On February 19, the day that Cristina Kirchner turned 70, had a special seasoning. It is that from now on, beyond the fate of the vice in Justice, she will no longer go to prison. As a result of Law 24,660, sanctioned in 2008 when she was president, she would be granted the domiciliary benefit due to her age before a firm conviction. In this context, it is not a minor detail.
“Thank you very much to all of you for the birthday greetings that you sent me. For the messages of love and for the incredible videos, ”Cristina wrote on her Twitter account. And she completed: “I feel you all very close to my heart.”
The key word in the celebration had been thrown back onto the political board days before, at the first political table of the Frente de Todos: “ban”. The networks were filled with messages alluding to the judicial situation of the vice. It was the reboot of Operative Outcry.
Options. The K project includes two variants. Waving the ban flag, even if the vice president is not disqualified from assuming a candidacy, will lead Cristina to decide to go to the polls or, failing that, to take the pen and choose the candidate of the Frente de Todos.
Of course, everything would be easier for the interests of Kirchnerism if Alberto Fernandez declined his intentions to run for re-election. It is not going to happen, he made it clear at the party meeting and his few loyalists made it public.
The new round between the President and the vice president was revealed on CFK’s 70th birthday, when Alberto Fernández did not greet her through social networks. If there is a crisis, let it be noticed.
The K battle to impose the concept of proscription was played out in the media, where the hard leadership compared Cristina’s situation with that of Juan Domingo Perón; in the streets of Buenos Aires, which appeared papered with posters; and at Casa Rosada, where there was some disagreement with the plan.
Meanwhile, Cristina kept a low profile. She traveled to the south on Saturday afternoon, the 18th, and returned on Sunday the 26th. The vice is a unique case in Argentine politics: she manages to be the protagonist of the dispute, even when she is absent and silent.
Debate. Beyond the intentions of Kirchnerism, the President’s entourage is willing to fight. This was demonstrated by Aníbal Fernández, who was encouraged to publish a dissonant opinion, which generated noise in the ruling party. In an interview with Clarín, the Security Minister shot: “Cristina is not banned, she can be a candidate if she wants to.” Luis D’Elia He supported it: in a tweet he greeted the vice for her birthday and in the next he crossed it: “Excellent Aníbal, he destroyed the trout clamor operation of La Cámpora.”
Before the reaction of the hard wing of Kirchnerism appeared, the one who tried to put cold cloths on the situation was the chief of staff, Agustín Rossi: “Clearly Cristina is banned,” he assured. And before someone claims anything from him for the words of the Security Minister, he completed: “I am not the political boss of Aníbal Fernández, who should not have it at this point.”
Friendly fire not only affects electoral assembly. Congress was also affected by this tension and for this reason, at the close of this edition, four senators slammed the door and walked away from the Frente de Todos to put together their own bloc. This will mean more than one headache for the vice when it comes to achieving a quorum. All wrong.
Operation Outcry generated all kinds of short circuits, even where historically there were none. For example, it caused discomfort with the Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo. It is that Estela de Carlotto was asked about the possibility of adding Cristina’s judicial situation to the slogans of this March 24, an idea that the vice president herself had outlined in her last public appearance. And the human rights reference put a brake on her: “I think that Cristina on the 24th is not going to make that demonstration because it is exclusively the reminder of a coup,” she said. And she added: “This other issue will surely be addressed the day before or after the 24th, because we cannot mix ours with a purely political and current issue.”
So that the conflict does not grow, the Minister of the Interior Eduardo “Wado” de Pedro met with Estela de Carlotto and shared a photo together. Deactivated controversy, at least for now.
Like any plan, that of Kirchnerism also has some interpreters who are overzealous. The mayor of Pehuajó, Pablo Zurro He compared the vice with San Martín and Belgrano: a hero. “She does not have to be convinced, only with her story on her shoulders will she say that she is a candidate,” she released, after asking the President to desist from participating in the elections.
Everything revolves around her, but she gives no signs. From El Calafate, Cristina observed the electoral map in complete silence. She does not rush, while La Cámpora plays the dirty game, of wear and tear, with the environment of Alberto Fernández. The reunion between the President and the vice president, after five months without seeing each other, will be on March 1 in Congress. Nobody expects it to be fun.
