Argentina: Former President Macri Not to Stand in the Elections

On Sunday, Argentina's former President Mauricio Macri, a member of the opposition coalition Together for Change, announced that he will not participate in the October elections.

RELATED:

Argentines Commemorate the Day of Memory, Truth and Justice

"I will not be a candidate in the next election. I am convinced that we must enlarge the political space for the change we initiated. We have to inspire others with our actions," said the right-wing politician who led this South American country between 2015 and 2019.

In recent months, several Together for Change politicians resigned from their presidential candidacies because they believed that Macri would be the most favored candidate to win the primary elections to be held in August. Today's announcement, however, surprised everyone.

Through a video posted on social networks, Macri, who was president of the Boca Juniors soccer club, explained his decision by making a comparison of political activity with the "teamwork" that led the Argentine team to win the World Cup in Qatar.

After mentioning Leo Messi as the "best player in the history of humanity", the right-wing politician said that the players did not trust having him and worked to ensure victory.

"Each one of the players fully assumed the challenge. They all shone, they all suffered, they all fought, and they all won in the end. The leader didn't win but the team won. All of us Argentines won," he said to keep hopes up between his supporters. The current political reality, however, seems to be different.

According to the latest opinion polls published by local media, citizens' rejection of Macri is around 75 percent. In this context, the right-wing politician tried to justify his decision not to participate in the presidential elections arguing that he wants to contribute to overcoming the "messianism" that has predominated in Argentine society for some 80 years.