The governor of Catamarca, Raúl Jalil, took a definitive step that shakes the internal balances of Peronism: he rejected a call from an envoy of Cristina Kirchner's inner circle and confirmed his break with the Unión por la Patria (UP) bloc, thus facilitating the consolidation of the ruling coalition of Javier Milei in the Chamber of Deputies. This political maneuver translates into new parliamentary support for the libertarian government at a crucial moment.
What happened: the Catamarca break In the hours leading up to the crucial session in the Chamber of Deputies, where the minority of the new lower house would be defined, a heavyweight Peronist leader, Eduardo Valdés, called the Catamarcan governor with the aim of reversing his decision to detach from the UP bloc. Jalil had decided that his lawmakers—including Fernanda Ávila, Fernando Monguillot, and Sebastián Nóblega—would form their own bloc, Elijo Catamarca, sealing their exit from UP. The outcome demonstrates that, at this stage, winning governorships may carry more weight than maintaining membership in a national bloc. The move prevented the Kirchnerist coalition from regaining the majority, paving the way for the ruling bloc.
Reasons cited by Jalil From his inner circle, they assure that his stance responds to a change in priorities: according to the governor, the "culture of controversy" must give way to the "culture of dialogue" and the commitment to the province. Jalil had previously expressed his annoyance with the leadership of UP, led by Germán Martínez, and questioned the lack of renewal after the recent electoral setback.
Immediate consequences: reconfiguration of power in the Chamber of Deputies With the exit of the Catamarcan bloc, UP suffers a heavy blow: three fewer seats, which reduces its negotiation capacity. For the Milei administration's bloc, the maneuver represents a relief: the fragmentation of Peronism paves the way for advancing its agenda in a reconfigured Congress.
Reactions from Peronism: criticism and disbelief Jalil's distancing generated discontent within Peronism: some leaders accused him of being a "traitor" and questioned his prioritization of negotiations over the votes obtained by UP. From the official PJ bloc in Catamarca, the exit was not total: one provincial deputy, close to orthodox sectors, decided to remain. This fact is used internally to mitigate the impact of the break.
Beyond the break: towards an independent federal strategy According to allies of Jalil, the objective is to consolidate a personal profile: combining provincial governance, dialogue with the national executive, and building a future alternative federal alliance, distant from traditional Kirchnerism. There is speculation about the possibility of integrating a new inter-bloc with other provincial governors, which could reconfigure territorial representation in Congress. This turn led by Jalil reveals a deep fracture in Peronism after the October elections and once again puts the tension between old party loyalties and provincial pragmatism at the forefront.
