The former president of Uruguay José Mujica, 88 years old, has not spared the Argentine left from criticism. In a recent speech to journalists, he expressed surprise that Argentina’s current economy minister, Sergio Massa, was the Peronist candidate for the country’s presidency.
Mujica, who is openly leftwing and is currently one of the leaders of the opposition to Luis Lacalle Pou’s government, said that given the crisis Argentina is in, there is no logical explanation for the left to reject the economic strongman their ruler makes his own presidential candidate.
“There is one economy for the rest of the world and another for Argentina,” Mujica began. “Argentina is an indecipherable thing. Because it is a country that has a mythology. How can you explain why the Minister of Economy is trying to become president in the face of inflation like in Argentina?”
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The former Uruguayan president then spoke about his opinion on Peronism. According to him, the left in Argentina “is supported by something called Peronism, this beast exists.” “It’s a mythology that the Argentine people have.”
According to the EFE news agency, Mujica’s testimony took place last week. On this occasion, the leader of the Uruguayan Left took part in an event dedicated to the Day of Industry and Construction.
Mujica stressed that his words should not mean that Massa would win the elections. However, he explained that the economics minister had a chance of succeeding in the election dispute. “I don’t want to insinuate, but there are options.”
I say everything, Pepe Mujica pic.twitter.com/kSldLPmD4n
— Valentin Diaz (@ValentinDiaz81) October 17, 2023
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Argentines go to the polls this Sunday
As the left is criticized by the former president of Uruguay, the first round of the presidential dispute will take place in Argentina this Sunday 22nd. In addition to Massa, who was in Mujica’s sights, liberal MP Javier Milei from the La Libertad Avanza party and former security minister Patricia Bullrich from Juntos por el Cambio are also fighting for the two seats for a possible second shift.
Milei, who won the August election, is leading in exit polls. If he receives more than 40% of the valid votes and a gap of more than ten percentage points opens up to second place, he will be declared presidentelect in the first round of voting.
Read also: “Argentina elects its president today, an election that could change the history of the country”