San Luis Minister insults UCR leader following internal elections

Juan Álvarez Pinto, the Minister of Tourism and Culture for San Luis, has sparked controversy after calling Radical Party leader Fidel Haddad a ‘sinvergüenza’ (scoundrel) in a WhatsApp group exchange.

The dispute occurred in the early hours of October 26 within the ‘UCR SL’ group. The tension followed internal elections for the Unión Cívica Radical (UCR) held on October 25. Haddad had criticized the appointment of José Picco as the new party president and questioned the relationship between party leadership and public officials.

In response, Álvarez Pinto criticized Haddad’s twelve-year tenure as a legislator. Haddad countered by accusing the minister of using the UCR to secure public office for personal benefit. The conflict highlights internal divisions between the ‘Radicales Unidos’ faction, supported by Álvarez Pinto, and the ‘Identidad Radical’ group, represented by Haddad.

While Álvarez Pinto reported a victory for his sector with approximately 90% support and over 3,000 participants, critics noted that Picco’s candidacy was the only one officially recognized for the provincial presidency, resulting in a lack of direct competition for that position.