Buenos Aires Herald 
Economy Minister Sergio Massa and Interior Minister Eduardo ‘Wado’ De Pedro were seen together today at an event in Mercedes, a city in Buenos Aires province. Even though the ruling Frente de Todos (FdT) coalition has still not defined its candidates for this year’s presidential elections, both are considered to have strong possibilities of being on the ballot.
Massa and De Pedro inaugurated a tourist train connecting Mercedes and Tomás Jofré. During the event, they exchanged compliments.
“Sergio is traveling to China in search of [financial] resources,” De Pedro said. “He was handed a hot potato and will continue to put his body on the line,” he added, quoting what Vice President Cristina Fernández Kirchner said in an interview a couple ago.
“With Sergio, with Axel [Kicillof, the governor of Buenos Aires], we are rethinking a new Argentina, with new ideas for a new world.”
“Neighbors, support us,” De Pedro asked. “We need your strength so we can dream of a federal Argentina, with jobs, healthcare, and education, to put forth an inclusive production model.”
Massa, on the other hand, reminisced about the political quarrels inside the Peronist coalition.
“We’ve shared many hours and days, as well as many mates. At some point, we’ve even had fights, but we joined forces when we saw Argentina in danger,” Massa said. “When we saw some had no limits and that everything ended up in just a few hands.”
Massa walked away from his alliance with the kirchnerismo –the center-left branch of Peronismo De Pedro is part of – in 2013. They remained apart until 2019 when Massa’s political party –the Frente Renovador–, kirchnerismo, and other political parties joined forces to create the Frente de Todos coalition that would eventually defeat then-president Mauricio Macri.
“That was when we started to rebuild this great family that is currently the Frente de Todos, a coalition that has its differences but shares the same dream for the country.”
Massa and De Pedro are both potential candidates for this year’s elections. Media pundits have commented they could be part of the same presidential ticket after they appeared standing next to each other last Thursday in Plaza de Mayo during Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s speech. That day, De Pedro posted a video to social media that was widely interpreted as a sign he will run for president.
“We’ll make mistakes, but will always govern with our hearts and think of Argentina with conviction and dreams of the future,” said Massa. “This will not change”
Political parties and coalitions have until June 24 to define their candidates.
–Télam/Buenos Aires Herald
