Hello, and welcome to the Latin America Weekly newsletter! In this issue: How an unknown politician beat Rafael Correa in Ecuador’s presidential elections. Argentina’s finances struggle as Javier Milei hopes for a first-round win. And the doubts around the upcoming opposition primary in Venezuela.
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Financial turmoil dominates as Argentina picks a new president
Libertarian economist Javier Milei hopes to carry over momentum from his first-place finish in Argentina’s August primaries into this Sunday, when the country holds its presidential elections.
Three-horse race. Mr. Milei took 30 percent of the vote, followed by a center-right coalition that combined for 28 percent and the ruling center-left Peronist alliance, which had 27 percent. His rivals will be right-winger Patricia Bullrich, who won the center-right primary, and centrist Economy Minister Sergio Massa, who represents the Peronist coalition.
Polls. As The Brazilian Report warned in the past, pollsters are not to be trusted in Argentina. They got it wrong again in the primary, predicting Mr. Milei would come in third. Taking their word at what...