The death of the historic conurbano baron, Juan José Mussi, was a signal that much more than just a political leader had passed. For Peronism, it meant the loss of a vital piece of its memory during the harshest year of its internal disputes. This year, marked by a power struggle, a split electoral calendar, and the need for self-definition to survive, will go down in Peronist history as a year of internal tensions, judicial shocks, and mixed results. Beyond the classic narrative of 'unity,' Peronism is in a transitional phase, trying to reinvent itself to compete against Mileism. Today's drama and strength of Peronism lie in the tension between old leadership and a new generation of officials seeking to revitalize Juan Perón's project through territorial management. The dispute over the lists in the province of Buenos Aires called into question the monopoly of the old guard. The results of the September 7 and October 26 legislative elections revealed a fracture: the province as a bastion and the country as a contested territory where Peronism only managed to score partial victories. This contrast fueled the debate on the course and identity: is the Buenos Aires model exportable, or is it merely a refuge that is not enough to win back a majority social base beyond the PBA borders. On the horizon, uncertainties loom. Mussi's departure coincides with a Peronism seeking to open another cycle, still unnamed and without fully consolidated leadership. The tension between Kicillofism and Kirchnerism reached a boiling point, and the guilty verdict against Cristina Fernández de Kirchner further shook a precarious balance. Her words regained emotional weight but failed to order the Peronist ecosystem as it once did. Meanwhile, Kicillof sought to assert himself with tours, plenary sessions, and gestures of autonomy, crystallizing the question that hovered all year: who leads Peronism today? The provisional answer came at the polls. Towards the end of the year, the internal conflict took institutional form in the Buenos Aires PJ: Máximo Kirchner could compete for that seat again, while mayors from the conurbano closer to Kicillof began to explore the possibility of an alternative list. The key to the Peronist reorganization for 2027 will likely be played out in this dispute between Kicillofism and Kirchnerism. It is not just about two names, but two readings of the political moment and two ways of imagining the reconstruction of the space. In this scenario of redefinitions, Mussi's death appeared as an involuntary symbol. Not out of nostalgia, but because it marks the end of an era: the era of the baron who shaped his territory as an extension of his political identity.
