Cristina Kirchner is the most powerful leader of Peronism. She made this clear to tens of thousands of people this Thursday in the Plaza de Mayo, where she was the sole speaker at the event marking the 20th anniversary of her husband, the late Néstor Kirchner’s, coming to power. For an hour he talked a lot about the past and little to nothing about the present. It didn’t matter much, at least politically. Kirchner took the stage to demonstrate her convening powers within the Frente de Todos coalition government and to make it clear that she will be the one who will chart the electoral strategy for October’s general elections. President Alberto Fernández was not even invited to the event. While his vice president was speaking on a huge stage in front of the Casa Rosada, he traveled to the Atlantic coast to take advantage of the festive bridge on May 25, the national holiday.
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Argentina’s ruling party has no candidate for October’s election, and crowds expected at least a hint this Thursday. Kirchner did not exist. We had to be content with just seeing the faces that populated the stage. Behind him, not far away, was Interior Minister Eduardo de Pedro, his man in Fernández’s cabinet. And also Economy Minister Sergio Massa, the man the Vice President chose as the last table in view of the crisis. Things have not gone well for Massa, who has so far been able to do little to prevent inflation from staying above 100% a year or the central bank’s international reserves from drying up. But Kirchner and Peronism don’t have too many options.
The Vice President and her companions will sing the national anthem from the stage this Thursday. LUIS ROBAYO (AFP)
“What better place to meet again than in Plaza de Mayo, Plaza de la Patria? Exactly 20 years ago we arrived with him [con Néstor Kirchner] Here, on this very square,” said the Vice President at the beginning of her speech. Then, without reading any known ideas, he fell in line: he defended his management as president, criticized former president Mauricio Macri, the media, the International Monetary Fund and treated the Supreme Court as an “unworthy idiot”. He then called for the launch of a project that would make the progressive electorate “fall in love” again and criticized those calling for the end of Peronism. “Why eradicate Peronism when victory is enough,” he told the crowd.
The afternoon was ready for the Kirchnerist epic. It had rained all day in Buenos Aires and although Cristina Kirchner had to speak at around four in the afternoon, the Plaza de Mayo filled up early. The expectation was great. “Go to the square to see what I say,” the vice president had announced a few days ago in her first television interview in six years, and thousands of militants crowded around her, waiting for her to return a month after the square’s closure a voting list would make for the primary elections in August.
Thank you for so much love. That kept me going. Without you, without love, without the rosaries that reach me, without God and without the Virgin; I wouldn’t be here pic.twitter.com/6pjfUOVluz
— Cristina Kirchner (@CFKAArgentina) May 25, 2023
“It has to be her,” asked Elvira, 64, who had traveled with her friend Susana from Luján, two hours by bus from Buenos Aires province. “He called us and here we are. We won’t let her down, she won’t let people down.” When, a few minutes after three in the afternoon, a voice from the loudspeaker in the square announced that Kirchner would be entering the stage, the queues of people sought shelter in front of the buildings on Avenida Diagonal Norte, under the Cabildo building’s scaffolding and the tents covering some of the scattered grills, began to sing, “President! Cristina, President!” The slogan was applauded on stage while the Vice-President took the floor.
Supporters of Cristina Kirchner listen to her speech on May 25, 2023 in the Plaza de Mayo. LUIS ROBAYO (AFP)
Dale, say it! a young man was encouraged to shout after the vice president had spoken for about 20 minutes about the accomplishments of her first administration and militants watched silently on screens around the square. His call broke through the lethargy and reiterated calls for Kirchner to run for president. It has not. Nor did she point to another, although as she spoke on stage she was surrounded by Peronism’s three favorites. “If she isn’t, we still need her choice. We have to start militarizing our candidate,” said 24-year-old Néstor Flores, who traveled from La Matanza, a Kirchnerist electoral stronghold on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. The Vice President said goodbye as the first thunder of the storm rang out and the square dissolved into silence. Those who wanted to hear the name of a chosen one will have to wait.
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