Reform means Formosa Governor Insfrán can run for re-election

Formosa Gildo Insfrán will be able to potentially extend his control of the northern province into a 36th year in office, thanks to a new decision by the region’s constituent assembly.

The assembly, which began sessions a month ago, on Wednesday repealed a clause permitting indefinite gubernatorial re-election, in this case Insfrán, who has ruled since 1995 and is going for an eighth consecutive term.

However, since legislation cannot be retroactive, Insfrán may run in 2027 when his current term ends, potentially extending his period of dominance until 2031.

Insfrán, 74, has ruled the northern border province for more than a quarter of a century – a record not even most heads of state can dream of.

He has been criticised for his strongman image and control of the province, with critics branding him a “dictator” and “caudillo.”

Last December Argentina’s Supreme Court declared unconstitutional Article 132 of the Formosa Province Constitution, which permits indefinite re-election for the posts of both governor and lieutenant-governor.

Faced with this move, Insfrán called for a constituent assembly. Representatives were elected June 29 when his government won with 70 percent of the votes.

On Wednesday the 30 members of the convention reached agreement on new limits on re-election thanks to a consensus between Peronism and some of the Frente Amplio Formoseño opposition, in particular the Nuevo País caucus.

The result was a new transitory clause which takes Insfrán’s current term as his first, enabling him to extend his administration for four years beyond that.
The governor could end his long hegemony on December 10, 2031, always assuming he wins the next provincial elections in two years’ time, thus completing a rule of the province starting in 1995 and extending it for 36 uninterrupted years.

Nevertheless, that might not be the end of his life in the Executive branch.

Last Wednesday night marked a historic milestone with approval of a new text for Article 132 of the provincial Constitution, which now reads: "The governor and lieutenant-governor will serve for four years and may be re-elected or succeed each recíprocally for only one consecutive term."

Despite that norm, it continues: "If they have been re-elected or succeeded each other recíprocally, they may not be re-elected to either post until after the interval of one term” – i.e. in the hypothetical case of continuing to win every election and having refrained from running in 2031, Insfrán could resurface in the ballots, with the only inconvenience that he would then be 84.

For that scenario the new transitory clause number four is crucial. Its text maintains that “the terms of the current governor and lieutenant-governor at the time of sanctioning this reform must be considered as their first.”