The celebration of the triumph of Marcelo Orrego in San Juan (he took 7 points of difference over the front of Peronism K and garnered 51% of the votes), included caravan of cars, horns and rain of papers through the streets of the center of the provincial capital and, especially, the tour of the commune that gave him the electoral impulse, Saint Lucia.
The day after the elections and after resting for a few hours, there was space for a talk with Clarín. Orrego spoke of the new scenario he faces as leader of Unidos por San Juan, after Sunday's electoral blow that ended more than 20 years of the duo Sergio Uñac and José Luis Gioja in provincial political power.
Marcelo Orrego triumphed in the elections for the governorship of San Juan.
How do you prepare for the transition to the new government?
-We have more than 5 months of transition left. We have 500 professionals who will accompany us and we will choose the best for each position. I have many people within our Front and, little by little, we are going to count who will be in our government.
-How will you govern with 75% of the Legislature that responds to Uñac and only 4 own intendencies of 19?
With political consensus, as I have always done. I have been the only mayor of the opposition, on some occasion, and I was able to carry out my management in a favorable way thanks to betting on dialogue and consensus.
What message does the majority vote of San Juan leave?
-The San Juan voted for change, with certainties and experience in management. There will be a shock policy at first, but we want them to be changes with certainty. It will not be a leap into the void. We are going to change what is needed and not everything.
Which national candidate of Together for Change will you support in the presidential fight?
-In principle. I have a very good relationship with all the leaders: with Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, Patricia Bullrich, Miguel Angel Pichetto, Martín Lousteau, Claudio Poggi and Alfredo Cornejo, among others. I respect both candidates, Larreta and Bullrich, I thank them for their support and I am convinced that one of the two will govern us. But our candidates for senator and national deputy, from the Production and Labor list, are on Larreta's list. We are one of the few provinces that will elect national senators this year, and we have elected Emilio Achém, who was head of my campaign, to the head of the Senate list, and Nancy Picon, provincial deputy in Deputies.
Were you surprised that Gioja has surpassed Governor Uñac's list in the official internal elections?
I wasn't surprised because it was something we saw in the polls. I felt that changes were going to happen. that people had grown tired and did not agree with the trap of the law of slogans and other errors in management. But it is a very internal question of them how that result came about.
Governor Sergio Uñac acknowledged the defeat of the pro-government front and saluted Orrego for his victory.
What did Sergio Uñac say to you when he called you?
-It was a short talk. He conceded defeat and congratulated me. We agreed to open the necessary bridges to make it a transition of dialogue and consensus.
Will it continue to give impetus to mining?
-I am in favor of mining, it is necessary because what is coming is the energy transition, with all the potential of copper and lithium. Mining and the environment go hand in hand, and it is a possibility of progress and work not only for Argentina. There is much to do, we generate only 3,500 million dollars in mining when in Chile, it means, 63 billion dollars.
For the first time since the return of democracy, Cuyo can remain under the same seal of Together for Change (the final election is missing in Mendoza, where Alfredo Cornejo has great chances). How do you imagine this new stage?
-I imagine this new Cuyo, where the three governors have the opportunity to work, share and develop projects together. We can add a grain of sand
See also