Elections in the PJ: the governors debate between expanding the league and confrontation with Javier Milei

The outcry operation launched by K leaders on social networks rose to Cristina Kirchner to the ring heading to the November 17 elections in the Justicialist Party (PJ). Until now, the only current application was that of the Riojan Ricardo Quintelawho this Friday reaffirmed his wishes for fight even if the former president decided to compete. Thus, while waiting for a definition from the Patria Institute, Peronism begins to work on the new scenario with the aim of regaining muscle and reaching the 2025 legislative elections with a competitive offer.

The shrapnel of household goods that flooded X on Thursday night shook the political board. Quickly, Kirchnerist figures from all over the country joined in, sharing the slogan in unison. “Cristina to the PJ.” In Rioja lands, the representative of the Quintela list, Daniel Llermanospicked up the gauntlet and ruled out a capitulation by the northern governor. Hours later, it was Quintela himself who ratified his candidacy. “Peronism has to compete, we must not be afraid of the internal process,” launched.

After the initial agitation, speculation and calculations regarding November began in the Justicialist ranks. The truth is that, in recent weeks, Cristina Kirchner had raised her profile with various public appearances, including a surprise visit to residents of La Matanza. His greatest exposure had as its axis the confrontation with the government of Javier Milei.

PJ Governors: between expanding the league and the opposition to Javier Milei

In general terms, two major conclusions are drawn. On the one hand, The provinces see in Cristina a path to direct polarization with Milei, who begins to suffer the erosion of a crisis with no foreseeable end on the horizon. However, they identify that former allies of Peronism, such as provincial governors, are more reactive to the figure of the former vice president. On the contrary, they believe that Quintela is the guarantor of greater breadth, but that he does not have the power of the founder of Unidad Ciudadana.

The movements of the two-time president generated suspicions on all fronts, especially in Buenos Aires, where the internal Axel Kicillof and La Cámpora, without an imminent order, stirs up ghosts of a not-so-distant past. In Buenos Aires, they claim that the move took the leadership of Kicillof’s management by surprise, who was in Mexico participating in the inauguration of Claudia Sheinbaum. “Extreme coldness”, summarized a voice aware of the events.

In fact, more than one leader evaluated that the strategy responds to a chapter of the bid in PBA and not to the needs of the national board. “Everything seems to be the internal of the Province of Buenos Aires. Without a doubt, with the conflict that they cannot be the majority back but that they are not going to be less than 25 or 30 points either. “They have that strong capital,” pointed to Scope a provincial legislator. And he added: “Kicillof, with Ferraresi, gives way to Quintela, and La Cámpora with some mayors consolidate through Cristina. Massa looks from the outside, although much better with Cristina than with Máximo.”

Currently, after the electoral debacle of 2023, in the UP governors league, in addition to Kicillof and Quintela, there remain Sergio Ziliotto (La Pampa), Gildo Insfran (Formosa), Gerardo Zamora (Santiago del Estero) and Gustavo Melella (Tierra del Fuego, Antarctica and South Atlantic Islands). Distant, the Peronist Raul Jalil (Catamarca) pays attention to his game, while Osvaldo Jaldo (Tucumán) definitively broke with space.

Beyond the celestial borders, one of the challenges for the future is to recover volume. In this framework, returning to seduce leaders who historically were in good harmony with Justicialism and who today appear distant appears to be a challenge. The Salteño Gustavo SaenzFor example, the Rio Negro Alberto Weretilneck and the missionary Hugo Passalacqua These are some numbers. This objective will also shape the profile of the future driver of the PJ.

“There is a terrible level of balkanization in the metropolis, the Interior has not yet found a clear leader, and everyone aspires in one way or another to unite provincial fronts led by something remotely similar to Peronism. Cristina is what remains,” They pointed out to this medium from a district. However, in all PJ and satellite jurisdictions they demonstrate the weight of the former president for Justicialism.

“He is the most relevant political figure today, so talking about his candidacy is almost natural. Now, I believe that the PJ must broaden its base and for that we need a fresh, new, much broader perspective,” He entrusted the environment of a provincialist leader.

In this regard, the source added that “Quintela represents a neutrality that is valuable today in the PJ and that can make us strengthen ourselves internally to be able to expand the base and then all together define the course of the party and its leadership.”

Ricardo Quintela supports his candidacy for the PJ

At this time, in La Rioja they confirmed the will to compete, but they put a cold shoulder to the situation. They also highlighted the good harmony that Quintela cultivated with all sectors of Peronism, Cristina included. A meeting is pending between the two, they say.

“He has achieved what few have done in the recent political scene: convening, building and arming from the bases. Key unions such as the CGT, university teaching groups, and important sectors of unionism have decided to put their chips in the Riojan governor for what is a very possible candidacy for the head of the National PJ”, They pointed in the north over the Riojan.

This Friday, as part of his national campaign, the president visited Neuquén, where he led a day with militants. The president of the local PJ escorted him, Darío Martínezand the national senator Silvia Sapag. Later, he had a meeting with the boss Rolando Figueroa and visited the mayor of the Rio Negro town, General Roca, Maria Emilia Soria.

Quintela Kicillof Corpacci.jpg

Ricardo Quintela, Axel Kicillof and Lucía Corpacci, on October 17.

Another thesis that was being considered within UP was the possibility of a third way to settle the fight and avoid crossfire, a trauma that Peronism has been carrying since 2015 and that it has not yet been able to exorcise. On that path, various voices pointed to the national senator Lucia Corpacciwho synthesizes part of the spirit of the two contenders. On the one hand, it maintains good ties with the Patria Institute and recognizes Cristina’s leadership; on the other, he comes from a northern province and functions as a link with Jalil, one of the chiefs that UP seeks to retain.

That shortcut, however, lost power: in a statement, the Catamarca PJ – which Corpacci herself commands – stated that “it supports and accompanies Cristina Fernández de Kirchner as a candidate for President of the National Council of the PJ.”

“As a leader and standard-bearer of Peronism, as a woman who has given her entire life without ever giving up, for the greatness of the Homeland and the well-being of Argentines, she is the natural leader of a movement that today more than ever has the responsibility of giving back. happiness to the people”, reads the writing spread on the web.