Justicialista (Peronist) Party Elects Presidential Candidate John Neagle

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NotiSur Latin America Digital Beat (LADB)

7-12-1988 Argentina: Justicialista (peronist) Party Elects Presidential Candidate John Neagle

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Recommended Citation Neagle, John. "Argentina: Justicialista (peronist) Party Elects Presidential Candidate." (1988). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/ notisur/2152

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Latin America Digital Beat (LADB) at UNM Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in NotiSur by an authorized administrator of UNM Digital Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. LADB Article Id: 074619 ISSN: 1060-4189 Argentina: Justicialista (peronist) Party Elects Presidential Candidate by John Neagle Category/Department: General Published: Tuesday, July 12, 1988

On July 9, members of the Justicialista (Peronist) party voted to choose a 1989 presidential candidate, marking the first national Peronist primary in the party's 45-year history. The race was between Antonio Cafiero, governor of Buenos Aires province and head of the party apparatus, and Carlos Menem, governor of the interior province, La Rioja. At about midnight, the party's electoral committee announced results based on 13,115 of a total 14,835 polling stations. Of the 1,505,130 votes counted, Menem received 810,294, and Cafiero, 694,836. Late Saturday evening, Cafiero recognized Menem as the presidential candidate, and that he would support the candidate fully in the coming elections. "Argentines want a Peronist president in the government palace, and they are going to get one." The Peronists, with 4.1 million party members, are considered likely to win the presidency from the Radical Civic Union party. Cafiero, 65, heads a faction described as more "modern" and "rational," in that its approach to Argentina's economic recession and spiralling inflation is technical. Menem, 53, is described as charismatic and flamboyant. In campaign speeches, both declared they would seek to implement a temporary foreign debt payment moratorium if elected. Menem has also committed himself to higher wages and lower taxes. In recent months, Cafiero was slightly favored in most polls, and given an edge due to his control over the party apparatus. [In a speech on July 7, Cafiero confirmed his commitment to a debt moratorium if elected in 1989. But, he said, it should be recalled that he has "never said that we must denounce it or assume a rhetorical or challenging position." Cafiero asked: "How many more sacrifices can Argentina be expected to make?...[I]n recent years, this country has paid $15 billion in interest." "This blood- letting," he said, "occurred in a context of plummeting real wages, state and private investment; a GDP lower than in 1974; unsustainable inflation; and, after making all possible adjustments."] The primary, originally scheduled for June, was postponed after Menem complained about voter lists. His supporters threatened that if they saw fraud in the balloting, they might split the party in half with Menem leading a third-party campaign for the presidency. The Radicals will run Eduardo Angeloz, governor of Cordoba province. In mid-term congressional and provincial elections last September, the Justicialistas were landslide winners nationwide. (Basic data from Washington Post, 07/10/88; Argentine news agency, 07/07/88; 07/09/88)

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