MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

One of these 13 people will be Argentina's next president

Only 3 political spaces will actually choose their candidates at the PASO elections. The others have already advanced to the Oct. 22 first round

After Saturday's deadline for registering candidacies, there are only 13 contenders left, one of whom will be Argentina's next president comes Dec. 10.

At least in theory, the ruling Unión por la Patria front lined up behind the ticket of Economy Minister Sergio Massa and Cabinet Chief Agustín Rossi

Read also: Presidential elections: Argentina's ruling party lines up behind Massa

However, they will need to get through the Aug. 13 Open, Mandatory and Simultaneous Primary (PASO) elections where they are internally challenged by Pope Francis' social activist Juan Grabois and his running mate Paula Abal Medina.

The winners will take on challenges from Together for Change (Juntos por el Cambio - JxC). It will be either Buenos Aires Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta and Jujuy Governor Gerardo Morales or former Security Minister Patricia Bullrich and former Congressman Luis Petri, and from La Libertad Avanza's Javier Milei and Victoria Villarruel.

In all likelihood, the next president will be one of these five bidders. There are other candidates, most of them from small-size parties who will not be facing any internal opposition during the primaries, but whom no poll sees seriously having a chance of getting the Casa Rosada job.

OTHER CANDIDATES

 Frente de Izquierda (left)

1: President - Myriam Bregman (current Congresswoman); Vice President - Nicolás del Caño (current Congressman)
2: President - Gabriel Solano (current Buenos Aires City lawmaker); Vice President - Vilma Ripoll (Registered Nurse).

ALREADY QUALIFIED FOR OCT. 22

Peronismo Federal (center)

President - Juan Schiaretti (current governor of Córdoba); Vice President - Florencio Randazzo (former Interior Minister, current Congressman).

Principios y valores (right)

President - Guillermo Moreno (former Domestic Trade Secretary); Vice President - Leonardo Fabre (union leader of Social Welfare Agency workers)

Nuevo MAS (left)

President - Manuela Castañeira (feminist sociologist); Vice President - Lucas Ruiz (teacher).

Política Obrera (left)

President - Marcelo Ramal (an economist, university professor, and Trotskyist politician); Vice President - Patricia Urones (History Professor).

Libres del Sur (left)

President - Jesús Escobar (former Neuquén student leader); Vice President - Marianella Lezama Hid (Santiago del Estero City Councilwoman).

Frente patriota (right)

President - César Biondini (lawyer, son of neonazi leader Alejandro Biondini); Vice President - Mariel Avendaño (economics professor).