Rumors multiply about the arrival of Sergio Massa to the Cabinet | The leader of the Renovating Front will meet with the President between Friday and Saturday

Eternal refrain since the defeat in the PASO, los rumors about the landing of Serge Massa in the national cabinet are getting louder. “Only Cristina’s green card is missing,” a leader who in the past has functioned as an intermediary between the president and the vice president told this newspaper. Gone are, however, the times of broken telephone between Alberto Fernandez y Cristina Fernandez de Kirchnerwho in recent weeks have resumed a direct line of communication and are now analyzing, in tandem, how to relaunch the cabinet. Massa’s name resonates strongly, but doubts persist as to what his place would be: the Chief of Staff or a super Ministry of Economy that has under its orbit areas such as Tourism or Transport.

The internal organization is a difficult puzzle to accommodate because at Casa Rosada they know that they cannot “throw out the window” John Manzur, the only governor who is part of the cabinet, which tilts the speculative balance in favor of a position in Economy. At night, however, the man from Tigre went out to calm things down through his social networks, assuring that no offer had yet been made and that he would meet with the president “only on Friday or Saturday.”

“There will be a cabinet change. Alberto usually takes his time, but he will be here by the end of the week,” he assured Page 12 a high source of the national government. The versions about the possible landing of Serge Massa to the national cabinet are as old as the Front of All itself, however, in recent days, the President and the Vice President have been discussing how to oxygenate the cabinet and both agree that the incorporation of the President of the Chamber of Deputies would give greatest political muscle.

There is no agreement, however, on the place that the third coalition partner should occupy. CFK wants Massa to occupy the Ministry of Economy and Governor Jorge Capitanich to go to the Chief of Cabinet. Alberto Fernández, meanwhile, would prefer that Massa go to the Chief of Staff. There is also a disagreement on the level of intensity of the changes to be promoted: the former president, who has a tougher view of the social and economic situation, insists that there should be a comprehensive replacement of the cabinet, while Alberto considers that a rather surgical adjustment should be made.

Beyond the internal debate, the support of the two Fernández to Massa would imply the transfer of control of key areas. Whether it was in the case that he was as Chief of Staff or Super Minister of Economy, Massa’s position would imply a merger of ministries that would remain under his orbit. That would be the case of the portfolio of Silvina Batakiswho took over in Economy only three weeks ago —and which, it should be noted, both CFK and Massa and Alberto want to keep—, but also that of Matías Lammens (Turismo), alexis warrior (Transportation) and Dario Martinez (Energy).

“It’s not going to be like going to the supermarket to grab whatever you want,” warned an Albertismo official. In that sense, as this newspaper learned, Alberto Fernández resists handing over the Central Bankin charge of Miguel Pesceand the AFIPwhose owner is Mercedes Marco del Ponttwo places that Massa had claimed for himself when, after the resignation of Martin Guzmanthe president offered him the Economy portfolio.

“We still need to finish putting the puzzle together,” said a source from Casa Rosada. The most difficult piece, in this context, is the current chief of staff, John Manzur. The Tucuman governor on leave was, after the defeat of the PASO, the great token that landed in the national cabinet to give it greater “political volume.” Now, he occupies one of the places that, both the president and the vice, consider that it is necessary to adjust. The problem is that Manzur has no interest in returning to Tucumán and close to Alberto Fernández they recognize that there are not many places to move him. Removing him from the national cabinet would be a direct affront to the governors, who are already annoyed by the lack of participation they have in decision-making (a central point of the summit that took place in Pink House with provincial president), so another destination would have to be found. Foreign Ministry was an option, but Alberto Fernández does not want to lose his right hand, santiago cafiero.

Negotiations continue and the Government will wait for Batakis to arrive in Argentina before making any announcements (since the minister was still in the United States, where she had traveled to maintain a meeting with the head of the FMI, when rumors of a hypothetical cabinet change began to circulate). “I see many rumors and versions. I did not have any offer and I just agreed to chat with President Alberto Fernández about the work agenda between Friday and Saturday“Sergio Massa himself had to go out to tweet at night, when all the media were already speculating about his arrival at Casa Rosada.

Rumors, however, had started early. The first was his own wife and owner of ISA, Malena Galmariniwho at dawn on Wednesday had published on their networks a Massa campaign spot from 2013: “At a time when everyone remains, he comes to propose something crazy. Add,” he maintained the message in the video, while Axel’s “Everything Comes Back” played in the background.

Hours later, the Buenos Aires chief of staff joined Martin Insaurraldewho supported the possible arrival of Massa to the Executive during an act in Merlo: “I have known him for many years and I value his great management capacity. I think his vision and experience would come in handy at this stage to channel the reconstruction,” he assured the former mayor of Lomas de Zamora.

The president of the Chamber of Deputies, meanwhile, spent the day in Congress. From those around him they let it be known that, in addition to meeting with directors of the Argentine Wine Corporation, Massa had spent the day talking with some of his economic bishops: the head of Customs, Guillermo Michelthe former Minister of Economy, Miguel Peirano, the deputy director of the ANSES Sustainability Guarantee Fund, Lysander Cleriy Gabriel Delgado. The names, in the midst of the sea of ​​rumors, soon rumbled as a possible future economic team.

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