The Buenos Aires PJ continues to boil over Máximo Kirchner, but there are signs of dialogue

In the fight to lead the Justicialista Party of the province of Buenos Aires, President Alberto Fernández supported Máximo Kirchner and aligned some positions behind the leader of La Cámpora. The thick climate due to the advancement of Cristina Kirchner’s son is intact but, at the same time, support and gestures of dialogue emerged. The leadership of the provincial justicialismo is divided between the total rejection upon landing of the deputy and the intention to agree.

“We must all make an effort and we must be together. Máximo, whom I love very much, is a prepared man, a great leader, with the capacity for dialogue. He has all the virtues to hold a position of that nature. [por la presidencia del PJ bonaerense]”, said the President to Radio 10, this Sunday.

After the presidential support, it was expressed Martín Insaurralde, Mayor of Lomas de Zamora and an ally of Máximo Kirchner. “We trust Comrade Máximo to lead the PJ of the province and organize a transformative militancy, which brings us closer to a federal and equitable development,” he published on his Twitter account, and raised the move in parallel with an assumption of the President in the National PJ.

Juan Zabaleta, mayor of Hurlingham and councilor of the provincial PJ for the first electoral section, left a conciliatory message. “Máximo Kirchner is a benchmark in this coalition, with whom we share policies and we are going to share leadership spaces,” he told Radio 10.

At a barbecue in Lomas de Zamora, last week, Máximo Kirchner targeted the mayors Zabaleta, Gustavo Menéndez (Mayor of Merlo and president of the Buenos Aires PJ) and Fernando Gray (Esteban Echeverría mayor and partisan vice president), according to witnesses to the meeting. “There is an intention to strengthen the unit, Alberto said it and Juan made it more than clear,” completed a trusted source from the mayor of Hurlingham.

In leading the party, positions differ. As he could know THE NATION from sources close to Gray, the current vice president of the Buenos Aires PJ “is not willing to move from his place.” They assured that it is the one that is firmer. Gray must assume the presidency and exercise it throughout 2021, according to the rotating system in command that was defined in 2017.

Menéndez, who in 2021 corresponds to the vice presidency, is less bellicose. In their environment they pointed out that, “having expressed the President, he cleared up any type of doubt.” They added that the definitions were postponed “to February”, when they will seek “an agreement that leaves everyone in agreement.” However, they recognized that that understanding “must be worked on a lot” and that “it is not clear” how the landing of a new leadership would take place with the mandates of authorities still in force.

“I think most of them are not going to be planted, they are going to end up fixing them,” said a mayor. And he recalled a recent talk with a party advisor, to illustrate the scenario: “I spoke and was accepting reality.”

“It is closed. Also with the two or three who are more fussy. If Alberto and Cristina agree on something, that’s it”, a justicialista communal leader convinced that Máximo would make his advance final. However, he clarified that “There is no operational clamor.”

The fight could generate changes in the district parties. “If there are elections for the Provincial Council, national and provincial congressmen and district councilors should also be elected. Otherwise, they would be left with disparate mandates,” said a Justicialist leader.

At the municipal level, support for the leader of La Cámpora is also emerging. “We will make a year-end toast in the PJ of Escobar and we will pronounce in favor of Máximo Kirchner in the PJ of Buenos Aires,” the mayor of Escobar told this newspaper, Ariel Sujarchuk, presided over by the district PJ.

The mayor of Malvinas Argentinas did the same on Twitter, Leonardo Nardini. “Convinced of the words of our President Alberto Fernández that the path is unity. And that is why I join in so that Máximo Kirchner presides over the PJ Bonaerense,” he wrote on the social network.

Another mayor was concerned that the camper attack would harm his local interests. “If they let them advance, we will stay out. Here the party will intervene,” he predicted.

Among the current councilors of the Buenos Aires PJ is Sergio Berni, provincial security minister. “If there is a formal approach [por la propuesta de que Máximo presida el PJ], will surely accompany, “he said to THE NATION a source close to the minister, with “intact aspirations” to run for the national PJ.

BESIDES