Argentina's five presidential candidates debated three weeks before the general elections on October 22.

The participants were Minister of Economy Sergio Massa, the ruling party's candidate and t libertarian Javier Milei, the most voted in the August primaries.

Also the former Minister of Security Patricia Bullrich, from conservative coalition Juntos por el Cambio, and the governor of the province of Córdoba, the Peronist Juan Schiaretti.

The fifth contender was the left-wing leader Myriam Bregman.

The main focus was on inflation, which exceeds 100% annually.

While Massa blamed it on the loan taken by the government of Mauricio Macri in 2018, his rivals blamed him.

The ruling party hopeful promised that if he is President he will aim at fiscal balance and that he will promote a development and production model.

In addition, he anticipated that he will call on all forces to integrate a coalition government.

Milei reiterated his criticism to the traditional political leadership, which he describes as a "caste".

He also renewed his proposals for a massive reduction of the State and the elimination of the Central Bank, although he did not mention one of his most talked about plans: dollarization.

Bullrich, on the other hand, blamed the crisis on "Kirchnerism" and affirmed that his party is the only alternative to defeat it.

Governor Schiaretti called for overcoming political polarization and postulated that Córdoba is a model of orderly and balanced management.

He also questioned the unequal distribution of national resources, which mainly benefits the inhabitants of Buenos Aires.

Bregman, meanwhile, assured that she is the only contender who is not subject to the International Monetary Fund.

The candidates debated at the forum in the city of Santiago del Estero, capital of the province of the same name.

They spoke on three main topics: Economy, Education and Human Rights.

In this last area, Milei generated controversy when he stated that there were not 30,000 people disappeared during the dictatorship, but less than 9,000.

He also argued that the Armed Forces committed then "excesses", and not that they perpetrated a systematic extermination plan.

This position is considered "denialist" of the genocide committed by the military regime between 1976 and 1983.

A second debate will be held next Sunday at the Law School of the University of Buenos Aires.