of far-right libertarian Javier Milei who received 30%, a surprise reversal of pre-vote expectations giving him the momentum into a Nov. 19 run-off.
Massa also expanded income tax exemptions to all workers earlier this month, a popular move though at a significant cost to already depleted state funds and fiscal targets agreed with major creditor the International Monetary Fund . "For me it was a matter of time before people realized that Milei's proposals made no sense," said Amparo Anzaldi, 20, a student in Buenos Aires. "It is not going to be easy to take away our education or public health."Milei had talked about being in favor of privatization of state entities and Chile's public-private model, a sharp shift from the Peronist's social welfare that creates a safety net for the least well-off but has drained state coffers.
"At the other end of the chainsaw he totes at rallies are the pocketbooks of millions of Argentines," he added.