The first time that there was a debate about creating a national structure, was in the previous Legislative. Javier Milei He was heading to be the surprise of the elections and a shower of leaders from the interior wanted to convince him of the benefits of adding them to their ranks.
On the advice of his relatives, the liberal economist decided to concentrate on the Federal Capital and turn a deaf ear to the requests that came from different parts of Argentina. The bet turned out as he expected: 17% of porteños voted for him and he became the third force, behind the two dominant parties. Nothing bad.
Now, already installed on his bench in the Chamber of Deputies, the panorama changed. So much so that his team set federal tours as the main objective for 2022: they want to take the Miley’s master classes to each of the large cities in the country and find drinking references to accompany you in what is to come. The libertarian is confident that he can be a candidate with chances for the 2023 presidential elections.
Tour. The pilot test of its departures from the Federal Capital was carried out in January in Mar del Plata. The economist held a public class in the middle of Playa Grande and raffled for the first time his salary as a deputy. It was national news. And the envy of other leaders who understood the move: with just over 200 thousand pesos, Milei got a unique advertising campaign and a database of a million subscribers, which otherwise would have been worth a fortune.
However, in his team they consider that the trip to Córdoba this weekend is the litmus test for what is to come. “National arming is inevitable at this point. You have to look for candidates in the main cities to play in the provincial elections that will be before the national ones,” he says. Carlos Maslatonan inorganic, but with voice and vote in the liberal party.
To choose the national referents, Miley He set up a political action table that brings together the leaders of his greatest confidence. Deputy Ramiro Mara; your owner Eugene Casielles and the president of the Libertarian party, Nicholas Emma; They are some of those who decide who will be anointed by the economist in their landings in the interior and those in charge of putting the black ball on those who are not considered fit.
What comes less organized in the Tour Milei are the destinations. In fact, there is nothing confirmed for after Córdoba: “There is no roadmap. Just the idea of making at least one trip per month for the rest of the year”, confesses Marra.
The armed. Just as the phenomenon Miley generates thousands of followers throughout the country, those who know him consider that it will not be easy for the economist to create a party with national reach. “Milei is brilliant as a candidate, but as a point guard he is just starting out. He goes slow and it is his greatest weakness, ”he assures maslaton, who defines himself as an “informal but unofficial advance” of La Libertad Avanza. That independence gives him the chance to give his opinion at ease, even outlining some kind of internal criticism about the deputy with whom he speaks daily.
At the beginning of the year, the surveys encouraged them in their federal project. A study by the consulting firm Opinaia in February ranked him as the candidate with the highest vote intention for 2023, even above the leaders of the Front of All and Together for Change. It was celebrated like a goal.
“The important thing is that we are a competitive force. Afterwards, we are far from the election, therefore we do not trust each other”, interprets Marra, trying not to get on the euphoria of the moment. And he adds ironically: “Furthermore, the pollsters told us that last year we were not going to exceed the PASO. See if they’re wrong again.”
Between his work as a deputy and the national tour, Milei is presenting a book, in the style Cristina Kirchner or Mauricio Macri. “El camino del libertario” by Editorial Planeta, which is already on presale for $2,490, will be in bookstores starting March 4.
The Milei train moves on, but for now it has no stations to stop at. If he wants to be a candidate for president, he knows that he will need a national structure to accompany him. The unknown is whether he will be able to build it this year.
