Report: Recalde, Donda to contest mayoral battle in BA City

Old wounds apparently heal quickly in Argentine politics.

Former ally of the Kirchner governments, Victoria Donda, may soon be chosen as the running mate of Kirchnerite candidate for Mayor of Buenos Aires City, Mariano Recalde.

The Kirchnerite movement will not hold a primaries race to determine its candidates, sources told Perfil. Instead, the strategy is to bring Progressives, who respond to the likes of Donda, into the fold in order to broaden the movement's appeal in a City long dominated by the PRO Party of Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta and his predecessor Mauricio Macri.

If successful, the pair would represent presidential hopeful Alberto Fernández and his running mate for the vice-presidency Cristina Fernández de Kirchner at a City level.

Reports of the coupling come just days after Kirchnerite mayors let slip that former Economy minister Axel Kicillof and Mayor of La Matanza district Verónica Magario would contest the governorship of Buenos Aires province, currently in the hands of the PRO's María Eugenia Vidal.

I have "good synergy" with Donda, the former president of Aerolíneas Argentinas, Recalde, told Perfil. 

"Mariano [Recalde]'s candidacy is certain. Today he is the most popular opposition candidate. There has contact made between both parties", sources close to Donda confirmed to Perfil.

Donda leads the Partido Somos ("We Are") party, which has shown its openness to participating in a sole ticket against Mayor Rodríguez Larreta.

"At this stage, Victoria [Donda] approves of the idea of uniting with Recalde to beat Larreta. But that will depend on the details in the deal", party sources reported, noting Donda's tumultuous history with the La Cámpora youth movement, led by lawmaker Máximo Kirchner, of which Recalde is a member.

"Everything will depend on the meeting with Alberto [Fernández]. There will know what their proposals are and then we will see", they said.

-TIMES/PERFIL