Conservative wins mayoral election in Argentina's capital

 

 

 

FILE - In this July 5, 2015 file photo, Buenos Aires Mayor Chief of Staff who is running for mayor, Horacio Rodriguez Larreta, right, stands before supporters with Buenos Aires Mayor and presidential candidate Mauricio Macri as they celebrate the results of mayoral elections in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Although Larreta won the mayoral election, Buenos Aires is holding a July 19 runoff between Larreta and his rival Martin Lousteau from the ECO 
coalition. (AP Photo/Daniel Jayo, File)







BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Conservative Horacio Rodriguez Larreta won Sunday's mayoral run-off election in Buenos Aires, in a closer race than his opposition party had hoped for in the capital ahead of presidential voting later this year.

With 99.9 percent of ballots counted, the candidate of the business-friendly PRO Party had 51.6 percent of the votes. His rival, ECO Party candidate and former economy minister Martin Lousteau, got 48.4 percent.

Rodriguez Larreta is an economist and was chief of staff for outgoing mayor and likely presidential candidate Mauricio Macri. Rodriguez Larreta won the most votes in the opening round of balloting July 5, but did not garner enough votes to avoid a run-off with Lousteau.

In his victory speech, Rodriguez Larreta thanked Macri for his work as mayor and vowed to continue improving public education, health and security for Argentina's capital city.

"I'm optimistic about the future because with Mauricio (Macri) as president, Argentina will recover its path of growth and well-being for all. And that will benefit all of the citizens of Buenos Aires as well," he said.

With Buenos Aires' 2.5 million voters accounting for nearly 8 percent of Argentina's voting population, the capital city's election was being closely watched for tendencies for the Aug. 9 presidential primaries and the Oct. 25 national election.

Both Rodriguez Larreta and Lousteau are critical of President Cristina Fernandez's leftist government. The candidate representing Fernandez's Victory Front coalition, Mariano Recalde, was knocked out of the race after finishing third in the first round July 5.

Rodriguez Larreta has said he hopes to help achieve change for all of Argentina after the 12-year rule of Fernandez and her late husband and predecessor as president, Nestor Kirchner.

The PRO had been hoping for a stronger margin in the mayor's contest to give a boost for Macri's chances in the presidential race. His main rival is Buenos Aires Gov. Daniel Scioli, who has been picked by Fernandez to continue the populist policies that began with her husband's presidency. Fernandez is barred from seeking a third consecutive term.

Restoring Argentina's sense of pride and sovereignty after the country's worst economic crisis in 2001 has been the central goal of Fernandez and Kirchner. The presidential couple negotiated or paid off most of Argentina's defaulted debt, nationalized the pension system, kept energy cheap through subsidies and dug deep into the treasury to redirect revenue to the poor through handouts.

But many Argentines are calling for change amid frustration with one of the world's highest inflation rates, government currency and trade controls and corruption accusations that have penetrated deep into Fernandez's inner circle



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Symphony Concert was held in Buenos Aires for the Armenian Genocide Centennial

 

A symphony concert organized by the interinstitutional commission for the Armenian Genocide Centennial was held in Buenos Aires today.

The show combined traditional Armenian music of ​Aram ​Khachaturian, Alan Hovhaness and Arno Babajanian with songs of Luis Alberto Spinetta and Astor Piazzolla's compositions. The event was attended by several city officials along with the Ambassador of Armenia in Argentina Alexan Harutiunian and the Embassy Counselor Esther Mkrtumyan.

The concert is one of the activities organized by the Armenian community of Argentina. On April 25 there will be a ceremony at the Book Fair of Buenos Aires, and on April 29 there will be a ceremony at the Luna Park stadium. The traditional rally that draws thousands of people in the country will take place on April 28, as the City of Buenos Aires does not allow political acts on April 24, two days before the primary election.

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Argentina cautiously watches US debt crisis

The ongoing debt crisis in the US is a painful reminder of Argentina's past when in 2001 the Latin American country defaulted on its debts.

For years, it was the US and developed nations who closely watched as Latin American economies struggled with their debt crises, and in many cases lectured them on what they should do about it.But now it is the other way around, as this region is enjoying years of economic prosperity.Economists in Argentina say a potential US default could spark a domino effect in the Americas and they think governments in Latin American countries should be ready.

Copa America will be broadcast to 196 countries.

• AFP PHOTO/Antonio SCORZA
  

• The 43rd Copa America will be broadcasted for the first time entirely in HD (High-Definition) and a record 196 countries will receive the signal of the competition matches. In 2004, the tournament was broadcast to over 140 countries. In the last edition, in Venezuela in 2007, more than 180 countries will watch the games of the Copa America.
  
  
  Held since 1916, the Copa America is the oldest national teams’ football competition in the world. In 2011, the tournament will be held in Argentina and will be attended by 12 teams. Of these, six were in the knock-out stage of the World Cup 2010: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Uruguay and Mexico.
  
  
  Copa America 2011 will have major stars of world football such as Robinho, Neymar and Julio Cesar (Brazil), Messi, Di Maria and Javier Mascherano (Argentina), Claudio Pizarro (Peru), Roque Santa Cruz and Cardozo (Paraguay) Cavani, Forlan and Suarez (Uruguay) and Alexis Sanchez (Chile).

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Argentina's 'Greater Fatherland

Elections in Argentina are casting light on effect of immigration on the country. Teresa Bo reports from Buenos Aires.