20 Nov 2023

South America correspondent Katy Watson

From Nine To Noon, 9:45 am on 20 November 2023
Picture released by AG La Plata showing the presidential candidate for La Libertad Avanza party, Javier Milei (C), waving a chainsaw between his sister Karina Milei (R) and Buenos Aires Province governor candidate Carolina Piparo, during a political rally in La Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, on September 12, 2023. Argentina holds presidential elections on October 22, 2023. With a month to go, the election remains eminently open and the economy at the heart of the debates, with a great divide between the ultraliberal Javier Milei's promise to "slash" public spending and the government camp's showering of subsidies to "lend a hand" to Argentines bled dry by inflation. His main rivals will be former security minister Patricia Bullrich on the right, and economy minister Massa from the ruling centre-left coalition. (Photo by Marcos GOMEZ / AG La Plata / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY CREDIT "AFP PHOTO / AG LA PLATA / MARCOS GOMEZ" - NO MARKETING - NO ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS -...

Javier Milei wielded a chainsaw at one of his rallies to symbolise his plans to slash spending. Photo: AFP / Marcos Gomez

Argentina goes to the polls on Sunday to vote for their new president. The elections come as the country struggles with an economic crisis, with inflation now above 140%.

The choice is stark - current economy minister Sergio Massa or a radical outsider, Javier Milei - a man who's brandished a chainsaw on the campaign trail and has some unorthodox plans to fix the economy like blowing up the central bank and replacing the peso with the US dollar.