Argentine President Alberto Fernández today highlighted the importance of holding general elections 40 years after democracy was recovered after the end of the last civil-military dictatorship in this nation (1976-1983).
Buenos Aires.- After exercising his right to vote at the Catholic University of this capital, the president assured this day defines the future of the country and urges citizens to express themselves at the polls.
I followed the entire campaign very closely. I am involved and interested. We did what was necessary for this process to develop in peace and tranquility. We are in a democracy and it is the people who decide, he said in statements to the press.
For his part, the candidate for reelection as governor of the province of Buenos Aires for Unión por la Patria (UP), Axel Kicillof, asserted these are elections of great historical importance and said he feels happiness and optimism.
We hope for a good turnout despite the rain. Everything happens peacefully. “We worked a lot in the previous days and we hope they can express what they feel and think,” he said.
The people are sovereign and decide through the ballot box. Expressions of hate and violence appeared in this campaign, but we must vote with happiness, embracing others, he added.
Likewise, he considered that, after the primary elections on August 13, voters paid more attention to the proposals of each candidate.
VOTING UNDERWAY IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN ARGENTINA
More than 16 thousand election polls authorized to vote opened their doors today in the 24 districts of Argentina and will close at 18:00, local time, as part of the general elections.
Buenos Aires.- Around 104 thousand 520 ballot boxes were distributed throughout the national territory and 35 million 405 thousand 13 people are summoned to participate in the elections.
The citizens will define who will hold the offices of president and vice-president of this nation for the next four years, while the residents of this capital will also elect the head of government of the autonomous city and those of the provinces of Catamarca, Entre Ríos and Buenos Aires will elect their respective governors.
Argentines will also decide who will occupy 130 seats in the Chamber of Deputies and 24 in the Senate, which are renewed in parts every two years.
Likewise, they will select 19 parliamentarians of the Southern Common Market, provincial legislators, mayors, and municipal councilors.
The presidential candidates are Sergio Massa (Unión por la Patria), Javier Milei (La Libertad Avanza), Patricia Bullrich (Juntos por el Cambio), Juan Schiaretti (Hacemos por Nuestro País), and Myriam Bregman (Frente de Izquierda y de Trabajadores Unidad).
To win in the first round and occupy the Casa Rosada, a candidate must obtain more than 45 percent of the ballots or 40 percent with a difference of at least 10 points ahead of the second most voted.
If this does not happen, it will be necessary to go to the ballot, which is scheduled for November 19.
According to the National Electoral Director, Marcos Schiavi, the first results of the provisional scrutiny of this day will be known after 22:00, local time, as they will wait for consolidated and representative data without geographical bias. (PL / RHC)
