Sáenz tightens grip on Salta, Milei’s party pulls off upset in capital

Governor Gustavo Sáenz tightened his grip on Salta’s legislature with a resounding victory in Sunday’s provincial elections, though the spotlight fell on the provincial capital where President Javier Milei’s La Libertad Avanza (LLA) scored a surprise win.

Sáenz’s alliance, Vamos Unidos por Salta, secured overwhelming majorities in both chambers of the provincial legislature – winning 11 of 12 seats in the Senate and 20 of 30 in the Chamber of Deputies up for renewal. But the story of the night was in the provincial capital, where libertarian Roque Cornejo won the race.

With 89 percent of polling stations reporting in Salta City, Cornejo had won 35 percent, with Bernardo Biella of Unidad de los Salteños on 30 percent.

The election was held using the electronic ballot system, which meant results were released quickly after polls closed.

The victory is a boost for Milei’s party, which is attempting to boost its presence in the north.

Results across the province showed the national heavyweight parties – the Partido Justicialista, PRO and the Unión Cívica Radical – trailing in third or fourth, behind Sáenz’s alliance and La Libertad Avanza, and failing to win a seat.

The strong showing for Vamos Unidos por Salta across most of the province leaves Sáenz in firm control of the local legislature as he enters the final stretch of his term.

The governor addressed supporters from his campaign HQ on Sunday night, celebrating the overall victory but reflecting on the result in the capital. “I would have loved to win all 12 Senate seats,” he said. “In major urban centres, elections are more complicated.”

He congratulated Cornejo on his win, though noted that “until just over an hour ago, they were saying there had been fraud.”

La Libertad Avanza alleged "irregularities" and "clientelism" at around 5pm, before results had been released.

“We’ll keep fighting together to continue transforming our beloved province,” Sáenz said, defending his alliance’s performance.

“I don’t know how people read provincial elections, the legislative ones, but if we won 11 of 12 seats, I think that’s 11 to 1, right? And if we won 20 of 30 deputies, I think we won, no?”

President Javier Milei hailed the result in the provincial capital, reposting a message from LLA’s official account on X that read: “La Libertad sweeps in Salta.”