Genaro Contreras, elected to preside over the Radical Civic Union of Catamarca between 2026 and 2028, left open the possibility of dialoguing with La Libertad Avanza ahead of the elections of 2027. The leader acknowledged a marked ideological distance, but maintained that this difference should not preclude a conversation in advance. His main condition was temporal and political: UCR first needs to organize its structure, recover lost capacities, and define what radicalism it wants to offer to the province.
Contreras described the party as a force with an alliance-oriented vocation. That definition does not constitute a decision to join a front nor an automatic endorsement of LLA. It expresses a willingness to evaluate agreements based on what is considered convenient for Catamarca. The new head of Comité Provincia proposed seeking a core of agreements capable of bringing together diverse sectors and building an alternative with real possibilities of contesting the provincial government, without hiding the existing doctrinal differences.
The internal priority includes recovering identity, territorial presence, and listening capacity. Contreras spoke of a grassroots radicalism, close to society and with greater youth participation. The diagnosis assumes that the electoral discussion cannot be reduced to choosing a national partner. First, the provincial organization must be rebuilt, committees strengthened, and independent positions developed. Without this foundation, an alliance could turn UCR into a supporter of another force instead of allowing it to negotiate from a recognizable identity.
The arrival of Contreras was the result of an agreement between radical sectors that avoided a provincial primary. The leader from Belén had participated in the initial talks and then asked to be set aside to facilitate a solution. His name returned to the table when the leaders sought a unity list. That origin provides him with initial support, but it also requires him to integrate groups that had competed for leadership and to transform the consensus of authorities into effective party functioning.
The dialogue with LLA presents an additional difficulty due to the transfer of radical leaders to the libertarian space and the ideological divergences acknowledged by Contreras himself. The future negotiation will have to distinguish between electoral cooperation, legislative agreements, and management coincidences. It will also have to define candidacies, selection rules, and relationship with national forces. None of these elements were resolved in the statements. The openness to dialogue is a political position, not a formalized front or a list for 2027.
Contreras also linked the radical reconstruction with a provincial agenda. In mining matters, he maintained that the activity must translate into development and employment for Catamarca. That statement points to a possible programmatic ground, but it requires definitions on local suppliers, income, environment, infrastructure, and territorial distribution of benefits. An electoral agreement will be evaluated not only by affinity with national leaders, but by the ability to offer concrete responses to these problems and preserve Catamarca priorities.
The new president seeks to keep several options open while organizing the party. He can talk to LLA without yet committing to an alliance and, at the same time, demand that UCR regain autonomy. That sequence allows him to manage the internal affairs, but it will have a limited timeframe: electoral preparation will require choosing partners, candidates, and a program. The 2026-2028 leadership period makes Contreras directly responsible for leading that decision and preserving the unity achieved. For now, the confirmed fact is a provision conditioned on dialogue. The form it takes will depend on the radical reorganization, on the response of the interior committees, and on the coincidences that each space can demonstrate. Youth participation will be another test of whether the announced renewal truly changes the party decision-making. That definition does not yet exist.
