Following December's failed PJ Buenos Aires leadership transition, Máximo Kirchner, leader of La Cámpora, has informally proposed that Governor Axel Kicillof take the presidency of the Buenos Aires Justicialist Party as a unity gesture. Kicillof's inner circle expresses distrust, learning of the offer via media leaks without prior formal contact. The move unfolds amid persistent party infighting, with candidate lists closing February 8.
In the latest twist to the Buenos Aires Peronism leadership saga—sparked by the December 19 PJ council meeting's failure to resolve the post-Kirchner void—Máximo Kirchner's proposal for Axel Kicillof to lead the provincial PJ emerged informally through intermediaries and media leaks. This has sparked more questions than unity. Sources close to the governor confirm no prior or official communication: “We have no idea about Máximo Kirchner and La Cámpora's proposal. We learned about it through the media. It didn't reach Axel or anyone close to him,” a Kicillof insider told Perfil.
Kicillof's circle sees it as a tactic to disrupt their political buildup, tied to La Cámpora's rejection of Verónica Magario's candidacy—the vice-governor proposed by Kicillof via Movimiento Derecho al Futuro. “If they really wanted unity, why not accept Magario?” they ask. However, some in the provincial cabinet differ: a top official said that if formalized, “we support it,” as Magario was the initial plan but Kicillof-led unity would be preferable.
With PJ authorities renewing March 15 and lists closing February 8, Kicillof had aimed to solidify his territorial movement with mayors. Kirchnerism views Kicillof's leadership as a way to organize the party nationally. In La Plata, emphasis is on political deals over media stunts. Kicillof remains cautious: the Magario list persists, and infighting continues without resolution.
