With ten days until the presidential second round, a government-declared state of calamity has become central to the campaign, constraining campaigning and reframing public debate around emergency management, services and state capacity. The development exposes political faultlines — including the right's recurring mistake of underestimating left-wing incumbents — and underscores how a recent state blackout left communities to fend for themselves, highlighting the fragility of public institutions. The emergency framing is likely to influence voter perceptions of safety, governance and policy ahead of the run-off.