'We're back and we're going to be better,' vows Alberto Fernández

Alberto Fernández triumphantly took to the stage on Sunday night, after winning election as Argentina's next president.

Thanking Argentines onstage at his party's bunker in Chacarita, the former Cabinet chief paid homage to late Néstor Kirchner and said he would need the support of Mauricio Macri's administration to reconstruct what he called the inherited "ashes" of Argentina. He also said he had agreed to meet the president at the Casa Rosada on Monday morning to discuss the transition.

"The only thing that concerns us is that Argentines stop suffering once and for all," he told the crowd. "We're back and we're going to be better!"

With more than 96 percent of votes counted, the Frente de Todos leader had around 48 percent of the vote. Presidential rivals Roberto Lavagna and President Mauricio Macri both contacted Fernández, congratulating him on his victory.

“The times ahead are not going to be easy. I want to thank Dr. Lavagna who called me to congratulate me. Tomorrow, as President Macri said, I will meet with him and we’ll discuss the remaining time left,” he told supporters.

The meeting will take place at the Casa Rosada, tomorrow Monday at 8:30am. 

Celebrating at the Frente de Todos bunker Fernández started his speech by thanking voters for “voting for an egalitarian, a joined Argentina. One that values our workers, that values our teachers.”

“From here on now on, we only have to do what we promised. Each word that we gave, each promise, was a moral and ethical contract with all Argentines,” he said, flanked by Peronist leaders and human rights figures.

Screaming into the crowd, Fernández emphasised the promises made on the campaign trail and his intention to work for the people. 

“Knowing what we promised, we’re going to do everything in our power for the factories, the shades of all the factories to rise up once again. For those businesses, and everyone of their workers to once again have jobs. So that public education is not a disgrace, so that the universities in the interior of the country are dignified. So that our scientists don’t have to migrate and leave our country because our country mistreated them,” he declared.

 “That,” he said, “is the job I signed up for.”

Alluding to the Peronist past, Fernández told a lively crowd that “[they] are going to rebuild the country our elders did because we do deserve it”

Fernández also thanked his vice-presidential candidate and running-mate, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, echoing her earlier words that their coalition would govern for all of Argentina.

“And just like Cristina said: this isn’t our front, it is the front of the people”

The Kirchners were mentioned heavily in the victory speech, with kind words set aside for both Néstor and Cristinas.

Acknowledging Néstor’s death, nine years ago, Fernández told the crowd that “on a day like today, a 27 of October, Néstor left us. It wouldn’t be fair to not recognise him for the power that he gave us.”

Closing, Fernández once again appealed to supporters to work together with his administration.

“Cristina and Alberto won’t do it. We will do it all together, just as we always have.” 

The president-elect also paid tribute to Axel Kicillof, congratulating the former economy minister on his victory in the gubernatorial race in Buenos Aires Province.

– TIMES