniel Scioli and Mauricio Macri in October’s surprising result. They’re pushing full steam ahead as they enter Sunday’s run-off.

Ruling party candidate Scioli is the governor of the Buenos Aires province. He also served as vice-president to Nestor Kirchner, the outgoing president’s late husband. Scioli, who lost an arm in a speedboat accident, favors gradual change.

“Our absolute priorities are the poor, the workers, our middle class and the youth, who are not the future but the great present of Argentina. Go defend your future,” Scioli said.

Macri is the mayor of Buenos Aires and is considered more market friendly-and would likely open up the economy. The name of his coalition is his campaign slogan: “Let’s Change”. He’s been leading in the polls and the stock market hit a record high anticipating his win.

“I want for every single one of you to go home today, knowing that it’s all starting, that it’s true, that the moment arrived, that it’s now, here from northern Argentina that we say that all together we will build our Argentina,” Macri said.

Both candidates have been working to win the country’s centrists. In some cases, this meant some surprising changes in policy.

While still the people’s favorite, the law prevents the outspoken de Kirchner from running for a third term. She backed major social changes, including progressive laws permitting same-sex marriage, and historic trials for crimes committed during the military dictatorship.

But the economy has been a major stumbling blocks with high inflation, the largest fiscal deficit in over 30 years, and dwindling foreign currency reserves.

Scioli’s campaign said that their party would not raise utility prices, which are heavily subsidized. Meanwhile Macri’s economic advisor Rogelio Frigerio, avoided talk of currency devaluation that would slash voter’s spending power. He said their party’s central aim is to reduce poverty and hunger.