Raúl Jalil: 'A generational change must be allowed in Peronism.'

Amid the internal disputes within Peronism and just a few months before the national elections on October 26, the governor of Catamarca, Raúl Jalil, addressed the renewal process within the Justicialist Party (PJ). Although he avoided directly confronting the figure of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, he distanced himself from her leadership by stating that "a generational change must be allowed" and that new ideas should be welcomed within the political space.

"In politics, no one should be expelled," Jalil stated during a radio interview, while emphasizing the need to accompany the rapid changes of today's world with a renewal of leadership. "There are good people and they must be given opportunities. Within the same political space, there are other viewpoints, that's politics," he explained, positioning himself alongside former governor Lucía Corpacci as part of the leaders promoting this openness.

Dialogue with the national government and pragmatic vision

Despite having been part of Frente de Todos, Jalil has established an institutional relationship with Javier Milei's government since December 2023. "I've met with Milei on two occasions. I get along well. We share some ideas, such as the fact that governors never spend more than what we have," the governor pointed out.

In that regard, he recalled that Catamarca is a province without debt and with balanced finances: "What comes in, we spend. Obviously, provinces now have more work, such as in security or education, but we continue with public works, housing, and bridges, with very austere policies."

The governor reaffirmed his strategy of maintaining dialogue with key officials such as Chief of Cabinet Guillermo Francos, Economy Minister Luis Caputo and brothers Martín and "Lule" Menem. "One will have many more benefits through dialogue than through conflict, while maintaining one's ideals," he reflected.

Support for economic measures and criticism of social segmentation

Jalil was also the first governor to support the plan known as "dollars under the mattress," promoted by Caputo. The measure seeks to encourage the disclosure of informal savings through tax benefits and legal reforms in tax matters.

When asked about his relationships with former presidents, he stated: "I've dealt with Néstor, with her (CFK), with Macri and, as governor, with Milei. In politics, no one should be expelled, but one must have very firm ideas. My view is that the State must exist to help where the private sector can't reach."

Meanwhile, the Catamarcan governor expressed his concern about the decline in the birth rate, not only in urban centers but also in the most remote areas of the province. "It's likely that we will begin to decline in the world population. We have a productive system for 7 billion inhabitants. In Korea, schools have already been closed. All of that changes consumption," he explained, referring to a global phenomenon.