Judicial setback for Adela Arning and tension within Córdoba's PRO

Adela Arning, PRO leader in Córdoba and a close associate of Macri, received a new judicial setback in the process seeking to remove her as mayor. The provincial judiciary rejected her appeals and left the official with only one pending instance before the call to the polls. The situation complicates Macri's attempts to maintain its institutional presence in the interior of Córdoba.

The Chamber of Administrative Litigation in Córdoba upheld a previous ruling that had denied the leader's claims. The decision confirms the start of the recall mechanism by which residents requested her removal. The ruling follows the criteria of the Chamber Prosecutor's Office, which a month ago had dismissed the objections presented.

According to the judges, the number of required signatures must be calculated based on the full electoral roll and not the total number of voters in 2023, as the defense had argued. They also determined that all registered voters are eligible to vote, not only those who participated in the last elections. This way, the position of those who promoted the popular consultation against the mayor was strengthened.

The judiciary gives Arning no respite

Law 8.102 establishes that the Municipal Electoral Board has 48 business hours from notification to call for the vote. There, citizens must decide whether Arning will remain at the head of the local executive branch or not. If the mandate is revoked, new elections will be called to complete the remaining term.

Electoral projections are not favorable for the leader, who is experiencing a sharp decline in her public image. According to the latest ranking of mayors in the Colón department, the communal chief of Mendiolaza is in last place. Public discontent was the main driver of the process that now leaves her on the verge of losing her position.

Meanwhile, PRO sources claim not to be concerned about the ruling, since there is still an appeal pending before the Superior Court of Justice. "It was a possibility, we're not concerned; now it goes to the SCJ, which will be more serious in its handling," party sources stated. They are confident that this instance will overturn what was decided by the lower courts.

Within PRO, there are more excuses than strategies

This setback for Arning adds to the decision of the National Electoral Chamber, which days ago annulled the party intervention in the Córdoba district. That intervention, ordered in 2023 by PRO's national leadership, had caused internal tensions. Now, both rulings put the structure promoted by Macri in the province in check.

Córdoba's Macri supporters face multiple challenges and still haven't managed to unify criteria regarding future electoral alliances. While some sectors are in talks with UCR and La Libertad Avanza, others prefer to approach Llaryora's provincial project. The lack of definitions prevents a common strategy in the short term.

Added to this are disputes over formal leadership within the party at the local level. Although Henry Blas Leis was appointed as the overseer, Oscar Agost Carreño insists on contesting that role in the name of internal federalism. That lack of definition further weakens Macri's position in the eyes of public opinion.

From Macri experiment to a foretold failure

The ruling took by surprise those who saw a favorable resolution for Arning as possible, inspired by a recent case in Anisacate. There, the judiciary rejected a recall against a PRO mayor due to issues with the submission of signatures. It was believed that the precedent could be replicated in Mendiolaza with similar arguments.

Others were confident that the provincial government would indirectly intervene to prevent Arning's removal. They pointed to the continuation of projects funded by Panal as a sign of support. They also mentioned institutional assistance from the Ministry of Government and the Metropolitan Entity.

However, more than 1,400 residents validated the recall request with their signatures, expressing strong rejection of the current administration. They accuse the mayor of not addressing the community's basic needs and of not having sought a political solution. They even mention that key members of her team abandoned the project due to internal differences.