This Wednesday, one of the former president’s principles, Mauricio Macri, regarding the PRO’s support for the government of Javier Milei, came to fruition. “We support the Law on Bases” was repeated like a mantra within Macri’s party, while the yellow party consistently voted alongside La Libertad Avanza in Congress. Furthermore, they maintained internal coherence despite the increasingly apparent differences between the current leader of the space and Minister of Security Patricia Bullrich.
During the vote in the House of Representatives concerning the DNU, which increased the SIDE budget, the PRO broke the tacit agreement with the government and acted directly against their interests. Initially, they provided the quorum needed for the session to begin, and subsequently added nearly twenty votes in favor of rejecting the presidential initiative. This was the first clear manifestation of disagreement with the libertarian administration, signaling a crucial message to the President and his inner circle: Macri aims to regain a central role in the PRO and national politics.
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“The DNU has nothing to do with the issues we have been supporting in the government. It was important that it be rejected,” stated a member of the PRO inner circle who participated in a summit meeting held Wednesday morning to finalize the bloc’s position.
The meeting, chaired by Macri, was attended by Christian Ritondo (head of the Chamber of Deputies bloc), Facundo Pérez Carletti (secretary general of the party), and deputies Silvia Lospennato, Diego Santilli, and Maria Eugenia Vidal. Also present were the governor of Chubut, Ignacio Torres, and the head of the Buenos Aires government, Jorge Macri, among others.
Former President Mauricio Macri seeks to regain a central role in the PRO and national politics. (Photo: NA/Damián Dopacio)
At that point, Mauricio Macri conveyed the message to provide quorum for the session and subsequently vote to reject the DNU. According to what TN could gather, this decision was later relayed by Ritondo, acting as head of the caucus, to the rest of the legislators. However, during the session, the deputies did not act uniformly. In fact, three different positions emerged: those who voted in favor, those who abstained, and those who voted against.
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“The decision was Macri’s, but it was backed by the governors present. There was substantial leadership from Mauricio, showing he stands firm against Milei,” said someone from the inner circle of the PRO to TN. The message, both internally and externally, is that they can gather two-thirds of the votes against the government on sensitive issues, although they clarified that there is “90% affinity with the things Milei is doing.”
“It is about setting limits. On issues that are unrelated to change, that we won’t support,” a high-ranking PRO leader told this newspaper. Despite Macri’s actions, those nearby assert that “there will be no retaliation” from the government side. They also indicated that “Milei and Macri communicate very frequently, and everything is fine between them.”
Mauricio Macri has once again distanced himself from Javier Milei’s government. (Photo: NA/Reuters)
The anger of bullrichismo and the risk of the bloc breaking apart
“There is a lot of tension. Once again, they acted in violation of their commitments. They had agreed not to provide quorum, and instead, they decided to debate what position to take later. But five minutes before the session began, Mauricio called and changed everything,” assured a highly trusted figure from Bullrich’s camp to this media outlet. However, they stressed: “Very few paid attention to him. They ended up acting in a way that was very difficult to understand.”
“We agreed last night that there would be no quorum; they want to form a new majority,” indicated sources from the Minister of Security to TN. The reference is to the fact that the session was called by Encuentro Federal, led by Miguel Pichetto, but with the backing of Kirchnerism and a segment of the UCR.
“Yesterday, after weeks of debate within the PRO bloc, we agreed not to provide a quorum for a process that threatens national security and defense. I regret that some leaders are orchestrating the organic breakdown of the bloc. I did not provide quorum,” wrote Congressman Damián Arabia on his X account. He added: “Today, many of us voted against overturning the DNU that allocates funds for the intelligence of our national security and national defense. They did not even allow for a debate; they overturned it with a ‘Do you want a more vulnerable Argentina?’ Who are they legislating for? It is incomprehensible.”.
Deputy Damián Arabia was very critical of Mauricio Macri’s position of asking to vote against the Government. (Photo: X @DamianArabia)
“Mauricio is mistaken. Not even the entirety of his supposed faction supported his decision,” accused a member of Milei’s administration. They also deemed it “very dangerous” to accompany Pichetto and his team to “send a message to Milei.” Ultimately, only five legislators provided a quorum, and 19 voted in favor of rejecting the DNU.
“That outburst to close the list of speakers and to reunite the majority of those who claim a share, no,” Silvana Giudici confirmed to TN. She added playfully, “Everyone ended up doing what Monzó and Massot wanted.”
Despite the evident tensions within the bloc, particularly in the Bullrich faction, an authoritative voice within the space emphasized to this media that “The bloc will remain united. It will be restructured.
Mauricio Macri’s Strategic Shift: The PRO’s Support for Javier Milei’s Government
This Wednesday, a pivotal development took place in the Argentine political landscape as former president Mauricio Macri vocalized the PRO’s support for the government of Javier Milei. With a firm declaration of “We support the Law on Bases,” Macri’s party echoed this sentiment repeatedly, displaying an unwavering alignment with La Libertad Avanza during congressional votes. Despite the collaboration, increasing differences began to surface between Javier Milei and the PRO’s leadership, particularly Minister of Security Patricia Bullrich.
Breaking Away: The PRO’s DNU Vote
A significant break in the tacit agreement with the government emerged during the House of Representatives vote regarding the DNU, which proposed an increase in the SIDE budget. The PRO not only provided a quorum for the session but also added nearly twenty votes against the presidential initiative. This marked a clear departure from previously established support and sent a strong message that Macri is attempting to reclaim his impact both in the PRO and national politics.
A PRO member involved in a key summit remarked to TN, “The DNU has nothing to do with the issues we have been supporting to the Government. It was important that it be rejected.”
The Leadership Structure and Internal Dynamics
The critical meeting chaired by Macri witnessed the attendance of high-ranking officials, including Christian Ritondo (head of the Chamber of Deputies caucus), Facundo Pérez Carletti (party secretary general), and prominent deputies like Silvia Lospennato, Diego Santilli, and Maria Eugenia Vidal. The collaborative mood implied a united front, but the subsequent voting patterns revealed differing opinions among the legislators.
Former President Mauricio Macri seeks to regain a central role in the PRO and national politics. (Photo: NA/Damián Dopacio)
Macri’s Influence and Internal Party Messages
Mauricio Macri made clear that the decision to provide quorum and subsequently vote against the DNU was strategically calculated. As stated by sources close to him, the message was a stance not just towards the government but also towards the direction of the PRO itself. They conveyed confidence in their ability to assemble two-thirds of the votes against the administration on sensitive issues while maintaining an “90% affinity” toward Milei’s initiatives.
A prominent PRO leader articulated this intent: “It is to put a limit. On issues that have nothing to do with change, that don’t count on us.” Despite this, there are claims that no retaliatory actions would arise from these dissenting votes, indicating ongoing discussions between Milei and Macri remain cordial.
Mauricio Macri has once again distanced himself from Javier Milei’s government. (Photo: NA/Reuters)
The Rifts within PRO: Bullrich’s Perspective
Tensions within the PRO party escalated as members aligned with Patricia Bullrich voiced strong dissatisfaction with Macri’s actions. According to a Bullrich ally, “There is a lot of heat. Once again they acted in violation of their commitments.” The breakdown in coherence manifests as internal factions appear ready to diverge from Macri’s leadership style.
Conflicts erupted after Mauricio’s last-minute call, expressing a need to make last-minute changes before the session, leading many to feel that their agreements had been undermined. The divergence of voting behavior highlighted discomfort within the caucus, as evidenced by the split positions during the DNU vote.
Public Reactions and Legislative Implications
Damián Arabia, a Congressman critical of Macri’s directive, expressed his disapproval on social media, lamenting how the session didn’t allow for necessary debates over national security budgets. He stated, “There were very few who paid attention to him, but they ended up playing in a way that was very difficult to understand.”
Alarmingly, Devon’s comments reflected a broader concern within the PRO about a potential breakup of alliances. They worried that supporting the Kirchner-supported Encuentro Federal could send mixed signals regarding the party’s commitment to national security.
Deputy Damián Arabia was very critical of Mauricio Macri’s position of asking to vote against the Government. (Photo: X @DamianArabia)
Concluding Thoughts: The Future of PRO and Political Dynamics
As divisions within the PRO deepen, the implications for Argentina’s governance structure become increasingly significant. Those supporting Milei worry that drastic political maneuvers such as these could lead to greater instability or even coalition breakdowns. A high-ranking PRO member, however, remains optimistic, asserting, “The bloc will remain united. It will be recomposed.” Stability seemingly hinges on how effectively leaders can navigate these growing fractures while upholding their party’s commitment to security and governance.
