“Why do they think I am hated, hunted, or banned? No matter what they do, even if they want to jail me, I will never abandon my roots. I am from the town and I will stay.” Cristina Fernández de Kirchner can pause her presidential bid yet still push for renewal. Peronism, the party that has guided Argentina through a period of deep crisis, now eyes an October vote. What the vice president cannot do is concede an inch of political centrality. She remains the protective voice for a devoted base whose intensity mirrors the fervor of her most ardent critics. In this sense, Argentine politics plays a zero-sum game: one faction’s gain comes at another’s expense.
“Thank you so much, my love, that’s what kept me going”, she told thousands gathered last Thursday, braving the rain in May Square, in front of the Headquarters building, to mark the 20th anniversary of her husband Néstor Kirchner’s rise to power. She also signaled a vote that could avert a national disaster.
What critics describe as a natural orator’s gift, he can speak without a script and rally crowds. Kirchnerism, over two decades, has crafted a political dramaturgy anchored in patriotic pageantry and the rhythm of rock anthems. Cristina chose to share the moment with her grandchildren, surrounded by supporters and detractors alike. Yet the burden of sustaining a political program remains, with Fernández de Kirchner, Buenos Aires Governor Axel Kicillof, and Interior Minister Eduardo de Pedro and Economy Minister Sergio Massa sharing the stage as potential presidential contenders, each returning home with no clear path forward.
Two decades of Kirchnerism now hinge on recalibration. The speaker reminded audiences that Argentina’s GDP grew from about 164 billion dollars in 2003 to around 647 billion dollars by 2015, when the second term ended. The narrative emphasizes paying down debt and building a society-centered model—an approach lauded as productive, inclusive, and fair. Proponents argue that fair wages and social investment are not sins but pillars of a strong, virtuous economy.
❤️ pic.twitter.com/OugPVdgNDK
— Cristina Kirchner (@CFKArgentina) 25 May 2023
Crisis and soap opera
The recent optimism clashes with a government facing hard truths. President Alberto Fernández, installed in 2019, leads a country wrestling with record inflation, rising poverty, and a grinding financial outlook. The vice president’s relationship with the president is tense, marked by public disagreements and personal grievances. Fernández was notably absent from Kirchner’s commemorative event, fueling speculation about friction between the top two executives. The vice president accuses external debt and policy choices of limiting Argentina’s room to maneuver, pointing to legacy issues from a previous administration.
The present Peronist government has negotiated with the International Monetary Fund for relief measures totaling about 45 billion dollars, under conditions that include austerity. Critics say the cure demands painful sacrifices, while supporters insist the path is necessary to stabilize an economy in distress. A measured tone is often heard: even amid contrasts and mistakes, some voice that the current government is preferable to past administrations.
Out of the game of choice
Fernández de Kirchner has signaled reluctance about running in October, suggesting the decision may escape her. The possibility has been described as politically strategic, and its consequences ripple through the broader Peronist spectrum. She faces legal pressures and investigations connected to corruption allegations in public works, claims she rejects as politically motivated. The rhetoric targets a judiciary that she contends serves a selective political clique rather than acting as an impartial arbiter of the law.
Fernández de Kirchner urges a political solution to the IMF debt and a strategic stance on resources such as lithium. She calls on Argentines to renew a democratic compact and to pursue a form of serious, competitive capitalism after the era of upheaval and a serious security incident that has sharpened public demand for accountability. Her followers crave a renewed, emboldened presence in politics and hope she will reconsider her position, believing she can help stem the appeal of more extreme forces in society.
[Citations: Analysis of contemporary Argentine politics and Kirchnerist strategy, political economy context and electoral dynamics.]