The announcement of the election results It was shouted like a goal in the La Libertad Avanza bunker. “Milei, dear, the people are with you,” the dozens of people who gathered in front of the Libertador hotel in Buenos Aires began to sing. Some drivers slowed down and joined the street celebration by sounding their horns and shouting “Vamos, Javo”, “Vamos, Peluca”, two of the affectionate nicknames by which the far-right president of Argentina, Javier Milei, is known. His followers, who were confident of a close victory, burst with joy when they learned that much of Argentina had been dyed purple. Libertad Avanza won in 16 of the 24 provinces and obtained almost 41% of the votes in the country as a whole.
“If you saw how beautiful Argentina is, and how beautiful purple looks on it. Today the people decided to leave behind 100 years of decadence, today the construction of the great Argentina begins,” said Milei in his first triumphal speech. The president thanked all his ministers, even those who have already submitted their resignation, such as Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein and that of Justice, Mariano Cúneo Libarona.
“This result is confirmation of the mandate that we assumed in 2023. The country decided to irreversibly change the destiny of the country,” continued the Argentine president. “Freedom,” “freedom,” “freedom,” the milleistas shouted in the street. Young men, who were the hard core that accompanied the economist when he decided to make the leap into politics in 2021, are still the majority in party mobilizations. But four years later, men and women of all ages celebrate with them. “I voted for Milei because I wanted a change, to leave behind Kirchnerism that caused a disaster for the country,” said Jennifer Lotti, a 22-year-old clothing store employee. Lotti admitted that the last year has not been easy for her or her family, but she was convinced that the sacrifice will be worth it, a speech that was repeated among many La Libertad Avanza voters. “Change cannot happen from one day to the next, yes or yes you have to wait. I am young and I am willing to wait. Now I see a future for Argentina, I didn’t see it before,” she added.
The visceral rejection of Peronism—and especially the Kirchnerist version led by former president Cristina Fernández—unites many of Milei’s voters. The president has turned that rejection into an effective electoral weapon. “Argentines do not want to return to the model of failure, they have said enough to populism, populism never again,” the far-right president highlighted in his speech. The victory was especially significant in the province of Buenos Aires, where La Libertad Avanza overcame the defeat suffered on September 7 by 14 points against Peronism to win by half a point.
“It’s an exciting night, with Milei we got Kirchnerism out of Argentina and we’re never going to let it come back again. The Peronists are the worst there is, they stole everything, they ruined the country,” said David Kibudy, a 21-year-old delivery driver. Kibudy, euphoric, harangued the crowd to sing against Kirchner, who is serving under house arrest. a six-year prison sentence for corruption. “Cristina tobillera, Cristina tobillera,” sang the mileista bases between insults and boos. Around midnight, Milei left the hotel to greet them, like a rockstar, and unleashed euphoria.
Kirchner dances on the balcony
The results plunged the Peronists into absolute confusion. “I don’t understand anything”, “what a disaster”, “what madness”, they wrote to each other in the WhatsApp groups. The victory in the province of Buenos Aires had restored optimism to the Peronist militancy and they did not expect that shipwreck less than two months later.
In the Peronist bunker in the city of La Plata, the capital of Buenos Aires, long faces predominated. The governor of the province, Axel Kicillof, came out to speak after 11 p.m. and warned that Milei “is wrong if he celebrates this electoral result.” Kicillof anticipated that the province of Buenos Aires, the largest in the country, will remain as an alternative to the adjustment policies of the national government: “We are going to redouble our efforts to take care of the people. More work, more militancy and more strength.”
The loss of votes revived the internal fight for leadership on the same election night. Those most loyal to Kirchner criticize Kicillof for having brought forward the provincial election; The governor’s supporters, on the other hand, respond that the national election was the former president’s responsibility and ask her to step aside.
Kirchner remained silent, but came out to greet the group of supporters who came to his home, in the Constitución neighborhood, and danced, encouraged by their songs. Peronism feared a defeat in votes, but hoped to win in number of provinces. The expected narrative battle of interpretations did not occur: nothing could disguise the defeat of the opposition.
