President Javier Milei’s La Libertad Avanza (LLA) and right-wing PRO have formalized their alliance in the Buenos Aires province ahead of the September local legislative elections. The parties confirmed the decision with statements posted on their X accounts, and also offered a joint press conference to make the official announcement.

“The Buenos Aires province PRO confirms the decision to make up an electoral front along La Libertad Avanza,” the party wrote in a statement, also confirming that all 13 PRO mayors in Buenos Aires province will join the coalition.

The Buenos Aires province LLA account also posted a short statement saying that they, and the provincial PRO, “understand that the battle is much larger than a simple election.”

“We have united to bring back to Buenos Aires province citizens the freedom, order and growth without conditions,” they said. Despite their political friendship, LLA and PRO are not formal allies at a national level, something which has brought tension for other elections, including in Buenos Aires City. On the contrary, the provincial authorities of the parties had been working on this allyship for months.

Sebastián Pareja and Cristian Ritondo — heads of LLA and PRO in the province — took a photo together signing the agreement on Wednesday at noon. They later participated in a press conference, which was spearheaded by LLA head at a national level and Presidency Secretary Karina Milei. Despite her central role in the table, surrounded by Ritondo, Pareja, PRO deputy Daniel Santilli and Lower House President Martín Menem, from LLA, Karina Milei spoke briefly and asked Pareja to respond to a question from the press directed at her.

“I want to thank the greatness of each of them [referring to those present at the table] to leave their personal interests to the side and join forces against the true enemy, Kirchnerism,” Karina Milei said. “Now, [Kirchnerism] will have a much stronger enemy to fight. We will fight and win to end it forever. This is Kirchnerism or freedom.”

Despite the alliance, the banners set up behind those sitting at the table only showed the name of La Libertad Avanza, its logo of a flying eagle, and its characteristic purple color. In this instance, nothing indicated that PRO was also part of it.

Pareja said during the press conference that the alliance allowed entry to LLA of those who “defend the national government and the ideas of freedom.”

“Today is a very hopeful day for citizens of Buenos Aires province,” Ritondo said, adding that their goal is to “end populism.”

PRO president at a national level Mauricio Macri was notoriously absent. Macri has had public disputes with Milei and LLA in recent months, particularly when he accused LLA of trying to sabotage the PRO candidate for the Buenos Aires City legislative elections earlier this year. However, Ritondo said that Macri “approved” of the alliance.

The Peronist alliance

Peronism is also expected to announce a unity alliance between sectors represented by Governor Axel Kicillof, ex Economy Minister Sergio Massa and national deputy Máximo Kirchner — son of former president Cristina Kirchner and leader of the La Cámpora Kirchnerist faction.

The three, who despite internal tensions began negotiating unity after Kirchner’s prison conviction was confirmed in June, were sharing last-minute talks on Wednesday afternoon, the Herald was able to confirm.

In addition to this, Cristina Kirchner will give a speech from house arrest that her supporters will be able to listen from Parque Lezama, close to her Constitución neighborhood apartment.

Wednesday July 9 is the last day for parties who want to participate in the Buenos Aires province elections to file the documentation to constitute coalitions before the local electoral court. July 19 is the deadline for coalitions and parties to confirm their candidates for the September 7 election.