The Latin Times spoke to Shila Vilker, head of political consultancy firm TresPuntoZero about the key issues that could determine who becomes the next president

In Argentina, where women have made some recent gains but are still fighting for full equal rights, anti-establishment presidential candidate Javier Milei has divided the electorate with an unashamedly machismo stance.

Over the past year, Argentina has experienced near-hyperinflation and a foreign currency scarcity as central bankers struggle to repay a $33 billion debt to the International Monetary Fund

Despite overseeing record inflation and poverty levels, Argentina's Economy Minister Sergio Massa confounded expectations by scoring the most votes in Sunday's first-round election.

Argentina is heading to a runoff presidential election race between Economy Minister Sergio Massa, who has overseen record inflation, and the chainsaw-wielding, TikTok-savvy outsider Javier Milei.

The current government's Economy Minister saw a large jump in support compared to August's primaries. Opposition leader Patricia Bullrich came in third

To avoid a runoff election on November 19, a candidate needs to win 45 percent of the vote Sunday, or 40 percent with a difference of 10 points or more over the nearest rival.

Argentines will vote for a new president on Sunday, gripped by anxiety and with one thing in mind: escaping an economic quagmire that has seen annual inflation hit almost 140 percent.

Brazil, Mexico and Argentina have been steady at the top. Chile and Colombia have climbed and Venezuela's demise illustrates the extent of its crisis

New Zealand have reset from their thrilling win over Ireland to prepare for Friday's World Cup semi-final against Argentina with the pain of losing four years ago at the same stage "a big driver".

Argentina is Latin America's third-largest economy, bursting with natural resources, but has been unable to claw its way out of decades of economic instability that has brought its population to its knees.

Lower levels of confidence in the government, economic outlook and problems to afford shelter may influence voters on Sunday

"The battle for truth and justice that has been conducted primarily by the families of the victims of the terrible years of the Argentine dictatorship reached another important result," lawyer Arturo Salerni said.

Wales play Argentina in Marseille on Saturday with a place in the World Cup semi-final at stake, a position few thought Warren Gatland's Welsh side would be in after a year of turmoil.

Argentina's election campaign was marked by heated exchanges Wednesday as the incumbent president pressed charges against frontrunner candidate Javier Milei for dissing the national currency, which subsequently crashed.

The US dollar broke through the symbolic 1,000 peso mark on Argentina's parallel market on Tuesday, as citizens scramble to dump the currency two weeks before a presidential election, according to websites tracking the rate.

Argentina has a history of economic instability due to inflation, fiscal deficits, and currency devaluation, due to which many investors found returns on investments challenging.

Tiago Codevilla, 17, has only ever known his country, Argentina, bedeviled by inflation and economic woes, his parents constantly short of money and cursing those in power.

The country is also in recession, fuelled by a three-year drought that has done much damage to agricultural exports.

Ahead of the general election, which will take place on Oct. 22, presidential candidates Javier Milei, Sergio Massa, Patricia Bullrich, Juan Schiaretti and Myriam Bregman took part in a debate.

Abortion is legal in only a few countries - Colombia, Cuba, Mexico, and Uruguay - across Latin America. Whereas, countries like Peru don't allow abortion even in rape cases.

Google turned a quarter of a century old, with that, they've also been investing in Latin America for 17 years, but what exactly are they doing?

The ESMA, the most notorious murder and torture center among hundreds operated by Argentina's 1976-83 military dictatorship, stands today as a reminder of the brutality humans are capable of.

Many milongas in the capital have had to close amid spiraling inflation that reached 95 percent last year as fewer and fewer can afford to hire live musicians.

Santiago Barros uses the Midjourney app to combine photos of disappeared parents from the archive of a well-known organization's website, creating images of what their missing children may look like as adults today.

The US dollar has long been a refuge for Argentines from pesos which lose value faster than they can spend them. Citizens bypass strict currency controls to buy dollars from a flourishing parallel market and squirrel them away at home in what is often their only viable means of savings.

Self-employed individuals will find solace in a six-month tax relief period, and those reliant on food benefits will receive supplementary stipends to assist them in navigating the crisis.

The agreement combines the fifth and sixth reviews of an existing 30-month, $44 billion IMF program, in a move aimed at improving the South American country's dire economic situation.

Some 200 people have been arrested for "piranha attacks" —from the outskirts of Buenos Aires to the Patagonian city of Bariloche and the Mendoza wine region.

Deeply unpopular President Alberto Fernandez is not seeking reelection in October as year-on-year inflation runs at 115%, poverty has soared, and the value of the peso has plummeted.