Peronist Fervor May Give Center-Left Massa Edge in Argentina in Sunday Election - Activist

Political activist Denis Rogatyuk joined Sputnik’s Political Misfits crew to discuss Spanish politics and Argentina’s upcoming presidential runoff this weekend. Rogatyuk believes Sergio Massa’s superior organization could lead him to victory, but the outcome of Sunday’s election remains uncertain.

Onlookers say Sunday’s presidential runoff election in Argentina could be amongst the most consequential in the country’s modern history, with the two candidates offering highly contrasting visions for the future of the South American nation.

Economist Sergio Massa, who enjoys the backing of the party that currently governs Argentina, would likely represent a continuation of center-left policy. Meanwhile, self-described “anarcho-capitalist” Javier Milei has pledged to eliminate government departments, dollarize the economy, and “freeze” relations with China.

Denis Rogatyuk, the International Director of the El Ciudadano media platform, joined Political Misfits Friday to discuss each candidate’s chances in Sunday’s election.

“I would not say he’s a libertarian candidate,” said Rogatyuk, disputing a label that’s often used to describe the upstart candidate Milei. “I certainly say that he is a candidate of the far-right in Argentina. He’s ultra-conservative, which is something you can’t say about most libertarians, certainly not about libertarians like Ron Paul.”

Rogatyuk noted Milei’s proposals to ban gay marriage and end legal access to abortion in Argentina, which recently became only the third Latin American country to legalize the procedure in 2021. The issue is still highly contentious in the traditionally Catholic country, the birthplace of Pope Francis.

Rogatyuk also discussed Milei’s controversial foreign policy views; the candidate promises to “break diplomatic relations with China, with Russia, with Brazil, with Venezuela, with Cuba; and instead strengthen them with countries like Israel and the United States.”

The Argentine business class would consider such a development to be “economic suicide” according to Rogatyuk, noting the importance of Argentina’s relations with Brazil and China in particular.

Rogatyuk also slammed Milei’s proposal to adopt the US dollar as Argentina’s currency and his support for abolishing Argentina’s central bank, in addition to numerous other arms of the government. Earlier this year, a video went viral on the TikTok platform of Milei ripping stickers representing various Argentine government ministries off a presentation board, shouting “afuera!” or “out!”

Sergio Massa achieved an upset victory over Milei in the first round of Argentina’s election last month, and Rogatyuk believes the Peronist candidate could have the edge in Sunday’s election.

“Sergio Massa is what I would like to call the Frank Underwood of Argentinian politics,” said Rogatyuk of the veteran politician, in reference to a fictional character from the TV show 'House of Cards'. “This is a man who has… been behind the scenes for a very long time.”

Rogatyuk claimed Milei’s recent popularity “feels like a flash in the pan moment,” speculating that Massa’s performance in recent debates and the political structure behind him could lead him to victory.

“Massa… has a vast political structure [and] logistics to help him as the Peronist coalition,” said Rogatyuk. “The Justicialist Party… is a party which still remains the largest political force in the country. Javer Milei really doesn’t have a party. What he has is basically still just a movement. A movement that doesn’t have any political structures across Argentina except for in Buenos Aires.”

In order to win, Massa will need to overcome a difficult economic situation in the South American country, where Massa’s predecessor, fellow left-Peronist Alberto Fernández, has struggled to tame inflation and a rise in poverty.

Rogatyuk also touched on the political situation in Spain, where current Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is set to continue to govern with the backing of regional independence and autonomist parties.

“The kingmakers are now, and for the foreseeable future, the pro-independence parties,” said Rogatyuk. “It’s ironic that the political future of Spain from now on will be decided by these small nations within Spain, something that the Spanish right has been trying to avoid as hard as possible.”

Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez was able to make a deal with the party Junts per Catalunya (“Together for Catalonia”) to receive their support in parliament in exchange for dropping sedition charges against party leader and pro-Catalan independence leader Carles Puigdemont. Puigdemont spearheaded Catalonia’s independence referendum in 2017, a move the country’s federal government deemed unconstitutional.

The Spanish right has fiercely opposed movements towards independence or greater autonomy for the Spanish regions of Catalonia, Galicia, and the Basque Country. Spain repressed Catalan culture under the more than thirty-year reign of dictator Francisco Franco, even banning the speaking of the Catalan language in public spaces.