MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Re-elected governor gives full support to CFK re-election; criticizes Moyano

Governor Juan Manuel Urtubey said Moyano’s attacks on him were a huge help in winning the election

A recently re-elected Argentine provincial governor gave his full support for the re-election of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, CFK, and asked for “more limits” to be imposed on Hugo Moyano, Argentina’s organized labour chief who attacked the incumbent candidate during the campaign.

“Her (CFK) decision to re-run will be hugely important for the country and for the constant battle being fought in politics” said Juan Manuel Urtubey, a clear winner of last Sunday’s governor election in the northern province of Salta. He added that from the position of Peronism, “we have no other alternative than her”.

Earlier in the day Urturbey was critical of Argentina’s Labour Confederation CGT boss behaviour, after he had blasted him during the Salta elections and demanded “more limits should be put on Moyano”.

“He got involved in the campaign, and organised events which went against the provincial government. I’m not annoyed, in fact the opposite. Moyano has a very different view to me. That’s democracy,” affirmed Urtubey.

Apparently Moyano appealed to very harsh words to play down Urtubey’s campaign during his visit to Salta in support of Peronist lawmaker Walter Wayar, who ended the election with 8% of the vote.

“Moyano came to Salta to campaign for another candidate and threw some harsh critiques on me. Anyway, his plan didn’t seem to work as his comments were nothing but a huge help to make me win the election”, said Urtubey who cruised the re-election with a commanding 57.68% of the vote.

Besides charging back on Moyano, the Kirchner government’s most powerful ally, Urtubey made clear that he backs the national government’s model.

“I have never hidden my political position. I’m Peronist, and I back the national government but will always tell them what I don’t like of its model or if there is something that goes against my province”, and repeated, “If the President decides to seek re-election, I’ll be there doing everything possible to see her winning”

Urtubey was scheduled to meet Tuesday with President Cristina Fernandez in Government House but in her absence (on medical orders) he was received by Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo with whom he held a meeting of over an hour.

“Governor Urtubey and Minister Randazzo analyzed the electoral results in Salta and also talked about the current political situation and the need for the province of Salta and the federal government to keep wording jointly to help with the economic and social development of the province”, said the official release from Casa Rosada.

Governor Urtubey said on Sunday following his victory that he would like to run for president in 2015. Although close to the Kirchner government, he is considered more autonomous and less dependent on the federal government’s checks than the rest of the Argentine Northern provinces.

As can be seen by his statements Urtubey dislikes the powerful organized labour union leader, which can be interpreted as a further convergence with CFK, who is well aware her government needs the powerful Moyano, but not his political ambitions of having one of his confidents in the re-election ticket as vice-president candidate.

Such a move could be seen as evidence of CFK weakness and dependence on organized labour plus scaring middle of the road voters.