Head of the Justice and Development Party bloc in the House of Representatives, German Martinez/Web
The bloc of national representatives of the Union for the Fatherland (UxP) is going through crucial moments for its immediate future, and amid a wave of rumors about impending defections, the tangible threat of the loss of the first minority at the hands of the LLA looms.
Thanks to the liberals’ victory in the midterm elections, the fierce infighting that has plagued Peronism has ended up taking full effect on the legislative blocs in Congress, where a handful of AKP lawmakers are reluctant to be led by Kirchnerism and threaten to close the door.
As House Speaker German Martinez seeks to consolidate his forces and do damage control, the People’s Liberation Army grows like a Pacman, devouring everything in its path. The ruling party, according to Peronism, relies on the “complicity” of the governor of Tucuman, Osvaldo Galdo; From Catamarca, Raul Jalil, and from Salta, Gustavo Sainz, who knew how to be very close to Sergio Massa.
Tucumán’s president had already changed hands in January 2024, when, in the midst of negotiating the first rule law, he withdrew his three UxP deputies to create a government-allied bloc called “Independence.”
After the October elections, suspicions fell on Javier Nogueira, the MP who was elected on the Peronist list with the unified support of Galdo, Manzor and La Campora.
To assume the position of national legislator, this journalist and lawyer resigned from the position of Mayor of Tave Viejo and was replaced by his wife Alejandra Rodríguez to complete the term.
Although there is a commitment from Nogueira to join the Peronist bench, his eventual destination will be the Independence Bloc. Apparently, Galdo played hard to change the decision, because it would have threatened Nogueira withholding resources from Tavi Viejo.
For his part, Jalil has already decided to dismiss his four deputies from the Peronist bloc, which will be renamed the “National Forces” as of next December.
To make this move, Catamarca deputies are awaiting instructions from the governor, who demands that Casa Rosada move Yacimientos Mineros Agua de Dionisio into the district’s orbit.
If Nogueira and the four Jalil confirm their exile from Peronism, the Forza Patria will be reduced to 92 members, just one more than the number the LLA has currently secured for the legislative alternative.
More problems
But the problems do not end there for the PJD, because it is still questionable whether the representative elected by the Judicial Front of San Luis Jorge “Gato” Fernández will join the bloc or whether he will also emigrate.
They say that the person who will work most actively to collect all the loose scraps that come from the Union por la Patria will be the governor of Salta, Gustavo Saenz.
His idea is to expand the federal innovation bloc by integrating the Peronist diaspora. For this, he would begin efforts to add the Galil and Tucuman Istiklal rafts.
In the midst of the storm, the only good news for Forza Patria is that the seven Santiago deputies who responded to Gerardo Zamora will, in principle, remain Peronist.
However, it seems difficult to avoid the inevitable: that the LAF will withdraw its status as the first minority.
Talking about the first minority is not neutral, as it has very specific effects. By becoming the largest force of representatives, the LLA would be able to gain political control over a greater number of committees (by occupying the presidencies), have a greater number of representatives in each of these working bodies, and could also take over the position of First Vice-President of the Council, currently held by Cecilia Moro (UxP), which would avoid headaches for Martin Menem.