MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

CFK team insists with a Peronist outsider as her vice-presidential candidate

Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernandez insists in calling Vice-president Cobos a ‘traitor’

Following on Sunday’s electoral victory in the northern province of Catamarca, Argentina’s Cabinet Chief, Aníbal Fernández insisted that the Victory Front ruling party might go with a non-Peronist vice-presidential candidate on next October’s presidential elections.

The minister justified the statement by saying that being pluralist and incorporating people from all political parties and factions is something etched in the “Peronism’s DNA”. Thus, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who has not confirmed her re-election hopes yet, could run, once more, in association with a Peronist outsider.

Asked if the experience lived with current Vice President Julio Cleto Cobos wasn’t enough proof that having someone from another party is not a good idea, the Cabinet Chief said: “Well, I’m not saying that the Kirchnerism is going to pick a non-Peronist for sure. I’m just saying that it is a valid option, plus the fact of Cobos being a traitor is not something we should take as an example, it was just an exceptional case.”

Even when no one doubts of CFK’s intention of seeking re-election, some sources indicate the Head of State could have confessed to closest advisors like Legal and Technical Secretary Carlos Zannini, Secretary of State Intelligence Héctor Icazuriaga, Security Minister Nilda Garré, and Media Secretary Juan Manuel Abal Medina, that she wouldn't announce her candidacy without a guaranteed 35% floor of vote intention on her favour

According to the latest opinion polls the Argentine electorate seems divides in three thirds: one which supports CFK and what she stands for; another third belongs to the dissident ruling Peronist party and the rest to an atomized opposition unable to unite as happened in Catamarca’s Sunday election.

Meanwhile in the city of Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri said he is a presidential pre-candidate for October election. He added that that Deputy Mayor Gabriela Michetti and City Cabinet Chief Horacio Rodríguez Larreta are two “excellent” candidates to succeed him as city mayor in the October elections.

Whether Deputy Michetti or Chief Cabinet Rodríguez Larreta run for mayor as PRO party candidates is yet to be determined.