The radical Kirchnerist Leandro Santoro, candidate for Buenos Aires legislator for the "Es Ahora Buenos Aires" front, once again sparked controversy after past statements in which he suggested censoring the media exposure of then-candidate for deputy Javier Milei, raising fears about his willingness to curtail freedom of expression in Argentina.
In the midst of the campaign for the legislative elections on May 18 in the City of Buenos Aires, his statements once again generate fear since, if he wins a seat in the Buenos Aires Legislature, Santoro and his bloc could push for measures that restrict dissenting voices, endangering the country's democratic foundations.
Santoro's authoritarian statements
In a 2021 interview with Jorge Fontevecchia on Periodismo Puro (Net TV), Santoro stated that the media were "irresponsible" by giving now-president Javier Milei space in prime time, labeling his speech as "dangerous" and lamenting that, as understood, "he wasn't censored in time".
These words, which spread on social media, are seen as an attempt to silence Milei for ideological reasons, given the challenge his rise represented for Peronism. In another television appearance, Santoro stated that Milei should have been "stopped" in the media, reinforcing the perception of a stance against freedom of expression.
