The electoral result presented by Argentina on October 22nd left us stunned. After a first-round election where liberalism was established as the leading force, it was unfortunately displaced by Peronism by 6 points in the general elections.
This news is not only disappointing for those of us who uphold liberal values and believe that a government with such ideas can move a country forward, but it also tramples on national institutions, revealing the impunity of Argentina’s most corrupt political force.
For Latin America, unfortunately, this overstepping of institutions is nothing new. For a decade, we had populist governments (like those of Lula, Chávez, and Kirchner) that engaged in paternalistic policies using public funds, thereby imposing a paternalism towards the state from which it has been difficult to break free. Although we believed that by the mid-2010s we had finally rid ourselves of this disease, the cycle has repeated itself, and now in Argentina, it is up to the people to decide their future.
On one side, we have candidate Sergio Massa, the current Minister of Economy, representing Peronism, with 130% inflation and a dollar that went from $200 to $1100 in 14 months. On the other, we have Javier Milei, a libertarian candidate with no political career, who promises a state reform to downsize it to the minimum. In this final round, the election will be defined by who captures the percentage of votes from the forces that fell short (Bullrich, Schiaretti, and Bregman) and the ability to confront an extremely violent structure like Peronism.
The campaigns this year have been lacking, but what has stood out, in particular, is the government’s use of public funds for its own benefit. From threats to cut public transport subsidies to using public companies like “Trenes Argentinos” to promote Massa’s image. Bought media, journalists openly calling for a vote for the Peronist candidate, or a meaningless slogan like “Milei is coming for your rights.” Argentina has fallen into a moral war that is extremely violent and unscrupulous.
Personally, as an Argentine, the prospect of the runoff terrifies me. The thought of four more years of Peronism looting the country is frightening, and the other option is a liberal government trying to navigate a storm of unions and social movements, doing everything possible to make things go wrong. Argentina hurts and surprises every day.
Unfortunately, last Sunday was painful. I cannot understand how slogans and threats towards the population can still have an impact after so many years. We live in a country with 50% poverty, 130% inflation, insecurity that prevents us from going out on the streets, and no justice for victims because of a legal model that creates a revolving door for criminals. Despite all this, the demagogic fallacies of a government that clearly cannot govern prevailed.
As liberals, we also need to engage in self-reflection, analyze our words, our methods, and understand that we can have great ideas, but without a party structure, there are things that work against us. We are playing on unfamiliar and treacherous ground, where unfortunately, certain academic debates have no place, such as the rights of non-emancipated beings or the free carrying of arms.
In conclusion, Argentina is facing a moral crossroads, where much more than the future government of the country is at stake. It is a war between freedom and communism, with a third force that, at the time of writing this, has not decided what to do, and institutions at risk of further corruption, destroying my country even more. Sadly, this is not a new situation for the region, and all Latin Americans know what it is like to live with this feeling. I truly believe that Argentines will be able to defend our land from the leftist populism that has stolen so much from us, and thus fight for a more prosperous and, above all, freer future.