Electoral process kicks off in Catamarca province

By Pablo Ibáñez

Some people talk about "captives" and other people speak about "federales." It sounds like a nineteenth-century novel mixed with a western film made in Argentina. This is what is happening right now in Catamarca province, where the 2011 electoral process kicks off next Sunday. Nearly 180,000 citizens -representing less than 11 percent of the voter registration list- are to elect their next provincial governor.

This voting becomes a symbol of the electoral season in Argentina, since Catamarca, an anti-government province in the northern region, is the first electoral test of the year. In the provincial political scene, the Peronist Party and the Radical Civic Union -and their allied fronts- fight over the control of the province for the next four years.

Last night, Kirchnerite candidates Lucía Corpacci and Dalmacio Mera impeded the visit of neighbouring peronist leaders, such as Salta's Governor Juan Manuel Urtubey and La Rioja's Luis Beder Herrera, under express request of Corpacci.

Rumours had it that President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner might participate in the campaign's closing rally to be held tonight.

If Cristina Fernández decides to attend the rally, nobody will contradict her decision. But there are some discrepancies regarding a last-minute visit. Some Kirchnerites claim that the presidential visit will help to guarantee victory; whereas other Kirchnerites say it might put people in a bad mood and also benefit the Civic Front.

"Everybody wants to take advantage of the electoral triumph," a source closed to the Victory Front said. "If the party wins the election, we win," he added.

So far, only Chaco's Governor Jorge Capitanich was allowed to get involved in the campaign. Chaco's Radical Civic Union was defeated by Capitanich after 20 years in power. The political situation in Catamarca shows an obvious analogy.

Also, a Kirchnerite victory would give President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner a factual antecedent to her triumphalist imagery.

The Kirchnerite sector daydreams about celebrating an electoral victory that begins in Catamarca on Sunday, and ends in Casa Rosada next October.

Yesterday, the provincial Kirchnerite supporters received a poll conducted by Ibarómetro showing Corpacci is beating Brizuela del Moral by 0.5 points. Even though this figure can be included into the standard margin of error, Kirchnerites praise the result.



Political atmosphere

Meanwhile, the Civic Front reviews its own results. According to a pull conducted by Delfos, current Governor Eduardo Brizuela del Moral's voting intention reaches 46 points. Members of Civic Front claim this figure represents a secured victory over Kirchnerite candidate Lucía Corpacci.

More specific analysis focuses on the independent voter and stresses their autonomy in relation to the federal 'meddling.' Some analysts even suggest this provincial election cane be seen as a conflict between federalism and BA City centralism.

Meanwhile, the Peronist Party hopefully relies on the civil servants, who would vote in favour of the Kirchnerite candidates.

Thus, the ballot recount is expected to be a fierce battle, and probably a foretaste of this electoral year.


Translated by Jimena Gibert