Argentina elects far-right firebrand Javier Milei as president

Argentines headed to the polls on Sunday in a closely contested presidential runoff, with two starkly different visions for the country's future on offer and an electorate simmering with anger at triple-digit inflation and rising poverty.

The election pitted centrist Peronist Economy Minister Sergio Massa, 51, at the helm for the country's worst economic crisis in two decades, against radical far-right outsider Javier Milei, 53 - the slight favorite in pre-vote opinion polls.

With 86% of precincts reporting, Milei was ahead by 56% to 44%. Massa conceded the election at just after 8:00 p.m. local time.

With many Argentines unconvinced by either candidate, some have characterized the election as a choice of the "lesser evil": fear of Milei's painful economic medicine of shock devaluation and sharp cuts, or anger at Massa over the economic crisis.

In the first-round vote on October 22nd, Massa won 36.7% of the votes compared to 30% for Milei - who since won public backing from the third-place candidate, right-wing former Security Minister Patricia Bullrich (23.8%).

He faces a divided Congress, with no one coalition holding an absolute majority in either house - but with Peronists holding pluralities in each.

Popular discontent in the economically troubled nation of 46 million had depressed turnout somewhat in the two previous rounds - but in today's runoff approached the 81% registered in 2019.

Debt and democracy

Outgoing President Alberto Fernández, 64, opted out of running for re-election amid rock-bottom approval ratings and annual inflation of over 140% - partly the result of a foreign debt "Macrisis" inherited from his right-wing predecessor, Mauricio Macri - who backed Milei.

This was the 10th presidential election held in Argentina since 1983, following a 7-year fascist dictatorship that presided over 30,000 "disappeared" and a foreign debt debacle that burdens to the country to this day.

Milei and his running mate, Victoria Villarruel, 48, have openly praised the last dictatorship.

At: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentina-readies-vote-likely-presidential-election-thriller-2023-11-19/

Argentine presidential candidates Sergio Massa and Javier Milei vote in today's presidential runoff in Argentina.

Representing the center-left governing coalition, the pragmatic Massa fell short against a neo-fascist Milei whose runoff campaign was bolstered by an endorsement from the third-place candidate, Patricia Bullrich.

Economists warn electing far-right Milei would spell 'devastation' for Argentina

More than 100 economists including Thomas Piketty and Jayati Ghosh published an open letter ahead of the country’s 19 November election.

The election of the radical rightwing economist Javier Milei as president of Argentina would probably inflict further economic “devastation” and social chaos on the South American country of 46 million, a group of more than 100 leading economists has warned.

The economists said they understood the “deep-seated desire for economic stability” among voters, given Argentina’s frequent financial crises and recurring bouts of very high inflation.

Four in 10 citizens currently live in poverty and annual inflation is close to 140% – a crisis Milei has vowed to fix by defeating his rival, Argentina’s finance minister, Sergio Massa, and taking dramatic measures such abolishing the central bank and dollarizing the economy.

“However, while apparently simple solutions may be appealing, they are likely to cause more devastation in the real world in the short run, while severely reducing policy space in the long run.” warned the letter.

At: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/nov/08/argentina-election-javier-milei-economists-warning

Far-right Argentine presidential candidate Javier Milei brandishes a chainsaw - his unofficial campaign symbol - ahead of the general election on October 22nd, in which he placed second.

He faces centrist Economy Minster Sergio Massa in the November 19th runoff.

While some of Milei's more extreme pledges - such as eliminating most of the federal budget, abolishing the central bank and dollarizing the dollar-starved economy - are unlikely to be implemented without congressional approval, others such as capital flight deregulation and shock devaluation (by 200% or more) are likely to push Argentina into a collapse at least as severe as its traumatic 2001 crash.

New York dedicates street corner to Argentine rock great Charly Garcia

On the 40th anniversary of his seminal 1983 album Clics Modernos, Argentine rock great Charly García was immortalized on the Manhattan street corner where its famous cover photo was taken.

A plaque was placed at Walker Street and Cortlandt Alley, in Lower Manhattan, on Monday at 11 a.m. to commemorate the spot.

While García, 72, was unable to attend, his sister Roxana was there for the occasion and pulled the string alongside Argentine cultural representatives to reveal the new “Charly García Corner” plaque.

“It’s an honor to be here representing my brother. I want to tell you that he’s watching us and sends us an enormous hug. This is a dream for him — we spoke earlier and he was so excited,” she said.

“Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who loves his music and loves him. This is a celebration.”

The street art behind García in the 1983 photo was later destroyed during the construction of a hotel. For Monday’s unveiling, it returned in the form of a large poster hanging below the new plaque and street sign.

At: https://buenosairesherald.com/culture-ideas/music/new-york-to-dedicate-street-corner-to-charly-garcia

Uruguay government members resign over passport scandal probe

Uruguay's interior minister and two other members of the government resigned on Saturday over a case that has already prompted the foreign minister to quit, involving a passport issued to an internationally wanted drug-trafficking suspect.

Interior Minister Luis Alberto Heber, a cabinet undersecretary and a chief adviser to President Luis Lacalle Pou will no longer be in the coalition government from Monday, the president announced on Saturday evening.

Uruguay's presidency did not immediately respond to a request for comment about Heber's resignation.

The investigation is examining how Sebastián Marset, the alleged drug trafficker, received a Uruguayan passport while detained in the United Arab Emirates over forged documents in late 2012. He was ultimately released by UAE authorities.

Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo resigned on Wednesday after the publication of a November 2022 phone call in which he appeared to suggest that his undersecretary withhold evidence related to the passport investigation.

Marset is wanted in Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, and the United States on drug charges.

At: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/uruguay-government-members-resign-over-passport-scandal-probe-2023-11-05/

Uruguayan Interior Minister Luis Alberto Heber and Foreign Minister Francisco Bustillo testify during a recent hearing in the country's Senate over their involvement with drug kingpin Sebastián Marset.

Amid plummeting approval for right-wing President Luis Lacalle Pou, the two were forced to resign in recent days.

The Lacalle Pou administration was already reeling from the Alejandro Astesiano scandal - a wide-reaching extortion, surveillance, influence peddling, and passport sale web allegedly run by Lacalle's longtime family head of security.

After a cascade of Republican states left ERIC, what comes next?

Since the 2020 presidential election, Republicans nationwide have passed restrictive legislation harming voters, predicated on baseless allegations of widespread voter fraud.

In a twist of irony, the one voting system that effectively reduces voter fraud is the Election Registration Information Center (ERIC), which has seen a cascade of departures from Republican states.

Once uncontroversial and little known, ERIC is an organization comprised of both Democratic and Republican states that is used to ensure accurate voter registration rolls.

States that opt-in to the coalition submit voter registration and department of motor vehicle licensing data to ERIC, which then produces a handful of maintenance reports. These reports can show voters who have died, moved states, possess duplicate registrations and those who are eligible to vote but have not yet registered.

Following the release of a glaringly false article attacking ERIC on the Gateway Pundit, a far-right website, that alleged numerous falsehoods about the coalition, a wave of departures ensued.

By July 2022, nine states, all Republican-controlled, had exited or announced their departure from ERIC.

At: https://www.democracydocket.com/analysis/after-a-cascade-of-republican-states-left-eric-what-comes-next/

Louisiana voters line up to cast ballots in New Orleans during the 2022 mid-terms.

The state was the first of nine red states to have so far abandoned the Election Registration Information Center (ERIC) - following a false article attacking ERIC on the Gateway Pundit, a far-right website.

Argentine far-right candidate Milei skips memorial event repudiating Hamas attack and calling for release of hostages

The Delegation of Argentine Israeli Associations (DAIA) - Argentina's largest Jewish federation - held its annual meeting in Buenos Aires on Monday night - which focused on repudiating Hamas terrorism, demanding the release of those kidnapped and supporting the State of Israel in the war against the terrorist group.

Home to Latin America's largest Jewish community, some 21 Argentine nationals are among the over 200 currently held as hostages amid the ongoing Israeli counterattack in Gaza.

The event was attended by an array of judicial, political, business, cultural and union leaders, as well as ambassadors - including Israel's Galit Ronen, 58, and Marc Stanley, 66, of the United States.

The most notable absence, however, was that of far-right presidential candidate Javier Milei.

Milei, 53, will be competing against Economy Minister Sergio Massa, 51, who represents the ruling, center-left Front for All Coalition and outstripped Milei by an unexpectedly strong 37% to 30% in the October 22nd general election.

Polls differ as to which candidate has the advantage - although most agree that the November 19th runoff will be close.

Far-right fury

Also in attendance was defeated hard-right candidate Patricia Bullrich, who was eliminated from the runoff after netting 24%. Bullrich, 67, created deep divisions in her coalition after endorsing Milei last week in a deal reportedly brokered by her political boss, former President Mauricio Macri.

She reaped further criticism on Monday by declaring on a right-wing cable news channel that she "hopes (Argentina) explodes before" the November 19th runoff.

Massa repudiated the bombastic Bullrich following a meeting with the Argentine Industrial Union (UIA) - the country's top manufacturing lobby - today, noting that "when things explode, those who get hurt are Argentines. The merchants, the workers, lose."

"I have a constructive view and don't think about how to destroy the other in order to win an election."

At: https://www-infobae-com.translate.goog/politica/2023/10/31/en-un-acto-con-fuerte-presencia-politica-la-daia-repudio-el-ataque-de-hamas-a-israel-y-pidio-la-liberacion-de-los-rehenes/?_x_tr_sl=es&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en-US&_x_tr_pto=wapp

Argentine Economy Minister Sergio Massa (center, blue tie) joins an array of Jewish leaders in Argentine politics, culture, business and labor in repudiating the October 7th Hamas attack on Israel, as well as calling for the release of the over 200 hostages still held by Hamas - including 21 Argentine nationals.

Far-right, opposition candidate Javier Milei skipped the event.

Milei - who enjoys the support of figures such as Steve Bannon, Tucker Carlson, former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and former U.S. President Donald Trump - is staunchly supported by apologists of the country's last dictatorship.

Jews accounted for 13% of the 8,960 reported to have "disappeared" during the fascist Videla regime according to a 1984 report.

Argentine elections: Right-wing candidate endorses far-right's Milei for runoff, creating schisms in both coalitions

Far-right presidential candidate Javier Milei announced Wednesday that he and Patricia Bullrich, a hard-right candidate eliminated from the runoff in elections held on Sunday, had allied ahead of the upcoming run-off because “getting to power is [the] priority.”

Bullrich's endorsement of Milei - reportedly brokered by right-wing former President Mauricio Macri - sent shockwaves in both Bullrich's and Milei's coalitions.

Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, 57, noted that while “both options are very bad” - referring to Milei and center-left candidate Sergio Massa, 51 (who placed first but will face Milei in the November 19th runoff) - “I don’t believe in anything that Milei proposes.”

“His ideas are bad and dangerous. It’s not good for the country - it’s what I think, they're my convictions.”

The pro-Trump economist, 53 - who has pledged to deregulate everything from firearms to organ transplants - said he believed he’d secure a majority in the runoff by attracting all of Bullrich’s votes; but the first poll published after the October 22nd elections suggests this is unlikely:

The Proyección poll showed that 24% of Bullrich voters would vote for Milei, 14% for Massa, 20% were undecided, and the remaining 42% would spoil their ballot or not show up to vote.

Overall, 45% of respondents said they’d vote for Massa and 34% for Milei in the run-off - though the poll was conducted before Bullrich, 67, formally backed Milei.

Massa, the nation's current Economy Minister, defied expectations by garnering nearly 37% of Sunday's vote - compared to 30% for Milei (who had been the front-runner for months), and 24% for Bullrich.

Anti-democratic demagogue

Numerous other leaders in Bullrich's right-wing Together for Change (JxC) coalition likewise distanced themselves from her endorsement of the bombastic Milei - including all 10 JxC governors or governors-elect and the leaders of the two centrist parties within the JxC: Gerardo Morales of the UCR, and the Civic Coalition's Elisa Carrió.

Nor was the endorsement welcomed by all in Milei's neo-fascist Forward Liberty (LLA) party: Three of the 35 LLA congresspeople elected on Sunday defected from the party, as well as Luis Barrionuevo - long the leading right-wing figure in Argentina's largely left-leaning labor movement.

Milei, who often praises Argentina's fascist last dictatorship - which killed up to 30,000 while bankrupting the country during its 1976-83 reign - was condemned as a “a demagogue who affects democratic coexistence” by UCR Vice President Martín Lousteau following Bullrich's endorsement.

At: https://buenosairesherald.com/politics/milei-on-bullrich-alliance-getting-to-power-is-the-priority

Far-right candidate Javier Milei embraces hard-right candidate Patricia Bullrich after receiving her endorsement for the November 19th runoff - from which she was eliminated after receiving 24%, to Milei's 30%.

Milei will face center-left Economy Minister Sergio Massa in the runoff after Massa garnered an unexpectedly strong 37%.

Bullrich's endorsement has been compared to conservative German Chancellor Franz von Papen's enabling Nazi leader Adolf Hitler to take office in 1933 - upon which Hitler staged the Reichstag Fire and ruled as dictator.

von Papen became a top Nazi official in the bargain.

Argentine elections leave radical outsider and centrist economy minister in November runoff

Argentines flocked to the polls on Sunday to vote in a national election where a far-right libertarian and the pragmatic economy minister lead three other candidates in the race for the presidency - and will proceed to a November 19th runoff.

With 82% of precincts reporting, centrist Peronist Economy Minister Sergio Massa, 51, leads with 36.1%; with far-right economist Javier Milei, 53, second with 30.4%; and right-wing former Security Minister Patricia Bullrich, 67, eliminated with 23.7%.

Over 35 million voters were registered in this year's elections, held in nearly 17,000 precincts - plus 141 embassies and consulates worldwide.

Popular discontent in the economically troubled nation of 46 million depressed turnout somewhat, which at 77.6% was somewhat below the 81% registered in 2019 - but well above the 70% in nationwide primaries this August.

Voters also chose 130 congressional and 24 senate seats, as well as three governors and the mayor of Buenos Aires.

Buenos Aires Province Governor Axel Kicillof - whose province is home to 3 out of 8 Argentines - handily secured re-election with 45.2%, to right-wing challenger Néstor Grindetti's 26.2%.

A runoff, on the other hand, appears likely in the city of Buenos Aires - where right-wing candidate Jorge Macri (a cousin of the former president) has garnered 49.3% to center-left challenger Leandro Santoro's 32.3%.

Debt and democracy

Outgoing President Alberto Fernández, 64, opted out of running for re-election as he suffers from rock-bottom approval ratings amid annual inflation of over 138% - partly the result of a foreign debt "Macrisis" inherited from his right-wing predecessor, Mauricio Macri.

"We're in our 40th year of democracy, such that today is a particularly important day," President Fernández remarked after voting in Buenos Aires this morning.

This was the 10th presidential election held in Argentina since 1983, following a 7-year fascist dictatorship that presided over 30,000 "disappeared" and a foreign debt debacle that burdens to the country to this day.

Milei and his running mate, Victoria Villarruel, 48, have openly praised the last dictatorship.

At: https://www.reuters.com/world/americas/argentina-heads-polls-grip-fierce-economic-crisis-2023-10-22/

Leading Argentine presidential candidates Sergio Massa (center-left), Patricia Bullrich (hard-right), and Javier Milei (far-right).

Representing the governing coalition, the pragmatic Massa will face off against the neo-fascist Milei in runoff elections this November.

Burt Young, Oscar-nominated actor who played Paulie in 'Rocky' films, dies at 83

Burt Young, the Oscar-nominated actor who played Paulie, the rough-hewn, mumbling-and-grumbling best friend, corner-man and brother-in-law to Sylvester Stallone in the “Rocky” franchise, has died.

Young died Oct. 8 in Los Angeles, his daughter, Anne Morea Steingieser, told the New York Times on Wednesday. No cause was given. He was 83.

Young had roles in acclaimed films and television shows including “Chinatown,” “Once Upon a Time in America” and “The Sopranos.”

But he was always best known for playing Paulie Pennino in six “Rocky” movies. The short, paunchy, balding Young was the sort of actor who always seemed to play middle-aged no matter his age.

At: https://apnews.com/article/burt-young-obit-rocky-paulie-6239cda219832f45f75a5de2b2d5577a

Prolific Italian-American actor Burt Young, 1940 - 2023, known for his crusty but endearing characters.

Argentina evacuates citizens requesting repatriation from Israel

A new contingent of Argentines who decided to leave Israel after the start of the war with Hamas arrived this Friday afternoon from Rome at Ezeiza International Airport outside Buenos Aires.

Carrying 229 passengers, this was the third Aerolíneas Argentinas flight of operation "Safe Return" deployed by the national government following the brutal Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7th and its aftermath.

Those arriving were received by dozens of family and friends, who thanked the repatriation actions for which 737 people have thus far returned from the conflict zone on these special flights.

According to the Foreign Ministry, over 1,500 Argentines have requested repatriation - a sizable percentage of the 38,000 Argentines living in Israel currently (Israel's 12th largest immigrant community).

"There are no words other than gratitude to the entire Argentine State," said one woman who arrived from Eilat.

"There were nerves on this repatriation flight. They are heroes! They took us out in the middle of missile alarms at the airport. It was not a common tourist flight."

At: https://www-telam-com-ar.translate.goog/notas/202310/643791-vuelo-aerolineas-repatriados-israel.html?_x_tr_sl=es&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en&_x_tr_pto=wapp

https://twitter.com/SantiagoCafiero/status/1714410975376363818
Some of the 737 Argentine citizens repatriated from Israel by Argentina's Operation Safe Return since the brutal Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7th and its aftermath.

Over 1,500 Argentines in Israel have requested repatriation - most of them belonging to what's long been Latin America's largest Jewish population.