The mayor of Tanti was a candidate on Schiaretti's list and now faces repudiation and possible expulsion from the UCR
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Emiliano Paredes changed his jersey in the middle of the campaign, and the result was as predictable as it was overwhelming: he lost and was left alone. The mayor of Tanti, elected under the Radical banner, decided to switch to Cordobesismo and jump on Juan Schiaretti's bandwagon. What he imagined as a leap toward provincial projection turned into a true political embarrassment that places him close to party expulsion.
In Radical committees, anger over the young leader's betrayal still resonates. With just one year in office, he abandoned the party that brought him to power. His decision to join the Provincias Unidas list was seen as an act of short-lived political opportunism with long-term consequences. Paredes not only challenged Radicalism, but he also ran against his own party at the polls, something difficult to justify even for his allies.
In his own way, the mayor tried to disguise his switch with a "renewal" speech and phrases about the fall of old parties. At an event with Schiaretti, he claimed that Provincias Unidas represents what is new and that Milei impoverishes people. The political move did not last long: the electorate punished him, and Radicals labeled him a traitor, a label he will hardly be able to shake off.
Paredes aceptó servilmente un lugar testimonial en la lista de Schiaretti
From Radicalism to Cordobesismo: a bet that did not pay off
Paredes servilely accepted a token spot on Schiaretti's list, far from having any real chance of reaching Congress. His name was used as a trophy by Cordobesismo, which presented him as a symbol of openness while diminishing his own party. In Tanti, where he needed to show strength, the strategy failed resoundingly and exposed the political cost of selling his loyalty for a symbolic position.
The blow was so severe that within Radicalism, the idea of requesting his expulsion for "serious misconduct" is already circulating. In this context, proceedings before the Ethics Tribunal would be a matter of time, although no one wants to bear the responsibility of formalizing it. Outrage is widespread: meanwhile, other Radicals resigned before joining PJ, Paredes did so secretly, without even disaffiliating.
His inner circle tries to downplay the conflict and says that "there will be no sanction," but the party's grassroots do not think the same. For many, the mayor crossed a line of no return: he betrayed those who voted for him and squandered the support that brought him to the municipality. The silence of the Radical leadership doesn't lessen the anger of the activists, who consider him an example of total party disloyalty.
En Tanti, LLA se impuso con el 37,84 % de los votos
Punilla, the scene of electoral failure
Schiaretti's plan to add the mayor of Tanti sought to break the opposition's dominance in Punilla, but the move did not have the desired effect. Neither the local PJ apparatus nor the "transversal Cordobesismo" campaign managed to alter the electoral map of the department. La Libertad Avanza won decisively and left Provincias Unidas far from any expectations, even in the city governed by Paredes.
In the last legislative elections, Provincias Unidas managed to prevail in only five of the 25 towns in the valley: Cosquín, Charbonier, San Esteban, Los Cocos, and Cabalango. La Libertad Avanza swept the rest of the department and established itself as the main force among Punilla voters. The defeat left the mayor exposed and without tangible support in his own political territory.
In Tanti, the result was devastating: 31.54% for Provincias Unidas versus 37.84% for the Libertarians. Neither the former governor's momentum nor the "renewal" discourse managed to reverse the voters' rejection. The leader who intended to represent "what is new" ended up symbolizing the oldest aspect of politics: switching allegiances for convenience and ending up with none.
Paredes not only lost in his own territory, but he also lost the respect of his group and the trust of his voters. His case became the perfect example of what happens when ambition outweighs conviction and principles. Thus, the young Radical-Cordobesista mayor will have to face a possible party expulsion process and learn the hard way that Rome doesn't reward traitors.
