Versión Español
In last year’s legislative elections, the ex-president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner decided to campaign from outside the Peronist party in order to avoid competing in a primary. In a now-leaked conversation, the ex-president is heard insulting her then running mate Jorge Taiana.
Kirchner ran under the banner of the Citizen Union Front, where she counted on faithful Peronists who “played” the role of the outside the party but remained faithful with the “boss”— Kirchner herself.
Jorge Taiana, Chancellor for Néstor Kirchner, was chosen to accompany her in as a second candidate for senator.
Plying second fiddle to the candidate for Senate was not the best thing that could happen to him, politically speaking; since the prize was distributed with two benches for the majority and one for the first minority.
Kirchner obtained second place and her ‘bench’. But Taiana returned to his home after having served his purpose as the running mate, a frustrated man. However, his frustration did not end there.
The ex-president’s running mate found out, along with the rest of the country, that the ‘boss’ considers him an “idiot” and an “a—hole”, as confirmed by new judicial hearings that were spread widely by the media.
“Showing face” for Hugo Chávez
The conversation, like in previously leaked exchanges, was with Oscar Parrilli, the intelligence chief of the Kirchners. In the conversation, Cristina and her faithful spy-chief debated the ideal candidate to represent Kirchner in a tribute to the late strongman Hugo Chávez.
At one point Parrilli proposed to Taiana, who the following year would be Cristina’s running mate, should be present. Cristina rejects the idea, saying that she would not accept and insults Taina twice:
Parrilli: – Another play we can do, play a little more … I can call Taiana, if you like? To get him to comit to come and put the trout (show face).
Kirchner: -That idiot is going to tell you no.
Parrilli: -Well, you saw …
Kirchner: -No, no no no, that’s an a—hole, forget it.
Putting an “a—hole” on the ballot
The audio, which belongs to one of the many judicial proceedings that involve the individuals in this conversation, was recorded in July 2016. This was prior to the legislative elections last October, who’s primaries took place in August.
The opinion of Kirchner about Taiana was clear from long before this incident, and yet she chose a person, which according to her, leaves much to be desired. Predictably the Kirchner ticket obtained 37%, against the 41% of Cambiemos.
This new scandal complicates, even more, the political armada that the ex-president can hope to face next year, since the recordings that keep appearing leave her in bad standing not only with the leaders of Peronism but now also with those of the “Orthodox Kirchnerism” which are slowly distancing themselves.
Just last week, an audio surfaced where Kirchner tells the leaders of the Peronism movement to “suture their orifices” since they did not accept her candidacy without primaries for the elections last year.
