The Day of Peronist Loyalty fell on 17 October, five days before the first round of presidential elections. In any ordinary electoral year it would provide the stage for a massive rally to conclude the campaign on a high for the Peronist presidential candidate. But Peronist loyalty has been sorely tested this year. Inflation continues to scale new heights, the annual rate reaching 138.3% in September, according to the latest figures released by the national statistics institute (Indec); more than 40% of Argentines are now living beneath the poverty line; and the peso is in freefall. Economic desperation and political disillusionment have combined to catapult the far-right populist Javier Milei to the top of the polls.End of preview - This article contains approximately 990 words.
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