Karina Milei fancies midterms clash against Cristina Fernández de Kirchner

Buenos Aires Province is the most coveted territory in any national election for a simple mathematical reason – it contains almost 40 percent of the electorate and can be a decisive and determining factor in defining Argentina’s political future. 

With this in mind, Javier Milei’s government is fiercely talking up the President’s sister, Karina Milei, as its best-placed candidate for the nation’s key battleground. Her designation would be part of an effort to polarise the electorate against ex-president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and Governor Axel Kicillof, two of the main Peronist players in Buenos Aires Province.

La Libertad Avanza Senator Sebastián Pareja (Buenos Aires Province), who draws up the lists in the region, is one of the main driving-forces behind this strategy.

“A ballot with the surname of Milei, preceded by the name of Karina is like fishing in an aquarium – it’s easy, assuring us triumph,” he told Radio Mitre in an interview with this week.

In terms of electoral competition, Pareja did not hesitate to compare ‘El Jefe’ (“The Boss”) – as the presidential chief-of-staff is commonly known – with Fernández de Kirchner in his remarks, exuding confidence that she could beat her in Buenos Aires Province.

“We’re seeing an example of good versus evil, the past and the future. The people of Buenos Aires Province know how to vote, when they have the electoral chance in the ballot-box, they vote right,” he maintained.

“I believe that when the time comes to vote, the people will vote purple if it’s Karina Milei, of that there can be no doubt.”

The provincial senator also criticised Kicillof, whom he described as a “Communist.” He confidently assured that Peronism will lose the province in the 202 elections.

“This year we’re preparing to govern the municipal councils and that process will lead us to govern Buenos Aires Province in 2027 without any doubt,” he fired off. 

“Buenos Aires Province is the rut of Argentina, the garbage-dump of Latin America, it’s very difficult with a Communist governor who thinks backwards,” he added, speaking of the site he represents in not-so-glowing terms.

Karina Milei’s protagonism in Buenos Aires Province is nothing new. Last July she headed a rally in Morón together with Pareja and Lower House Speaker Martín Menem, at which she outlined her hopes for La Libertad Avanza.

“We’re going to be a nationwide party. I’ve proposed it from Day One and we’re going to make it,” she assured party loyalists, marking her intention to consolidate the political force in the country’s main district.

Kickstarting campaigns

As is tradition in electoral years, political leaders use the Atlantic coast summer season to kickstart their campaigns. 

This year it was the turn of presidential chief-of-staff Karina Milei, who did not speak to the media but travelled to Mar del Plata last weekend accompanied by Menem, who explicitly expressed his hope that she will run as a candidate in the upcoming midterms. 

‘La Feliz’ (“Happy City”), as Mar del Plata is nicknamed, tends to be a good political showcase in full season and was chosen by President Milei to donate his first salary as deputy when he entered Congress in 2021. The fifth electoral section, Mar del Plata also has the second-highest number of voters in Buenos Aires Province. 

Asked at a press conference for his take, Menem said that President’s Milei’s sister "in my opinion has what it takes to be a candidate" and that he would “like” to see her in the lists but that "it depends on her."

"It does not cease being a very personal decision," he insisted.  

Karina "has proved capable of taking Javier to the Presidency without a party so her capacity as a leader is manifest and she is one of the most important persons in the government," commented Menem. 

While he left it clear that his aspiration is for her to run, at the close of his message he warned: “Perhaps she has more potential [impact] staying close to the President than in a [parliamentary] seat." 

Although the speculation about her candidacy is growing, libertarian circles recognise that Karina Milei’s current role as presidential chief-of-staff is strategic.

“She’s 100 times more valuable doing what she does in Government House than in the Chamber of Deputies,” maintained Pareja. 

President Milei reinforced this idea a few days ago when he denied that his sister would be competing as a candidate in this year’s midterms, indicating that the official is "constructing the political tools" to assemble La Libertad Avanza as a party structure.

– TIMES/PERFIL