From early caution to final euphoria, “Rolo” Figueroa celebrated historic triumph with tears and hugs

The tears and hugs of many on his campaign team and candidates grew when the newly elected Governor, Rolando “Rolo” Figueroaarrived at his space bunker in the city of Neuquén to celebrate the historic triumph that made him the first leader of democracy to defeat the Popular Movement of Neuquén (MPN), which had not lost an election in more than six decades.

From his home, surrounded by his family and friends, the hitherto national deputy He asked all members of his Neuquinizate front to calm downwhile the province’s Electoral Council reported the first figures which already showed a clear trend in their favour, which is why there was no official victory message until late Sunday evening, when the percentage of tables processed was greater than 90%

After 8:30 p.m., with the almost final figures, there were a brief power outagein times when militancy inside and outside the premises set up in Teniente Primero Ibañez street at 116, where the Avanzar committee usually works, one of the spaces belonging to the front, took the opportunity to sing “a minute of silence for those who died”, in reference to the defeated Marcos Koopmann, who was leading the MPN ticket.

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Music, laughter and applause, at first subdued, erupted when it was confirmed that Figueroa would be the next governor of Neuquén, the first not to belong to the MPN since 1962, when the current ruling party is came to power for the first time and only left it because of the coups.

At this time, a speaker asked the militancy to go to the Hôtel du Gouvernement, where a stage had already been set up in which the elected governor and his running mate, the mayor of Plottier, Gloria Ruizthey were going to introduce themselves after walking through the bunker to speak to the press.

The main referents of their space were already there, mainly the candidates of the nine lists that the front presented, some of which were mirrored, that is to say that the same aspiring legislator was at the head of two ballots: Luciana Ortiz LunaCommunity and Citizen Development; Lucas Castelliof Avanzar Neuquen; Leticia Estevezof the PRO and the New Commitment of Neuquén; Soledad Martinezof the Grand Front; Acuna violetof the Social Front for Dignity, and Nadia Marquezfrom above Neuquén.

As people continued to wait for the winner, the spots aired during the campaign appeared on the screen and people, including many families with their young children, started jumping and singing to the rhythm of “olé, olé, olé, Rolo, Rollo”.

Other moments of euphoria came when several popular songs were played with lyrics changed in the tone of a proselytizing message, such as Quevedo’s famous Session #52 with Bizarrap, which in its political version reads as follows : “only one option, none like this, if you think about it during a break, you will understand it 100%, with ‘Rolo’ Figueroa Neuquén monte”.

Minutes passed and while cars passed by honking their horns in the street, at the door of the local party some of the space leaders, like Ortíz Luna, settled in the entrance hall to wait for the leader, who had arrived later. 9:30 p.m.

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In agreement with the rest of those present, Figueroa entered the party offices with tears in his eyes and affectionately hugging everyone he knew who crossed his path. The newly elected governor was then placed in the center of the establishment, in front of the screen where his spots had previously been broadcast, to attend the media.

An effusive greeting came to him when he saw Estévez and Marcelo Bermudezheads of the list of legislative candidates for the PRO, who promoted meetings with Mauricio Macri at the end of last year and the beginning of this year, which led to the subsequent agreement for the yellow party, as well as a sector of the UCR, to support its ticket instead of that of Juntos por el Cambio Neuquén, who named Paul Cervisupported by the Civic Coalition and another part of radicalism, which came fifth.

In a brief lecture, the future provincial mandate called for the unity and avoided having a derrota del MPN, sino que se refirió a su oposición como “la lista Azul del oficialismo”, al tiempo que anticipation que espera reunirs en estos días with Omar Gutierrezwho will pass command to him and whom he describes as a “statesman”, to organize the transition.

After answering a few questions, Figueroa left the bunker to go to Government House, his workspace since December 10, to thank the militancy and offer his last words before closing his long election day, which took the fence I imagined.

However, before leaving the premises, he took care to pass by each of the offices, where part of his campaign team still worked, and to congratulate them for the effort made in recent weeks.

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