Project underway to suspend elections in 2021

[antipodean]

Ingresó al Congreso el proyecto para suspender las PASO en 2021

Está firmado por el diputado de Tucumán, Pablo Yedlin

www.infobae.com

PASO: Alberto Fernández dijo que se someterá a lo decida el Congreso | Tras el pedido de suspensión de la mayoría de los gobernadores

Este viernes ingresó al Parlamento un proyecto de ley, consensuado por la mayoría de los mandatarios provinciales, para suspender las Primarias Abiertas, Simultáneas y Obligatorias de 2021, que demandarían recursos que podrían destinarse a cubrir los g...

www.pagina12.com.ar

Almost all Peronist governors are pushing for a suspension of next year's mid-term elections. In order for this project to pass it must be approved by the (Peronist majority) congress by the end of year. Two opposition governors (Corrientes, Jujuy) are also supporting this project.

Their arguments:

• COVID-19 - It is not a time to mobilize people or create massive events.
• Costs - the ARS$3bn (US$34m) could better be spent on public health efforts.
• Some politicians are offering to support a suspension only in exchange for an overhaul of the ballot design (move to single page ballot paper)

This is despite:

• The current Peronist administration mobilized masses of people recently for a state-organized funeral, where masses were seen without social distancing or other protocols being followed.
• During this public health crisis the current Peronist administration is spending in excess of US$30m to refurbish and reactivate the former presidential jet that costs millions of dollars annually to operate. They are also spending in excess of US$50m on judicial reform designed first and foremost to create impunity for allegedly corrupt politicians and officials.
• Some months ago, President Fernandez and Cafiero formerly denied any intention whatsoever to hinder or delay the elections next year. They are now saying they will respect whatever the governors and congress come out with.
• Investors, business community and foreign leaders have called for the Argentine government to create real signs of confidence. A suspension of democracy and an unpopular regime threatens to do further economic harm by further eroding confidence.
• The current administration has only delivered on 3 of its electoral promises so far and is performing poorly in most polls.

This is what Personism in a K-era calls democracy - if it looks like you will lose control at the next elections when you have important personal projects to protect simply suspend democracy and hijack the state. Surely if this move would have been proposed by the opposition there would be allegations of a "dictadura", "violations of democracy" and calls for mass protests. I am surprised Argentines are taking this news sitting down.

 

[Alpinista]

Duhalde was ridiculed when he said in August there wouldnt be an elections in 2021.

Eduardo Duhalde: “Es ridículo que piensen que va a haber elecciones el año próximo”

El ex presidente vaticinó un escenario "peor al 'que se vayan todos'" del 2001 por la profundización de la crisis social y económica

www.infobae.com

If there are no elections in 2021, who can guarantee then that there will be in 2023? Worrying signs and times indeed. Combine the suspension of the elections, the attack on the legal system / supreme court, and you are not far from a dictatorship anymore.

 

[camberiu]

But wait, according to many folks here, I thought Bolsonaro was the authoritarian dictator who represented a threat to democracy across South America. I am confused, specially because Brazil just had its mid-term election (also in the middle of the pandemic) and Bolsonaro got his ass handed to him as the votes got counted.
So I guess Bolsonaro (who I don't like one bit) is less of a tyrant than the current Argentine government. Who would have thought.

 

[sts7049]

didn't the PASO get suspended last time? i can't remember now, maybe it was just that it was essentially pointless because of the candidates.

what's the upside of cancelling it?

 

[antipodean]

https://www.argentina.gob.ar/interior/dine/resultadosyestadisticas/2017

Voy a votar

Conocé dónde consultar el padrón electoral, sabé con qué documento tenés que votar y qué hacer si el día de la elección estás lejos del lugar de votación o te enfermaste.

www.argentina.gob.ar

There was a PASO in 2017 (Mid-term of Macri)

Essentially it is where candidates and parties eligible to run for the next general election are chosen - in this case the legislative elections on OCT 24 2021 for deputies and congress. At PASO, unpopular politicians or parties (that make up coalitions like Frente de Todos, for example) could be forced out of the job if they fail to get enough votes, and thus upset the balance of power and political agreements in the meantime needed to get laws passed. If the general elections go ahead without PASO, keeping in mind they are scheduled for AUG 8 2021, it essentially maintains the status quo in terms of who people get to vote for and maintains the status quo of the political parties. E.g. more chance absolutely nothing changes and that this government create an unfair advantage for themselves.

 

[BAHibs]

I try to take a neutral stance on Argentine politics given I arrived in March but I already love watching my favorites on C5N try to backtrack and defend (or in C5N's case, completely ignore) situations like this.

 

[Dougie]

Where's Bajo? I need him to explain to me why antipodean has got this wrong.

 

[Etendard]

Elections will take place, PRIMARIES might be cancelled.

Blanket primary - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[bdk1]

It's not the actual general election, it's the PASO (primary) election that would be suspended. I am not saying the government isn't being opportunistic, but the truth is we didn't have PASOs before 2009. It's relatively new.

 

[Renzi]

But wait, according to many folks here, I thought Bolsonaro was the authoritarian dictator who represented a threat to democracy across South America. I am confused, specially because Brazil just had its mid-term election (also in the middle of the pandemic) and Bolsonaro got his ass handed to him as the votes got counted.
So I guess Bolsonaro (who I don't like one bit) is less of a tyrant than the current Argentine government. Who would have thought.

I think this is because most expats are not literate in the nuances of Latin American politics, and tend to view things through the lens of their politics in their home country. Bolsonaro makes an easy target because the threat of an individual authoritarian leader makes sense to them more than the authoritarism and power of politial parties (Mexico's PRI) or movements (such as Peronism) where the actors change but the power behind them doesn't.

If Jair's rhetoric on LGBT issues hadn't triggered the international media, nobody would even be talking about him. There's been more attention to that, than, say, the fact that he's given substantial assistance to poor people during the pandemic.