Debate in Argentina: “Massa was more professional and prepared than Milei in this format”

The last debate before the presidential second round in Argentina confronted the Minister of Economy Sergio Massa and the libertarian Javier Milei. In a face-to-face in which attacks prevailed rather than proposals, the official candidate knew how to impose his agenda, while his rival seemed more improvised and barely mentioned the government’s serious responsibility in the crisis afflicting the country.

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The two candidates, who accused each other of being “thieves” or “mentally unbalanced”, tried to convince the undecided sector in the final stretch of the second round on November 19, in which polls predict a technical tie. In the first round, Massa (Unión por la Patria) came in first place with almost 37% of the votes and Milei (La Libertad Avanza) came in second with 30%.

In dialogue with El Comercio, Argentine political scientist Santiago Rodríguez Rey highlights that Massa’s performance was better, but both candidates still have challenges to face to win the presidency.

–Can we talk about a winner in the debate? Who performed best?

Sergio Massa looked much more professional and prepared for this type of format. It was clearly demonstrated that one is a professional politician and the other is some kind of amateur who has just entered the arena. We will have to see what the impact of the debate will be because both are looking for a very circumstantial voter and I think Massa was much clearer about this in the end. The problem with declaring a winner in this debate is that you have to consider who the candidates were talking to. As a performance, Massa’s is clearly more professional and better executed. But perhaps at some point Massa will end up talking more with his followers than with Milei.

Javier Milei and Sergio Massa faced each other in the last debate a week before the elections. (Photo: AFP) (LUIS ROBAYO/)

–Milei’s character and attitudes have been much commented on in recent weeks, and many feared that he would vent or become upset. Did you pass the test in this debate?

The expectation, as occurred in previous debates, revolved around whether Milei would be able to overcome these two hours without falling into the screams and the character that made him famous. In the end, that didn’t happen, it was much more moderate than other times. At the beginning of the debate it seemed that Milei might lose control of the situation, especially when the economy was discussed, but then the whole debate became ‘flat’.

–Milei missed the opportunity to highlight the crisis left by the current government?

It is true that during the debate there was almost no mention of the government’s weakest points, which are inflation or corruption. However, candidates do not need to talk to their convinced loved ones. Milei had to speak to the remaining 30% of voters and I think the libertarian candidate was able to express this more at the end of the debate because during almost the entire debate the center of the speech was Milei, not the government’s ideas, nor the government’s problems.

This is what this election is about. If we continue on this decadent path or if we embrace the ideas of freedom.

A different Argentina is impossible with the same people as always.

LIVE FUCKING FREEDOM pic.twitter.com/UXl0LU8KGI

-Javier Milei (@JMilei) November 13, 2023

–Was it a debate more about attacks than proposals? How do you evaluate this?

There really were no proposals. There were a series of attacks mainly from Milei, especially in the first part of the debate, when the harshest exchange took place, as when Massa reminds Milei that he could not renew his internship at the Central Bank in the early 80s. Later, this type of chicanes he was more on Milei’s side than Massa’s. I think Massa recognized that he was facing a much more amateur performance and realized that if he made a complete defense against his rival it might look like he was intimidating Milei.

–How much could the debate impact the electorate?

I believe that the important thing that the electorate who has to decide their vote this week can see in the debate are these characteristics of an amateur versus a professional. This week there will be information about last month’s inflation, the national number should be around 9. If it doesn’t exceed double digits Massa will have some good news heading into the elections, so in principle He would be playing with the best cards with which may arrive on Sunday. Massa seemed professional and confident, while Milei, instead of showing herself as the change, in her speech closing the debate practically introduced herself by saying ‘I am the available change’. Now, Massa ended his speech talking only about himself, which shows his isolation, maintaining his strategy that the election is Milei against him, neither Cristina Kirchner nor Alberto Fernández are there, he tried to say that with him there is also a change.

I want to be president because I have children to whom I want to leave a much better Argentina. ????????❤️

❤???????? #Debate2023 #MassaPresidente pic.twitter.com/R7nqqe6oqF

-Sérgio Massa (@SergioMassa) November 13, 2023

–What is the main challenge that both candidates face in this last week before the second round?

Massa needs a calm week in economic matters to be able to maintain this separation between the candidate and the Economy Minister who is almost president of this government. There should be no more major corruption scandals and he should continue to defend that he is the most presidential candidate in the race. On Milei’s side, he is the one behind and trying to get votes from people who didn’t originally choose him. Milei is trying to show that he is the only change available, what he has not managed in this debate is to convince that it is a change to some extent that is safe and viable. You have a week to demonstrate this, that your administration would not be a chaotic administration, which is what the party in power claims.

Source: Elcomercio