Hilda “Chiche” Duhalde He participated in a press conference organized by students of the Perfil USAL Graduate Program in Investigative Journalism, in which he analyzed the government of Alberto Fernández since its inception. “He began to show signs that he was not on the right path and he was accentuating in that line. Alberto Fernández has clearly disappointed me“, he pointed.
The former legislator and promoter of the “manzaneras” also criticized the social plans and referred to the judicial situation of Vice President Cristina Kirchner and her criticism of the Supreme Court. “It seems to me that Argentina has lost its way in relation to the respect that must be given to the three powers. Cristina is very concerned about her personal situation and she is making serious mistakes “, Chiche Duhalde expressed in the Cycle of Interviews by Rodrigo Lloret, director of Perfil Educación.
—What analysis do you make of the government of Alberto Fernández?
—He began to show signs that he was not going on the right path and he was accentuating in that line. Alberto Fernández has clearly disappointed me.
—What do you think about Cristina’s speech at the May 25 event when she described the Supreme Court of Justice as an “unworthy jerk”?
—It seems to me that Argentina has lost its way in relation to the respect that must be shown to the three powers. Cristina is very concerned about her personal situation and she is making serious mistakes from where she is. As long as the Supreme Court does not do what it wants them to do, it will continue attacking and convincing an ever smaller group. What is serious is the role that we make permanently in this matter.
—Do you think that the causes that the vice president is facing could cause her to end up in prison?
—No, I think it will be many years before that happens. It is in one instance and several more are still missing. I do not know what is going to happen. She is a woman who is going to turn 70 years old. Surely many things will happen. I don’t know if I will see the end of this story.
Could Peronism win without Kirchnerism?
—Unfortunately, Kirchnerism in some way, I wouldn’t say it has destroyed, because there are still seeds spread throughout the country of two very important parties such as radicalism and peronism, but yes, it has managed to make people believe that Kirchnerism is Peronism and it is something very different, it leveled down, it did not bet on production and work. Because of my age, I come from a movement that has shown itself to play a very important role in everything that has to do with production, work, social advancement, that for a reason, despite its 18 years of exile, people could not forget. What represents us today is not Peronism.
—Do you agree with the possibility that Axel Kicillof could be re-elected in the province of Buenos Aires?
—I am very concerned that Kicillof can win in the Province, because I go through it and because I see what is happening with health and education, fundamentally. We are having very serious problems. Priorities must be set and in the province of Buenos Aires it is insecurity and the situation of the poorest sectors, which must be addressed first. We must start from the periphery towards the center and work above all in matters of health, food and education. The truth is that Kicillof has not managed well.
—You created the “manzaneras” several decades ago and you were a pillar in social assistance. What do you think of social plans today?
—I don’t think you have to keep them because they are not an incentive to work, on the contrary. The social organization of 35,000 women who did not earn a peso for what they did (in relation to the manzaneras program), was truly a social support network. It wasn’t a plan, it was a program. I think that all these years, having more and more social assistance, what it has achieved is to increase poverty, not decrease it. I would leave only the Universal Allowance for Children and the Alimentar card provisionally, so that they can later be removed until the country manages to get ahead, with work and production, and also with a lot of control. May those who receive it be those who truly need it. When the institutions are “bypassed”, and those who manage state aid are not the municipal mayors, but are the social movements or pseudo social movements, what happens is that it ends up being granted to those who respond to their interests. You have to respect the institutionality, control, have a census of who are the people who have to access the benefit. But you also have to work so they can get ahead. The Universal Child Allowance could remain, provided that the children are actually in school.
—In a recent statement you said that you could join Together for Change. Did you receive any formal proposal?
—No, sometimes journalists ask about options, so they asked me about the Frente de Todos and Cambiemos. I am clear that the government coalition is not the place where I would be. In 2005 I faced Cristina Kirchner in an election, knowing that she was losing, and saying that they were going for the institutions and I fell short. Regarding the opposition front, which was the second option, I said that I would set conditions and not deny my Peronist membership because I understand that the only way out for Argentina is to unite all those parties that are not fueling the crack and who seek to reach a consensus, agree on five or six necessary state policies, there I would try to collaborate. But not because I have a personal ambition, life has given me everything, in the sense that I have held very important positions and I am big. It is a desire to contribute my experience mainly in the social field.
—Who is better prepared in the opposition Horacio Rodríguez Larreta and I Patricia Bullrich?
—We are at a crossroads in the Nation, because I would feel much closer if there was a candidate with whom I shared my ideas. I am a woman who comes from and does not deny Peronism. Today Kirchnerism governs, which is often said to be Peronism and I don’t think it is the one who governs us today. I want a candidate from my party to emerge who reflects his doctrine and his ideas, but that doesn’t happen. So the options are not too many. In any case, I prefer not to get into the inmates of the opposition arch.
—Do you think that Horacio Rodríguez Larreta can become a good president?
I’m not going to talk about the opposition. Argentina lacks, in general terms, strong leaders and this happens in all parties. We are in a moment of lack of strong leadership, of convictions, of referents that clearly teach us the path to follow. I always say that there is nothing more deceitful than a politician in the campaign, because they do not dare to say what must be done, that the way out is hard, and society is not prepared to listen to it either. Today people are hopeless for this reason. Because there is no one to fall in love with. Maybe a little bit, more or less, but not totally.
—Doesn’t Sergio Massa fall in love with you either?
—No, Massa doesn’t make me fall in love at all.
—Do you think Javier Milei can become president?
I hope not, but it’s a possibility. People have the right to vote for him, to choose freely and he to present himself. It does not seem to me that he is the ideal man to govern us. Argentina needs consensus, parliamentary majorities, agreements and I don’t know if it is prepared or realizes everything it needs to govern. Nor do I know if the other leaders understand that these agreements must be built, because otherwise it will be very difficult to get out.
—We appreciate your participation in this Cycle of Interviews with students from Perfil Educación and we give you the opportunity to close the report with a final comment.
—I would just like to thank you guys, you are always very attentive. To young journalism students I say: be the best journalists. Hopefully they can be even-handed, which is what we need. I hope they are great journalists.
By Carolina Fabio Fiorini, Jennifer Pérez Olivera and Victoria De Dios
Journalism Students Profile Education
Postgraduate in Investigative Journalism Profile–USAL
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