MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Tight win for ruling party in Argentine province of Córdoba

Llaryora claimed victory at 2 am Monday

After Sunday's gubernatorial elections in the Argentine province of Córdoba, Martín Llaryora of the ruling front led by Governor Juan Schiaretti was congratulated as the winner by politicians from almost every party.

But opposition candidate Luis Juez of Together for Change (Juntos por el Cambio) insisted on waiting until the end of the manual vote counting on the grounds that the difference was too narrow to either celebrate or admit defeat.

With 82.06% of the polling stations counted, Llaryora, a moderate Peronist, obtained 42.59% of the votes, followed by Juez with 40.05%.

At around 2 am Monday and with 90% of the counting done, Llaryora came out to speak after stretching his lead to 42.7% against 39.8%. “The most harmed today are all the people of Córdoba and especially those of us who should have the right to celebrate the effort we have made in this campaign. Unfortunately, at this point, in a province like ours, we should have all the results and we do not have them,” he claimed.

A total of 3,048,677 Cordobeses and about 1,500 foreigners were eligible to vote. As it happened in Chaco the week before, turnout was very poor. It stood at around 60%, it was reported.

Schiaretti will be running for President later this year.

Meanwhile, in Paraguay-bordering Formosa, the incumbent Gildo Insfrán won by a landslide 73.65% against Francisco Paoltroni of Libertad, Trabajo y Progreso, who had 17.2% of the votes. It was Insfrán's 7th reelection. In other words, he has been elected Governor of Formosa for the eighth straight time.