Presidential primary candidate Patricia Bullrich said during a TV interview that she would implement economic “shock” policies and remove currency controls as soon as she arrived in the Casa Rosada presidential office if she wins October’s general elections.

“The country needs more courage and a lot more shock policies,” she said on LN+, emphasizing that removing currency controls would be one of her first policies. “The economy can’t be jump-started otherwise.”

Her comments mark her policy differences with Buenos Aires mayor and rival for the opposition presidential nomination, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, who has said that currency controls could not be eliminated from one day to the next and emphasized the need for political consensus-building.

Both presidential hopefuls are members of the right-wing party Republican Proposal (PRO), the major party of the opposition coalition Juntos por el Cambio (JxC).

“Our project is more one of shock, while Horacio’s is much more about trying to make deals with the same actors you have in Argentina today,” she said, also accusing Larreta of being “afraid of making decisions.” 

Bullrich has been working with economist Luciano Laspina and said that she has close contact with economist Carlos Melconian.

She said her other policies would include an “iron-fisted approach to crime” and “monitoring of educational quality”.

Bullrich, 66, was security minister during Mauricio Macri’s government from 2015-2019, where she pushed tough policies on crime. She also served as Labor Minister under Fernando de la Rúa from October 2000-October 2001 and has been a deputy for Buenos Aires city twice.

Bullrich’s comments come following weeks of tensions in the JxC coalition. She is seen as representing PRO’s hard right faction whileLarreta, represents the center-right wing of the party. Larreta and Bullrich are expected to compete against each other in August’s primary election.

Last week, libertarian economist and presidential hopeful Javier Milei, leader of far-right coalition La Libertad Avanza, said on the radio that he would be willing to compete in the primariesfor the presidential nomination against her within a potential new coalition this year. 

“It’s too late [to run as Bullrich’s vice president] but it’s not so late to create a new space and compete against each other,” he told Radio Rivadavia. “There’s still time.”