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Buenos Aires (AFP) – The leader of the right-wing liberal opposition in Argentina and former president (2015-19) Mauricio Macri confirmed this Sunday that he is renouncing to be a candidate in the presidential elections of October this year.
“I want to ratify the decision that I will not be a candidate in the next election. There are a large number of new leaders. I trust that they will not let us be trampled by populism,” he said in a short video broadcast through social networks.
Macri, 64, is a billionaire head of a powerful family holding company and former president of the popular club Boca Juniors.
By failing in his re-election attempt in 2019 against the current head of state, Alberto Fernández (who led an alliance of center-left and center-right Peronists) left pending the largest debt contracted by Argentina with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) for some 44,500 millions of dollars.
The drop in Macri’s candidacy adds to the one that had already been announced by the leader of the Peronist government, Cristina Kirchner, president of the center-left twice between 2007 and 2015.
Kirchner, 70, announced in December that she will not be “a candidate for anything” after a court sentenced her to six years in prison and disqualification for life from holding public office for “defrauding the State”, a sentence that has been appealed. before a higher court.
The former president described the court as a “judicial mafia at the service of right-wing groups”, an accusation that has just been endorsed by the International Human Rights Forum that was held this week in Buenos Aires with former presidents and leaders of progressive parties in Latin America. and Spain.
Who are left?
So far, the main opposition presidential candidate is the capital’s right-wing mayor, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, according to polls, although his strong internal rival is Macri’s former Security Minister Patricia Bullrich.
Mauricio Macri’s historic decision confirms his greatness and generosity. Even though he could be president again, he has prioritized the interests of our country before his own, as very few leaders have done in Argentine history.
— Patricia Bullrich (@PatoBullrich) March 26, 2023
“Mauricio Macri’s historic decision confirms his greatness and generosity,” Bullrich said on his social media accounts.
Due to the ruling party, the outlook is undefined, although Fernández has said that he will seek re-election.
The electoral calendar indicates that the Open and Compulsory Primaries (PASO) will be held on August 13 and that the first round will take place on October 22. The eventual run-off would be on November 19.
