Governor Sergio Zilliotto and his predecessor Carlos Verna succeeded in preventing the rupture of the Justicialist Party in La Pampa by agreeing on a unity list to renew the party authorities. In this agreement, Zilliotto will run as the party president candidate, accompanied by Verna as his second. This pact represents a turning point in Pampan politics, as the local Peronism, which has historically kept itself apart from Kirchnerism, managed to reach a consensus without excluding La Cámpora.
According to political analysts in the region, the current united image of Pampan Peronism strongly contrasts with the recent past. Just a year ago, the mayors of the ten largest towns in the province were challenging Zilliotto by forming a political table. While in 2021, discontent with the closure of lists led Verna to halt the electoral campaign and deprive Peronism of a national senator. The relationship between both leaders, coming from rival cities, has never been straightforward, making the current agreement a significant achievement.
The efforts of Javier Milei have contributed to the unification of the Pampan Justicialist Party. Recently, the majority of provincial mayors supported Zilliotto in his fight for the rights of Pampan citizens. Zilliotto, along with other Peronist leaders, has remained critical of the national government, implementing judicial and political strategies to defend their interests and question the country's direction.
The political reality in La Pampa also shows an ascending ruling party and an opposition facing difficulties. The national deputy from the province, Martín Maquieyra (Pro), is involved in the investigative committee of the Libra crypto scam. However, from the PJ, they criticize his actions, accusing Maquieyra of being more focused on defending the government than seeking the truth, under the pretext of avoiding a "political circus" by the opposition.
For its part, La Pampa has no midterm elections, and both provincial legislators and councilors are elected alongside the governor every four years. Pampan Peronism, despite lacking exceptional resources and maintaining political sobriety, has been a power party in the region for the past four decades. The recent reelection of Zilliotto in 2023, although tighter than expected, has led the ruling party to review its strategy and strengthen unity within the party as a fundamental condition for its political future.
