With few surprises, Argentina's presidential candidates go head-to-head in presidential debate

Argentina’s five remaining presidential candidates clashed in an ill-tempered but civilized debate in Santiago del Estero on Sunday night that ticked along without any of the hopefuls delivering a knockout blow.

The encounter, staged at the northern city’s Provincial Forum convention center, saw far-right frontrunner Javier Milei, 52; Sergio Massa, 51 (center-left); Patricia Bullrich, 67 (hard-right); Juan Schiaretti, 74 (centrist); and Myriam Bregman, 51 (left-wing) go head-to-head in a debate that nominally focusing on three themes: economy, education and human rights.

In truth, the candidates trained their ire on their preferred targets, rivals and talking points.

Milei and Bullrich went for Massa’s throat on the economy and inflation while the ruling coalition candidate pitched himself as the experienced pro-dialogue fixer and promised to introduce a unity government if elected head of state.

Seeking to build his national profile, Schiaretti talked up his party’s third-way approach and record in Córdoba (while dealing Bullrich a few softball questions) - and Bregman laced criticism of all four rivals with her traditional leftist talking points, observing that her front is the only one that would stand up for workers and the working class.

"Milei is not a lion," Bregman said of Milei - referring to his nickname. "He is a cuddly kitten of economic powers; he is an employee of big businessmen."

At: https://www.batimes.com.ar/news/argentina/argentinas-presidential-candidates-go-head-to-head-in-presidential-debate.phtml