Schiaretti and Manes will meet in La Plata: a new and lukewarm 'center' experiment

Juan Schiaretti and Facundo Manes will give their first public signal of political partnership toward 2027 this Thursday. It will take place at a panel discussion in La Plata, where they will share the stage to defend an alternative model for the country. The event comes after several private meetings aimed at consolidating a common space without traditional party labels.

The chosen setting for this relaunch has the format of an academic event: a formal auditorium, open lecture, and a final photo to document the moment. The three-time governor from Córdoba and the Radical deputy opposed to Milei's government aspire to appeal to those disappointed with the system. However, the gesture, rather than being inviting, seems like a lukewarm snapshot from other uncertain times.

The message from the bland front relies on commonplaces and general formulas about moderation, honesty, and institutionalism. In that sense, in a polarized Argentina, they don't seem to offer much more than good manners.

A discreet attempt to stir things up amid the Peronist mismanagement in Buenos Aires Province

The duo's emergence aims to capitalize on the confusion in Buenos Aires Province, where Peronism oscillates between forced unity and post-Kirchnerist bewilderment. The recent house arrest of Cristina Kirchner heightened internal tensions and put ad hoc pacts to the test. Schiaretti and Manes want to fish in these troubled waters with their insipid moderate proposal.

The opposition ecosystem itself is also experiencing turbulence. While part of what was Juntos por el Cambio is aligning with the libertarian administration, other sectors resist diluting their identity. In this context, the emergence of a centrist front promises containment, though not mobilization.

The lead-up includes a meeting of mayors from Greater Buenos Aires in Tigre. Although neither Schiaretti nor the Manes brothers will participate, several leaders from the UCR, PRO, and PJ are expected to appear in the La Plata photo. The coalition seeks volume, but still lacks truly effective political proposals.

A puzzle with no apex or will to power

The list of expected attendees for the event includes scattered names, with no clear leadership or common narrative. Leaders such as Britos, Serenal, Mittelbach, De la Torre, and Gray are listed. The sum doesn't guarantee coherence or electoral weight: it seems more like a display of perplexities than a work in progress.

Meanwhile, Schiaretti continues academic activities abroad and keeps a diplomatic discourse that avoids direct confrontations with the national government. He speaks of trust, truth, and dignity, but is careful not to unsettle those in power. The bet seems to be to please everyone, without irritating anyone.

In the same vein, Facundo Maneshasn't managed to establish his own profile or break away from the image of a university outsider. The alliance between the two, rather than a power pact, seems like a discursive refuge in the absence of clear definitions and decisive commitments.

A Córdoba pause and a protagonism that doesn't take off

While the focus is on Buenos Aires and the Federal Capital, Córdoba remains in the background within this coalition. Although Schiaretti led the provincial model for two decades, his successor Llaryora keeps his distance. There is no contact between him and Manes, and Vice Governor Prunotto is merely a symbolic link.

Schiaretti is careful not to strain his relationship with the libertarian government and avoids interfering in provincial management. His criticisms of Milei are limited to three items: export duties, public works, and the presence of the State. Nothing that takes him out of the mold of a responsible and predictable leader, but one who is increasingly less appealing.

For some Córdoba operatives, the former governor still has a chance to play locally. For others, his path is set toward the national stage. In either scenario, his bet on a centrist coalition risks going unnoticed in a scene that demands greater intensity.

Thus, it is always wise to recall Margaret Thatcher's apt maxim:  "Standing in the middle of the road is very dangerous; you get knocked down by the traffic from both sides." In the Argentina to come, there is no room for lukewarmness or politically correct false moderation.