ARGENTINA: Argentina's presidential run-off campaign received a fresh lease of life yesterday as first-round winner Mr Carlos Menem opted to continue in the race, despite persistent rumours that the former president would pull out ahead of a certain, humiliating defeat in Sunday's poll.
Mr Menem, twice president of Argentina, secured 24 per cent of votes in the first round of voting last month, obliging him to face his nearest rival, Mr Nestor Kirchner, who scored 22 per cent of votes, far from the 40 per cent needed to win outright.
Both candidates belong to the centre-right Peronist party (PJ), which split three ways due to a power struggle over which politician should represent the party at the polls.
Several losing candidates urged their supporters to vote against Mr Menem.
His second-round campaign failed to generate widespread support. Many Argentinians had become weary of the corruption scandals that clouded his decade in power.