The Argentine president, Alberto Fernández, maintains his aspirations for presidential re-election, despite the pressure he receives from his vice president, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, and her allies. Fernández rules out the possibility of a palace putsch to bury his political aspirations and oils his internal machinery to compete in the open, simultaneous and mandatory primary elections (PASO).
The president considers that Kirchnerism is an exhausted instance within the Justicialista Party, and that it is necessary to find a political formula that can block the repetition of serious historical errors and cause a new social expectation on the way to the vote.
Fernández’s look at the fate of Kirchnerism and the next institutional stage is influenced by two books that are best sellers in the political world: “Meeting Perón, exile and return”, written by Juan Manuel Abal Medina (father), and another Related to Raúl Alfonsín.
Disagreements with Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
The tension between Fernández and Kirchner has intensified in recent weeks due to the lack of definition of the electoral strategy and the differences over management. However, Fernández believes that he can win the STEP against Kirchnerism if the government manages well and recovers the economy. He will wait until May to make his decision.
Kirchnerism, for its part, organizes an “operative outcry” for Kirchner to agree to be a candidate for president, while Fernández sends his spokeswoman and several ministers to defend him against the attacks by La Cámpora. The walls of Buenos Aires and the roads that lead away from the city are covered with banners and posters that ask CFK to be a candidate, despite being now prohibited by a court ruling.
In the circle close to the president, they maintain that today the electoral scenario is not defined, and that “nobody has candidates, neither does the opposition.” According to the official thesis, Fernández had no chance of being president in May 2019 either, but politics has its things and he “does not believe in the polls.”
Fernández hopes to be able to compete in the PASO against anyone, and is confident that his administration can surpass any Kirchnerist candidate. His final decision will be known in May.