The UCR National Convention took place in Gualeguaychú over the weekend (photo: UCR)
The Unión Cívica Radical (UCR) National Convention voted in favour of forming an alliance with PRO ahead of the October presidential election.
The party representatives convened on Saturday afternoon in the city of Gualeguaychú, Entre Ríos, though the vote to decide on the electoral strategy did not take place until 5am on Sunday.
The faction led by Mendoza Senator Ernesto Sanz obtained 186 votes over a total of 330, imposing its plan to enter into an alliance with Mauricio Macri’s PRO and Elisa Carrió’s Coalición Cívica for the August primaries, where he will be the UCR pre-candidate. His position was challenged by Senator Gerardo Morales and deputies Julio Cobos and Ricardo Alfonsín, who proposed a “wide” alliance including Frente Renovador (Sergio Massa’s party) and the UCR’s “historical allies” GEN and the Socialist Party.
Sanz rejected an agreement with Massa, saying: “Society will not understand that an exit from Kirchnerism can be led by someone who comes from Kirchnerism.” He also highlighted the need for “democratic republicanism to defeat authoritarian populism.”
The decision was celebrated by members of PRO, such as Deputy Federico Pinedo, who took to Twitter to declare: “Very important decision by the UCR to converge with PRO for change. Now, together with other forces, let’s build respect and institutions.” PRO leader Mauricio Macri also congratulated “Sanz and the UCR for yesterday’s decision.”
Other opposition parties which were seeking potential alliances with UCR, however, criticised the decision. Sergio Abrevaya, from SurGEN, said it was “tragic, because the UCR has decided to abandon the identity they share in exchange for opinion polls.” Socialist Antonio Bonfatti clarified that the agreement at the national level will not affect the alliance between Socialists and Radicals in his province, Santa Fe.
The criticism could also be heard from within the UCR, with Ricardo Alfonsín lamenting that “Sanz destroyed everything we had built” and Leopoldo Moreau complaining that the decision was fundamentally an electoral strategy and “was not founded on the discussion around a project for the country.”
After the vote was finalised, incidents broke out outside the theatre where the Convention was being held. UCR activists who opposed the alliance with PRO criticised Sanz for “handing over the UCR to the right.” Sanz had to leave the theatre through a side door and be escorted by police officers who used tear gas to disperse the protesting crowds.
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