Judge María Servini rejected Ricardo Quintela's request to postpone the internal elections of the Justicialist Party. The governor of La Rioja had requested to delay the process, but it was ultimately denied. Despite this setback, Quintela showed a willingness to reach an agreement with former president Cristina Kirchner, who also expressed a favorable stance to overcome the conflict.
Both political leaders met at the Patria Institute, where they discussed possible solutions. Senator Lucía Corpacci, union leader Ricardo Pignanelli, and the mayor of Moreno, Mariel Fernández, also attended the meeting. The precautionary measure requested by Quintela aimed to postpone the election and initiate a new process next year.
With Judge Servini's decision, the only valid list for the internal elections is the one led by Cristina Kirchner, which paves her way to take over the leadership of national Peronism starting November 17.
In this context, Quintela's list, called 'Federales,' was disqualified by the PJ Electoral Board last Sunday. From Cristina Kirchner's sector, it was argued that Quintela did not meet the number of endorsements needed to participate in the elections and that some forms were considered false.
Quintela, for his part, appealed the decision of the Electoral Board and requested the suspension of the process to prevent the proclamation of Cristina Kirchner as party leader. Informal meetings and negotiations were held between different sectors to try to resolve the conflict.
The governor of La Rioja denounced alleged biased actions by the Electoral Board, as well as violations of the chain of custody of the documentation and difficulties in controlling the endorsements of the rival list. Despite his efforts, Judge Servini's decision made clear the path for Cristina Kirchner's assumption as party leader in the upcoming internal elections.
