MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Re-elected Bs. As. City mayor to meet all presidential candidates, even CFK

Marci celebrates at party headquarters with Deputy Mayor María Eugenia Vidal (L) (Photo Perfil)

Re-elected Buenos Aires City Mayor Mauricio Macri gave his victory speech after defeating Kirchnerite Daniel Filmus on Sunday, and said his party (PRO) would begin the process of deciding which of the presidential candidates to support in Argentina’s general elections of next October.

“Dialogue shouldn’t always end in an electoral agreement. I repeat: I’m going to meet with all presidential candidates, even President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, (CFK) who I’d like to express my appreciation for calling and congratulating me. I really appreciate that,” he said.

Macri defeated Filmus in the run-off by 64% to 35% of the vote, which is higher than four years ago, 61% and 39%. This means the re-elected official was 28 points ahead of the candidate sponsored by Cristina Fernandez.

He made a call to “fight poverty, and defend social justice and public education.

The re-elected mayor said his victory was “the triumph of a new way of doing politics,” in a country that “is asking politicians to see beyond their differences.”

Next to his running mate, María Eugenia Vidal, the PRO leader also demanded “more transparency, in order to make public accounts more clear”. He added “it’s important for us politicians to respect institutions”.

“We are going to work with everyone, those who voted for us and those who didn’t,” he said. “I’m very happy with this victory because it’s a way of doing politics. I’m convinced that these votes don’t belong to the PRO party, but to a new way of doing politics.”

As crowds celebrated with colourful balloons, Macri asked political leaders in Argentina “to be humble”. He concluded saying “I can’t promise you miracles, because I can’t perform them. But I do promise working hard”.

Meanwhile Victory Front candidate Daniel Filmus acknowledged defeat in the mayoral run-off and revealed that President Cristina Fernández had called incumbent Mauricio Macri to congratulate him.

“I’d like to congratulate the PRO party and Mayor Mauricio Macri for being re-elected,” Filmus said, adding that the President had “conveyed her regards” to everyone at his campaign headquarters.

Senator Filmus seemed to adopt a different attitude from the one seen after the end of the first round of the mayoral elections. He also distanced himself of the previous rejection expressions by Kirchnerite voters who attacked the citizens that had chosen to vote for Macri.

“I’d like to congratulate everyone involved in the election, those who voted for us and those who didn’t,” he said.

He highlighted the fact that the Victory Front “is the first opposing political force in the City,” and asked for “plurality and reflection” at the time of analyzing “why they couldn’t convince voters in the City to choose their party.”

“Personally, as a candidate, I take responsibility in all those aspects that are necessary to observe in order to figure out how to expand our involvement in the City politically,” he concluded.