“A big surprise”: Javier Milley won the Argentine presidential elections

The liberal candidate, Javier Mele, achieved a major surprise in the presidential elections in Argentina, on Sunday, by obtaining about 56 percent of the votes, according to official partial results reported by Agence France-Presse.

His rival, Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa, received about 44 percent after counting 86 percent of the votes, and he acknowledged his defeat, saying that he called Milley to congratulate him.

Voters in Argentina went to the polls, on Sunday, to cast their votes in the run-off round of the heated presidential elections, as they sought to find a solution to the problem of inflation, which has reached a rate of three numbers, in addition to the high rate of poverty and conflicting visions about the future of the country.

Economy Minister Massa and the liberal Milli, who was considered the most likely candidate in opinion polls conducted before the elections, ran in these elections.

Milley, 53 years old, is an economist who describes himself as an “anarcho-capitalist.” He raises controversy in his television appearances and entered the political arena two years ago.

Milley pledged to find a solution to the economic crisis that the country is witnessing, starting with closing the central bank, getting rid of the local currency (the peso), dollarizing the economy, reducing spending, getting rid of the “parasitic class,” and “pruning the hostile state,” which was welcomed by voters despite the difficulty of these measures.

With many Argentines unconvinced by either candidate, some described the vote as a choice of the “lesser of two evils,” between fear of the painful economic solutions proposed by Milley and the anger that some have toward Massa because of the economic crisis.

Many Argentines said they would not participate in the runoff voting.

Regardless of who wins the election, there will be a change in Argentina’s political landscape, its economic roadmap, trade in grains, lithium and hydrocarbons, and Argentina’s relations with partners including China, the United States, and Brazil.

Inflation, one of the highest rates in the world (143% in a year), poverty that has affected 40% of the population despite social welfare programs, intractable debts, and the decline in the value of the currency, determine the features of the voting cycle that Argentines hope will get them out of the economic crisis.

Plans to revive the third largest economy in Latin America appear very conflicting.

The country is witnessing a rise in prices from month to month, and even from week to week, while wages, including minimum salaries, have fallen to 146,000 pesos ($400).

Rents have reached levels that are beyond the reach of many, and housewives resort to bartering to get what they need, similar to what happened after the severe economic crisis in 2001.

A study conducted by the University of Buenos Aires earlier this year showed that 68% of young people between the ages of 18 and 29 are ready to immigrate if they have the opportunity.