Argentina: the dispute for the City of Buenos Aires in a key election

Jorge Macri, cousin of former President Mauricio Macri, and the Secretary of Health of the City of Buenos Aires, Fernán Quirós, appear as the candidates to win the October elections in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA).

The surprise could be the emergence of Ramiro Marra, a financial ‘youtuber’ sponsored by the economist Javier Milei.

CABA is one of the spoils at stake in 2023 within an intense electoral movement in Argentina.

Indeed, the porteños will have to elect Horacio Rodríguez Larreta‘s successor as head of the Buenos Aires government for the 2023-2027 term and renew legislative seats.

The Argentine capital, which, unlike the provinces of the South American country, does not have a governor but a head of government, will hold its elections simultaneously with the national elections so that it will hold primaries on August 13 and general elections on October 22.

Consolidated for years as a political bastion of Macrismo, some polls indicate that Jorge Macri – cousin of former President Mauricio Macri (2015-2019) – would be the favorite of the porteños.

According to the consulting firm Circuitos, the current Minister of Government of the City of Buenos Aires would gather 23.7% of the adhesions.

In addition to the support of his cousin, Jorge Macri has the support of Pro leader and presidential pre-candidate Patricia Bullrich.

In any case, Macri may not be the candidate of Macrismo, which recently agreed to present a single candidate for the Porteño leadership.

The decision will be made by the end of May, in line with the results of the latest polls.

Fernán Quirós, the current Minister of Health of the city and a man trusted by Rodríguez Larreta, may dispute Jorge Macri’s candidacy.

The same survey attributes Quirós 6.4%, although the minister obtains better scores in other polls.

In this race also appears Senator and former Minister of Economy Martín Lousteau, belonging to the Unión Cívico Radical (UCR), one of the parties that, together with Pro, make up the coalition Juntos por el Cambio.

The consulting firm Circuitos gives Lousteau, who obtained second place in the Buenos Aires elections of 2015, 18.5% of support.

The former governor of the province of Buenos Aires, María Eugenia Vidal, came to be considered a candidate.

However, her presidential aspirations took her away from that path.

Peronism, opposition in the Argentine capital, does not have officially defined candidates.

However, one of the names discussed is Leandro Santoro, current national congressman and referent of Frente de Todos in the Buenos Aires territory.

The Circuitos survey gives him a 17.3% of voting intention.

Within the Frente de Todos, the current Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Nation, Matías Lammens, could also be a candidate.

He was already a candidate for head of government of Buenos Aires in 2019 when he obtained 35% of the votes and placed second behind Rodríguez Larreta.

However, polls give him less than 5% in this issue.

La Libertad Avanza, a new political party led by the economist Javier Milei, has the name of the congressman and financial youtuber Ramiro Marra in its portfolio to compete for the Government of Buenos Aires.

The survey of Circuito indicates that he gathers 13.9% of the voting intention.

With fewer possibilities, other left-wing candidates, such as the national congresswoman of the Frente de Izquierda y de Trabajadores, Vanina Biasi, and the Buenos Aires legislator of the Partido de los Trabajadores Socialistas, Patricio del Corro.

The Frente Patria Grande, led by the social leader and presidential pre-candidate Juan Grabois, is betting on the candidacy of the comedian and young influencer Pedro Rosemblat.

With information from Sputnik

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