After Mauricio Macri said that he does not see him ready to be head of government, Senator Martín Lousteau came out to counterattack: “Obviously I am still a candidate,” he replied. “I understand the preference that the ex-President has, but in the City Together for Change governs, the PRO does not govern”, he retorted. That is precisely what Macri does not want: for the PRO not to govern but a coalition that -if Lousteau wins- the PASO would put radicalism at the head of the future Buenos Aires government, even if the PRO leaders continued to occupy part of the Cabinet. The senator’s response makes it clear that the UCR has a strategy already drawn up for the Buenos Aires territory and that they even see the chance to take away the PRO’s stronghold.
It is likely that no one remembers it anymore, but that almost happened in 2015: Lousteau ended up in the ballotage very close to Horacio Rodríguez Larreta. There were a few moments of danger in which in the Costa Salguero bunker they saw how the Buenos Aires government was leaving them and the presidential candidacy of Mauricio Macri was wounded. None of that happened: Larreta governed two terms and Macri, only one.
Now the ex-President’s fear is that the scenario will repeat itself. That is why he has been pressuring Larreta to drop his own candidates (Fernán Quirós and Soledad Acuña), leaving his cousin, Jorge Macri, as the only candidate. He also seeks to cut any agreement with Lousteau and, especially, the possibility of the City voting on a date separate from the national ones. Asked about this, Larreta said that he is “an alternative.”
In his latest statements, in addition to assuring that Larreta will end up playing for Jorge Macri, the former President pointed to Lousteau: “Beyond the respect I have for Lousteau, the truth is, no (I see him as head of government). Because I believe that the Pro has set a course for modernity and quality in management that must continue to be set. And we have someone very prepared: Jorge Macri has a unique experience that I did not have.” As if not to fight at all, he added: “This does not take away the values and contributions that he can make. Lousteau will find his place.”
For some reason, the version spread that, after his statements, the former President had sent Lousteau an invitation to eat at his villa in Los Abrojos. As corroborated by this newspaper, the senator did not receive any invitation.
Singing retort
Lousteau’s response was of a drawer: he confirmed that he is still a candidate for head of government. In fact, on Tuesday he was on a tour of Belgrano Avenue, talking to the furniture store merchants. And at night, he had a meeting with a PRO youth space, called La Generación.
“Obviously I’m still a candidate. The preference that the ex-President has, and I understand it because the PRO is his party and his cousin, it’s good that it is like that, but in the City Juntos por el Cambio governs, the PRO does not govern,” he told her. He returned Macri. And he insisted on the idea of renewal: “I understand what the ex-President would like to happen, but is a coalition in the City and in the country that was oxygenated, it was oxygenated a lot from radicalism“.
Lousteau mentioned various candidates that emerged from his space: Rodrigo de Loredo (who got out of the contest in Córdoba to resolve the internal one with Luis Juez; in fact, Lousteau highlighted that gesture), martin tetaz (who filmed a spot walking on blood to announce his candidacy for Buenos Aires governor), among others. “When the ex-President says that he is not going to compete and passes the testimony to the new generations and litters of the PRO, the responsibility lies with the new litters of the PRO. Hopefully the PRO has a renewal to provide different solutions just like radicalism, if there is a better radicalism and PRO, there is going to be a better JvC”, affirmed Lousteau.
On the other hand, with Larreta he showed greater affinities.”Horacio says that the formula is mixed, just like me. I want to govern with the best, not with the radicals, that does not lead you to govern with a small group that looks at things in the same way,” he remarked. He maintained that there are people from his space in the current Buenos Aires administration and that he will do the same with the PRO, if he manages to win. How these mixed formulas will be, is still a mystery: Lousteau-Acuña? Jorge Macri with what radical? For now, it is only a field of speculation.
What is clear is that whoever remains in the PRO dispute will have to face Lousteau in the PASO before reaching the generals.
