Buenos Aires
Argentine President Alberto Fernández announced in a video on his Twitter account this Friday morning (21) that he will not stand for reelection. The country will elect the next president in October.
His reappointment to the post was deemed unlikely due to the severe economic crisis he is facing. He is opposed by 71% of Argentines, the highest rejection of a president in a historic 17year run by the consultancy Poliarquía, which released the figure this Thursday (20).
The withdrawal comes almost a month after former President Mauricio Macri (20152018) took the same step for the opposition alliance Together for Change. A few months before the election, the dispute is still very uncertain, which is not usual in the country.
The decision means Fernández will not run in August’s primary, opening up space for his competitors within the Peronist Frente de Todos coalition. Among the names passed as president is that of current vice president Cristina Kirchner, with whom he is often uncomfortable.
Cristina was an enigma about her candidacy, using the narrative that she would be ineligible after being convicted of corruption in December. However, this will only happen if the decision of the Argentine judiciary in the first instance is confirmed by the higher instances.
The former president claims she has been the victim of “lawfare” when the judiciary pursues a person under investigation for political reasons, and claims the conviction was written from the beginning of the trial.
Another possible candidate for the alliance is Economy Minister Sergio Massa, but both also have popular support.