The radical bloc of the Chamber of Deputies suffered a new fracture with the formation of a sector called "Peluca". The emergence of Javier Milei has caused different divisions among the UCR councilors, leaving them divided into four blocs. This fracture has deepened the crisis within the party, especially between its president Martín Lousteau and the governors of Mendoza and Corrientes.
The latest crisis erupted with the formation of the Interior League bloc, composed of radicals including "Peluca" members such as Pablo Cervi, Mariano Campero, Francisco Monti, Martín Arjol, Luis Picat, and José Tournier. Although it was believed that this division was fictitious, the spokespersons of this bloc have indicated that they did so to strengthen their identity and support the Government.
Mariano Campero, one of the representatives of this new bloc, explained that their goal is to represent regional economies and the asymmetry between the center and the deep interior of the country. Additionally, they seek to support President Javier Milei and the National Government on economic issues.
With this new fracture, the radical bloc is divided into four blocs: the traditional UCR, Democracy Forever (DpS), Interior League, and Unidos. The parliamentary renewal occurring in December poses a risk for these blocs, as more than 70% of their seats will be at stake.
The UCR bloc risks 11 of its 14 seats, Democracy Forever 9 of its 12 members, Unidos one of its members, and the Interior League three of its six representatives. Only a few deputies, such as Karina Banfi, Lisandro Nieri, and Gerardo Cipolini from the UCR, among others, maintain their mandate until 2027.
This crisis in the UCR began to develop when the Bases law was debated, where differences within the party became evident. The division deepened when the radicals aligned with the libertarians and voted alongside the Government on issues of privatization and state reform.
While the UCR hopes to maintain minimal representation of a dozen radicals with the parliamentary renewal, uncertainty persists due to internal divisions and potential alliances with other political forces.
