After disparaging pretty much every sector of Argentine politics during his campaign, far-right presidential candidate Javier Milei (La Libertad Avanza, LLA) is changing tactics ahead of the November 19 run-off in order to garner support. On Monday, he said he would be open to adding former contender Patricia Bullrich (Juntos por el Cambio, JxC) and members of the left to his potential government. 

“I wouldn’t discard having Patricia Bullrich as [a possible] security minister,” Milei said in an interview with TV news station La Nación+. “We really valued her work as minister,” he added, referring to her tenure as security minister during former president and JxC leader Mauricio Macri’s government (2015-2019).

His quest for new allies didn’t end there, as Milei said he would like to have people from leftist parties in his eventual Human Capital Ministry. He added that he is also in talks with Macri, as well as former vice presidential candidate Florencio Randazzo, who ran alongside Juan Schiaretti.

Milei’s attempt to get Bullrich’s support comes after a nasty war of words between them that ended up in the judiciary.

During the first presidential debate, Milei said Bullrich was a “montonera bomb thrower,” accusing her of bombing kindergartens as a member of Montoneros, an armed organization that was active in the 1970s. Bullrich denied being involved in violence during those years and filed a criminal complaint for defamation and libel against Milie at the beginning of October.

Milei said he also has a good relationship with Randazzo, who was Interior and Transport Minister during Cristina Kirchner’s administrations and later cut ties with Kirchnerism. “[Randazzo] had a remarkable stint in public office and stood up to Cristina [Kirchner]. He is a part of the [new] hard-core sector we are creating.”

The LLA candidate explained that he doesn’t intend for them to join his coalition but rather support him if LLA wins the election.

Economy Minister Massa finished unexpectedly in first place on Sunday with 36.7% of the vote while Milei came in second with almost 30%. Both candidates are seeking support from other coalitions; however, Milei has expressed harsh criticism and even insults against those whom he now wants to ally with.

Although Macri publicly backed Bullrich, rumors about his possible alliance with Milei have been going on for the past few months. Shortly after the August primaries, Milei said he would give Macri a custom-made role as a representative of Argentina in a possible government, as a sort of market-opener.

Milei appealed to JxC’s voters after the election results were announced on Sunday to help him win the run-off. “If we work together, we can win.”

During an interview with El Observador radio station, Milei confirmed  his call to JxC to help him beat UxP. “I am willing to leave everything behind with the goal of beating Kirchnerism.”

Although he has often called leftists zurdos in a derogatory way, he now said that they are the ones who know more about the social issues that would have to be dealt with by the Human Capital ministry he wants to create, which would absorb the current health, education and labor ministries. It would also deal with childhood and family issues.

“We called them. If they give me a solution to the problem, I don’t care what they think.”
Gabriel Solano, leader of leftist party Partido Obrero, described Milei’s statements as “absurdly opportunistic,” adding that “he has incessantly been calling the left ‘rubbish’ for the past year” and even said that it is “aesthetically and humanly inferior” to LLA. “Now, after his defeat […] he is desperately trying to mask his fascism,” he told Télam news agency.