The dome of PRO met again this Monday in San Telmo, in the midst of the strong internal conflict that crosses the party and the coalition that it integrates, Together for Change. The main references / candidates were at the meeting: the “presidential ones”, such as Mauricio Macri, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, Patricia Bullrich and María Eugenia Vidal; also the people of Buenos Aires with aspirations for governor, such as Cristian Ritondo and Diego Santilli; plus the neo porteño Jorge Macrilaunched for succession in the City.
as he was able to reconstruct Clarionalso participated in the meeting Federico Pinedodeputy Federico Angelini and the senator Humberto Schiavonithree leaders who are also part of the leadership of the party.
At the exit, it was Jorge Macri who spoke and sent a message to the UCR: “We have the best candidates”, assured. And he expanded: “We met to discuss different issues and we celebrate that the radical convention ratified its commitment to continue within Together for Change. We believe that in the PRO we have the best candidates, but it is very good that each force feels that it also has them”.
The statement was a response to the new head of the National Convention of the UCR, Gastón Manes, who assured that the best applicants were from radicalism. One of those listed, precisely, is his brother Facundo, the neuroscientist and congressman from Buenos Aires.
Another source that participated in the meeting told this newspaper that former President Macri lowered the line with another issue that he considered urgent for 2023: “Unify and show an economic plan”. It is in tune with the concern that the former president has been expressing in his public appearances: let it be clear why Together for Change wants to return to power.
Today, the party has at least three well-known economists working on a program: Hernán Lacunza, the last minister Macri had before leaving power and who now works closely with Larreta; Guido Sandleris, former head of the Central Bank and who collaborates with more than one candidate; and Luciano Laspina, more linked to Bullrich.
Macri’s request was to unify positions to have an economic plan and development with the PRO seal, to later coordinate with the UCR, which has another former public official: Eduardo Levy Yeyati. The tension between the two coalitions also covers this area.
“The idea is to see what we are going to do with this mess that we are going to have left. Have a program. Beyond the obvious of lowering the deficit and having fiscal balance, we must show and have a plan. There were no major disagreements on the issue, but there is a lack of coordination. And that is what Mauricio asked for. Later, each candidate will be able to have his imprint, “a source expanded to Clarion.
Before the economic discussion, also it was agreed to move forward on legislative issues, such as a single ballot, a clean record (those convicted of corruption or serious crimes cannot be candidates) and rental law. In this case, the idea is also to have a common position of the PRO. For this reason, authorities from the Senate and Deputies will join in future meetings.
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The meeting comes at a particular moment: with Macri (Mauricio) with an increasingly high profile, and as a potential applicant in 2023, Larreta and Bullrich had to run and go out to install that they will seek to fight beyond the aspirations of the former president.
Not only are they uncomfortable with the increasingly active role of the founder of the PRO, but many alternatively see him as the great elector, as the one who would decide who should head the yellow bid. Perhaps the most comfortable in that sense is Vidal: it was Macri himself, plus his entourage, who asked not leave the former governor out of the national grid.
The bottom bids are also strong. Santilli wants to lead for governor hand in hand with Larreta and Ritondo has the same plan but with the accompaniment of Macri.
Jorge Macri in the City is a little more complex: He joined the Larreta government months ago and has since been installed as his possible successor. But the relationship between the head of government and the radical Martin Lousteauwho is also going for the CABA chair, worries the former mayor of Vicente López.
And the former president also decided to play there. The same day that Larreta and Lousteau were shown together at a UCR act, Mauricio decided to take a picture with his cousin Jorgein what was interpreted as a gesture of support.
