A lion, a chainsaw and now a gladiator. It may seem implausible, but Argentina is a country used to seeing seemingly absurd things become reality. There is no political logic for the far-right Javier Milei to withdraw from the race for the second presidential round on November 19, which would mean the proclamation of the Peronist Sergio Massa as the next tenant of the Casa Rosada. However, this rumor – very interesting – spread since Sunday with such force that it has forced Milei to deny it.
“Under no point of view,” the ultraliberal candidate was blunt. Truly, thinking that I am going to get off implies not knowing what the logic of the individual in question is. I am naturally a gladiator. I cannot conceive any other result than dying with my boots on,” Milei added this Tuesday in an afternoon interview on LN, the television channel of the newspaper La Nación, where she pointed out Peronism for being behind the rumors.
In this way, the La Libertad Avanza candidate, who began his campaign equating himself to an aggressive lion who then raised a chainsaw to end the “caste” and cut the welfare state, now presents himself as a gladiator who fights to the end. .
It's true that Milei's chances of being president have plummeted. Great favorite until Sunday thanks to the erroneous polls, 30% of the votes obtained is not the ceiling of the outsider candidate, but exceeding 50% of the votes is a very difficult task, although not impossible.
Massa, winner of the first round against the odds, obtained 36.6% of the votes, and it is easier for him because, despite the majority of the votes of the right-wing Patricia Bullrich - third on Sunday -, who achieved almost 24% are anti-Peronists, the former Macrista minister concentrated centrist votes from her own party, Republican Proposal (Pro), as well as from the historic Radical Civic Union and Civic Coalition, integrated within the Together for Change alliance. And even votes from anti-Peronist social democrats. That specter will hardly support Milei entering the Casa Rosada with her chainsaw. Furthermore, it must be taken into account that Massa is a conservative Peronist who has already begun to distance himself from Kirchnerism.
“I think I have a good chance of winning, but we have to work hard,” Milei nevertheless said on Tuesday, who made a self-criticism about the drop in his voting expectations. “I think we relaxed. Now we have to get back to work. You have to keep correcting things. We are in a position to end Kirchnerism. “We can put the lid on the coffin of Kirchnerism,” said the ultra leader.
Rumors of Milei's withdrawal were amplified after on Tuesday the Peronist candidate for mayor of Buenos Aires, Leandro Santoro, announced his withdrawal from the race for the second round against the right-wing Jorge Macri, cousin of former president Mauricio Macri (2015). -2019). In the first round on Sunday, Santoro was second, with 32.20%, but Macri was less than four tenths away from the absolute majority by achieving 49.61% of the votes, which - in this case - became It is unlikely that he would not be the next mayor of Buenos Aires, a position that traditionally catapults towards a future presidential candidacy.
The precedent for a presidential withdrawal must be found in the 2003 elections, when two Peronists with radically opposite signs reached the second round, former president Carlos Menem (1989-1999), who obtained 24.45% of the votes, and the then governor of Santa Cruz, an unknown Néstor Kirchner, who reached 22.25%. But then, Menem had indeed reached his ceiling and was the politician who generated the greatest rejection in Argentina after being considered responsible for the economic and social crisis that led to the corralito and the debacle of 2001.
