Kicillof meets Fernández de Kirchner in show of unity

Buenos Aires Province Governor Axel Kicillof visited ex-president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner on Wednesday at her home in Buenos Aires – the first face-to-face encounter between the duo in almost four months.

Kicillof, 54, visited the opposition leader at her apartment in the City neighbourhood of Constitución, putting on a public show of unity ahead of the October 26 midterms and seeking to channel last month’s strong provincial victory into momentum at national level.

Fernández de Kirchner is serving a six-year jail term under house arrest for fraudulent administration in the awarding of public works contracts during her 2007-2015 Presidency.

According to sources from Kicillof’s government cited by the Noticias Argentinas news agency, it was a positive meeting that lasted around an hour and a half. 

Kicillof and Fernández de Kirchner, who serves as the national chair of the Partido Justicialista (PJ), discussed “the national and international situation” and sought to “continue building [opposition] strength” ahead of next month’s elections.

Although no photo was released, the encounter was still regarded as a significant political gesture. Peronist leaders in Buenos Aires Province had been calling on the governor to make the visit as part of a push to ensure unity, bring order to the internal disputes and to send a message to the wider opposition movement.

The last time the two had met was on June 10, when Kicillof joined Fernández de Kirchner at the PJ headquarters as she awaited a Supreme Court ruling in the Vialidad case. 

Since she began serving her jail sentence in that case, however, there had been no face-to-face contact.

Earlier on Wednesday, Fernández de Kirchner had also used social media to criticise Milei over the weakening economy, warning of a likely post-election devaluation and pointing to surging exchange rates and Argentina’s soaring country risk rating. 

She further attacked libertarian ruling party candidate Luis Espert, alleging links to a fugitive wanted in the United States on drug-trafficking charges.

– TIMES/NA/PERFIL