Cristina Fernandez Leads the Primaries in Argentina

President Cristina Fernandez won 49.2% of the votes in the open and binding primaries held yesterday in Argentina before the general election of October 23. The results may help her in her way to re-election.

Behind the Peronist candidate of Frente para la Victoria there was Ricardo Alfonsin, of Unión Cívica Radical, in the second place with 13.2% of the votes. Former President Eduardo Duhalde, of Alianza Frente Popular – of the dissident Peronist- has 12.1% of the votes, according to official results. The figure represents 24.2% of polling stations counted.

As before the primaries each political party had already proclaimed their presidential formula, this election served as a popularity survey to measure President Fernandez, who yesterday led the voting intentions for October, and defined its main contender.

“I have for you a huge thanks that does not fit in my heart,” she said. “I want to thank those who trusted (in us) and for those that did not trust us I want to invite them to reflect together because we need all the Argentines to unite so we can continue to grow together,” she said in front of their supporters gathered at a hotel in Buenos Aires.

Source: Daily El Universo / AP / EFE / REUTERS