MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina: Congresswoman Arrieta leaves LLA bloc – ruling party feebler?

Menem fears that discrepancies within LLA's bloc fuels destabilizing rumors

Congresswoman Lourdes Arrieta announced Tuesday that she was resigning from La Libertad Avanza's bloc to form her one-seat force in the Lower House. After being involved in a series of incidents regarding the visit of a group of lawmakers to incarcerated human rights violators during the 1976-1983 dictatorship, Arrieta claimed that “I cannot be part of a party where I am not respected.”

Arrieta has named her newly-created sector “Heavenly Forces - Liberal Space - FE” (Fuerzas del Cielo - Espacio Liberal - FE). She will continue to respond to President Javier Milei, Arrieta told Lower House Speaker Martín Menem in a note in which she also explained that “they washed their hands with the visit [and left] me as cannon fodder.” She also said she would keep “supporting the ideas of freedom” and insisted that the LLA bloc did not even consider Milei's agenda.“

”When I have to be critical I will be,“ argued Arrieta, who differentiated between bills stemming from Milei himself and those ”the deputies of the ruling party want to add.“

”It is evident the mistreatment, the isolation, the lack of consideration. They washed their hands, from the president of the Chamber (Menem) on down,“ she added after releasing earlier this week a draft resolution to grant house arrest to those convicted of genocidal practices still housed at the Ezeiza penitentiary.

Arrieta also said in a radio interview that she had no intention to resign. By the time she announced her decision, the LLA bloc had already decided to expel her, it was also reported in Buenos Aires. The ”FE“ part of her new force's name was said to mean ”faith” in Spanish, because of her Evangelical beliefs.

After Arrieta's move, Menem was said to be worried because the ruling party kept losing political muscle in the Lower House amid rumors that Milei's impeachment might be sought once the necessary number of votes is garnered. Although former President Mauricio Macri openly endorsed Milei's bid at last year's runoff against Sergio Massa, he is suspected to be playing it both ways and those lawmakers from his Republican Proposal (PRO) party are feared to join Kirchnerism as discontent against Milei mounts nationwide.