A new controversy has erupted in the UCR because the radical deputies of Provincias Unidas are demanding that they be "recognized as the only representation" in the Chamber of Deputies and that no other bloc can use the historical name of that party.
The demand in Provincias Unidas is based on the fact that the radical deputies did not line up behind the party's decision to defend the Disability and University laws, whose repeal was being pushed by the Government in the 2026 Budget Law.
The new buzz within the weakened radicalism appeared after the radical deputies of Provincias Unidas, Martin Lousteau, Jorge Rizzoti, Pablo Juliano, Mariela Coletta and María Inés Zigarán, signed a note addressed to the party president, Leonel Chiarella, to have them recognized as the only representation in the Chamber of Deputies.
In any case, the bloc of radical deputies—which is headed by Pamela Verasa—maintains that that caucus "won the showdown that sought to strip it of the use of the radical seal," according to sources told the Noticias Argentinas Agency.
For those close to Verasa, it was "a total failure the maneuver proposed by Provincias Unidas," whom they defined as "a minority that has always been schismatic," in addition to pointing out that the "National Committee has no plans to address that request."
In fact, this Wednesday there was a virtual meeting, but that request was not on the agenda of issues dealt with by the new leadership of the UCR.
The five radicals from Provincias Unidas stated that "despite the extortion orchestrated by the officialist bloc and its allies in the aforementioned session, the deputies who are part of the Provincias Unidas bloc maintained our position in line with the party line when voting on Chapter 11 of the Budget Bill project, which committed very significant districtal issues."
They also recalled that no bloc in the Chamber of Deputies "brings together more than half of the representatives of the UCR who are part of the body. Consequently, no space can legitimately arrogate itself the party denomination by the imposition of majorities."
They pointed out that "the use of our party's acronym should be reserved for those who monolithically respect the party guidelines, political coherence and the trust of those who historically identify with the UCR and are part of the political agreement that today represents the leadership of the National Committee."
They highlighted that the Provincias Unidas bloc was "formed from a commitment among deputies from eight provinces with the aim of exercising a responsible, federal and coherent opposition, without automatic alignments with either the national government or kirchnerism."
"The use of the acronym of our party should be reserved for those who monolithically respect the party guidelines, political coherence and the trust of those who historically identify with the UCR and are part of the political agreement that today represents the leadership of the National Committee."
