"We are going to have to lower our heads, be humble and swallow this one. This adds more crisis to a groggy Peronism," said Sergio Massa, in private, when the scandal involving Alberto Fernández was already occupying the entire public agenda.
Massa, the former presidential candidate who lost to Javier Milei last year, was preparing to reappear and debate the economic and social crisis but, once again, it was not to be.
The Tigre leader believes that there is still much more to come about how the former head of state moved intimately and that the task of Peronist reconstruction will be "arduous."
"I don't know who is going to take it on," he warns in private, repeating that he is there to accompany the next leader.
On Tuesday, when it became known that former president Fabiola Yañez had decided to formally denounce the ex-president for physical violence, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner was meeting with Clara Brugada, the mayor-elect of Mexico City.
Fernández de Kirchner had left her mobile phone in her handbag for a few hours, but the mobile phones of those accompanying soon began making noises. No sooner had she finished taking the photos of Brugada’s visit, her team told her the news.
She had been watching what was happening through the media and in the previous hours had authorised the mayor of Quilmes, Mayra Mendoza, to take aim at Alberto Fernández. But that was no longer enough.
There are leaders who in recent months have been describing Peronism as much more than disconcerted. Far from being able to coordinate joint actions since last year’s electoral defeat, the main leaders of Unión por la Patria have barely even launched individual movements.
"They are all seeing how they are moving individually, but with very little capacity to articulate a joint response," admits an important leader of the Partido Justicialista in Buenos Aires Province. This was seen not only in the reaction to the accusation against Alberto Fernández, but also other issues such as the elections in Venezuela, and even in positioning against Javier Milei's government.
The Frente Renovador, which answers to Massa, was the first to issue a communiqué assuring that gender violence will not be tolerated, regardless of "who the aggressor is or the position he holds."
Then came the repudiation of a group of deputies from Unión por la Patria, with Mónica Macha at the head. Then, with the images of Fabiola Yañez appearing on social media, came the voice of the former vice-president.
Among those seeking a way out of the crisis, there are those who say that this scandal should force the sector to position itself in a much harsher and more nuanced way than it has done so far.
"This forces us to go out and speed up the re-founding of the party," said one Peronist leader, who recognises that the next few months will be key for the opposition to position itself.
Now they will have to run against a judicial agenda involving the former president.
Within Peronism, many believe that the images of Fabiola showing the horror experienced at the Olivos presidential residence will not be the end of it. Videos such as those of Fernández with Tamara Pettinato – and others that may come to light in the coming weeks – do just as much damage as any corruption case.
Some imagine what could follow. Others don't even dare to think about it.
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