Rodríguez Larreta gives Macri some good news with victory in BA City

Buenos Aires City Horacio Rodríguez Larreta announced an unofficial victory early Sunday night, amid an extended delay of official voting results. 

Addressing the election night bunker of Juntos por el Cambio (Together for Change), Larreta told supporters he had secured a confident victory over his principal opponent, Matías Lammens, the candidate for the Kirchnerite coalition Frente de Todos (Front of All). 

“Today we ratify that we want to look to the future and not return back,” said Larreta, the first government candidate to address the public as the crowd cheered “Si, se puede.” (Yes it can be done). 

The exact extent of Larreta’s victory, however, was not immediately known, due to a lack of official data. An hour later, however, results emerged showing that he had taken more than 45 percent of the vote, with Lammens taking around 32 percent.

“Everyone knows that, from the beginning, in the City it cost us, that it wasn’t easy,” Rodríguez Larreta said. “Mauricio laid the basis of a transformation. In the City, we demonstrated that yes it can be done," referring to President Mauricio Macri. 

In his concession speech, admitting his defeat nationwide to Alberto Fernández, the president praised the City mayor, pointing out that "he is on track to be re-elected" and stressing that he is "deserving of this recognition of all Buenos Aires."

- TIMES/PERFIL/NA