De Marchi's future in Together for Change: "Nobody has asked me to resign as a deputy nor do I intend to"

The departure of the deputy of the PRO from Mendoza

from the ruling coalition together with radicalism in the province of Cuyo, makes his position creak at the national level, as vice president of the PRO in Deputies.

The national PRO, with the signature of President Patricia Bullrich, decided to intervene in the party in Mendoza, a few hours after learning that De Marchi would run as a candidate for Governor, outside of Cambia Mendoza, and facing Alfredo Cornejo, the candidate from the UCR.

For the intervention of the PRO, Senator Humberto Schiavoni has been designated for 30 days.

It is the necessary time to write down, next Wednesday, April 12, the electoral alliances and, on April 22, the candidates for executive and legislative positions for the provincial and municipal Steps on June 11.

The general elections will be on September 25.

"It is a partial intervention, for the purpose of forcing the PRO to enter Cambia Mendoza. We are going to resist it judicially. It is an interference in the internal rules of the parties. It threatens federalism," says De Marchi, from his home in Lujan de Cuyo.

From being the main political operator of Horacio Rodríguez Larreta in the provinces, De Marchi has been limited to Mendoza, where he will defend in Justice that the party belongs to him because he is the one who has made it grow the most: "In 2015 we had only one provincial legislator, and in recent years we have managed to have two national deputies, nine legislators, a mayor and several councilors", he says.

-How is your relationship with Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, who does not endorse the decision to break with the UCR?

-The last time I spoke with Horacio was last Monday.

After the tweet announcing my candidacy (on Tuesday), we didn't speak again.

Our relationship is intact.

I do not want the national to be mixed with the provincial.

The provincial elections are split and Kirchnerism in Mendoza is blurred, there is no danger of a national victory for the PRO

-Mendoza senator Pablo Priore (PRO), asked that he resign from the first vice presidency of the Chamber of Deputies for being a place that belongs to the front.

-Who is Prior?

I am still more PRO than many, I have given entity to the game.

No one has asked me to resign from office, nor do I plan to leave it. 

Break in the ruling coalition in Mendoza.

Governor Rodolfo Suárez (UCR), together with the PRO national deputy, Omar De Marchi, at the last Vendimia, before leaving Cambia Mendoza. Photo: Orlando Pelichotti

-Who does PRO Mendoza belong to?

-I am the leader who has given the party the most at the national level.

Mendoza is the district that has grown the most, with two national deputies, nine legislators, a mayor (Luján de Cuyo, in charge of De Marchi's nephew), and several councilors, which give us party consolidation.

-How will you retain the seal if the national leaders do not endorse your political strategy?

-The national PRO is not enough to understand the Mendoza situation.

This is not a marriage of convenience, an order cannot come from Buenos Aires to say they get together and get married.

- Will it be the candidate of parties linked to Sergio Massa, Javier Milei, the Civic Coalition and some sectors of Peronism?

-We are building an exclusive front of Mendoza.

We do not want to mix the provincial with the national, because the elections are unfolded.

I am surprised by the people who have called me, who want to join, this has never happened to me.

They will find out on April 12 when we close agreements.

It will be a very powerful front due to the number of parties and expressions, we are going to win the provincial election.

Portrait of the National Deputy for Mendoza Omar de Marchi, candidate for governor of Mendoza Photo: Ignacio Blanco / Los Andes

-And when you have to pronounce yourself for a candidate at the national level, will you do it for Milei or for the PRO?

-Of course for the PRO.

I have always been consistent with my thinking.

In the case of Milei, I have never criticized him and I have rescued respect for the ideas of freedom, but I belong to the PRO.

- Do you make any self-criticism for having belonged to Cambia Mendoza for so many years?

-We have been part of the coalition but we have not governed.

The government is in the hands of the UCR and Libres del Sur.

Mendoza has not grown for 13 years, we have a poverty index above the national average, and we are worse than our neighbors in terms of employment, growth and other parameters.

In addition, there is a screwed up progress on the institutions.

Cornejo controls all the powers, as is the case with some Kirchner provinces.