MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Macri and Cristina Fernandez, most influential Argentines during 2018

Macri and Cristina Fernandez will most possibly compete again next October in the presidential election. Macri has announced his reelection bid

Who have been the most influential Argentines during 2018, is a traditional public opinion survey which Consultants Giacobbe & Associates have been releasing annually uninterruptedly since 1995. And this last year there were no big surprises: the main characters have been president Mauricio Macri and ex-president Cristina Fernandez.

The survey includes live or dead candidates, mostly from politics but also in the fields of entertainment, journalism, sports and even institutions.

Macri and Cristina Fernandez will most possibly clash strongly this year, since next October Argentina is holding presidential elections, and the current head of state has announced his intention of reelection, while the widow of Nestor Kirchner, if she can get through the Peronist primaries, could very well again bid to occupy Casa Rosada.

In this highly polarized scenario given the almost collapse of the Argentine economy, recession and the IMF rescue loan, another two women totally involved in politics, figure behind the two presidential hopefuls: they are Maria Eugenia Vidal, governor of Buenos Aires province and lawmaker Elisa Carrio.

They are both highly combative politicians, with different styles, Ms. Vidal has an angelical face but inside is of steel while Ms Carrio, a Macri ally, loves confrontation and denouncing anybody suspected of a speck of corruption. Governor Vidal and family must be said live in Army barracks given the multiple threats to which she has been exposed.

Winning in the province of Buenos Aires is critical for any Argentine presidential election, and Ms Vidal despite many obstacles in her job, and recession, has a good standing in opinion polls.

Behind the two ladies figures Argentine born Pope Francis, closely followed by Security minister Patricia Bullrich, a former guerrilla and iron hand in combating crime.

The first ten of the list is completed with journalist Jorge Lanata, television entertainers Marcelo Tinelli and Mirtha Legrand, and ex president Juan Domingo Peron.

In position eleven figures US president Donald Trump and in position sixteen Christine Lagarde the managing director of the IMF.

Other persons in the list include cabinet chief, Marco Peña (14); Public Works and Housing minister, Rogelio Frigerio (26); Buenos Aires City mayor, Horacio Rodriguez Larreta (27) and Finance minister, Nicolás Dujovne, (34).

The list also includes foreign personalities such as Vladimir Putin, (33); Xi Jinping (39); Jair Bolsonaro, (56) and Angela Merkel (60).

Argentines also love their sports stars, among them Lionel Messi, Diego Maradona, Emanuel Ginobli, and federal Judge Claudio Bonadío who has several cases against Cristina Fernandez and Kirchnerite ministers.