Former senator César Gioja called for a deep renewal of San Juan's Justicialist Party and said the main figures who have led the movement in recent years should step aside to allow a new generation of leaders to emerge.
Gioja argued that rebuilding provincial Peronism should not revolve around individual names but around a government programme with clear priorities. He cited environmentally responsible mining, trade integration with Chile through the Agua Negra pass, alternative energy, tourism and stronger export-based industries.
In that context, he questioned the continued central role of José Luis Gioja and Sergio Uñac. He said both should make room for leaders with the technical and political capacity to restore electoral competitiveness and develop a long-term provincial proposal.
The former lawmaker also blamed Uñac for the Justicialist Party's defeat in the 2023 gubernatorial election. He argued that insisting on another candidacy divided the movement and weakened its electoral performance.
At the national level, Gioja backed Axel Kicillof as a possible leader of Peronism. While acknowledging Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's political record, he said the current moment requires new leadership and stated that he would not support a presidential bid by Uñac.
His assessment of San Juan's 2025 legislative election was cautious. He welcomed the fact that Peronism once again became the most-voted force and praised Cristian Andino's candidacy, but warned that retaining a single seat was not enough to claim a consolidated recovery.
Gioja also questioned the political strength of Javier Milei's project and linked the rise of libertarianism to the decline of traditional politics. In his view, the way forward requires restoring planning, building teams and returning to concrete proposals for governing San Juan and Argentina.
