Cristina Kirchner concretized a key geostrategic movement months from the presidential elections in Argentina, where she finds herself leading the polls.

The ex-president, branded as a populist like López Obrador, sent her ex-minister of economy, Axel Kicillof, to meet with officials from AMLO's cabinet. Both of them share a regional view critical of the United States and a closeness to the Chavista regime of Nicolás Maduro.

She has not announced it formally, but everything indicates that Cristina Kirchner will compete in the Argentine elections against President Mauricio Macri in October, who is seeing his supporters fade away because of the major economic crisis that is striking Argentina.

In the middle of that process, Axel Kicillof arrived in Mexico this Monday on a visit of strong and dense policies.

First of all, López Obrador became a sort of beacon of hope for a large part of the Argentine center-left for a new progressive era in the region. It's a process that failed to prove itself with Jair Bolsonaro's victory in Brazil. AMLO would be a natural ally in ideological terms for an eventual third presidency for Cristina Kirchner, and an interesting counterweight to Donald Trump, who has shown very clearly his preference for Macri.

On the other hand, Kicillof has strong anti-neoliberalist rhetoric, which is very similar to, though more technical, than the one López Obrador outlines. In fact, its was under that slogan that he arranged a conference against neoliberalism at the famous National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) alongside left-wing scholar John Ackerman, who is very close to AMLO.

Kicillof held meetings with the young Secretary of Labor, Luisa María Alcalde, and Graciela Márquez Colín from the Ministry of Economy.

Axel Kicillof at the UNAM in Mexico City.

LPO

On the first day of his visit, the economist interviewed with Luisa María Alcalde, AMLO's young Secretary of Labor, and Graciela Márquez Colín, the Minister of Economy. Although they are still negotiating, on Tuesday Kicillof might have some minutes in private with López Obrador, all a gesture by the man from Tabasco.

It's not the first time that Cristina Kirchner tries to reinforce her ties with López Obrador, who she considers a valuable leader for the region. Already during the elections, AMLO's campaign team received visits from various of the ex-president's collaborators.

Kicillof traveled alongside the economist Cecilia Nahón, the Argentine Ambassador to the United States during the last years of Kirchnerism. Her presence has a simple explanation: the tour includes a visit to Washington on a trip where the main objective would be to reassure the markets in the face of fears that Cristina would default on the Argentine debt if she wins again.

In Mexico, Kicillof also met with Marti Batres, Senate President and one of the most prominent leaders leaning to the left within MORENA, the movement created by AMLO. Within that same group he met with Dani Tovar, an ex-adviser to Rafael Correa, about a fluid dialogue with La Cámpora.

López Obrador is one of the few countries in the region that has stayed neutral in the face of the assault led by the United States against Maduro, which in fact implies support to the Chavista regime.

Cristina Kirchner doesn't hide the history of her relationship with Chavismo either, and if she returns to power, it's very probable that Argentina shifts from the pro United States axis it leads along with Brazil, Chile, and Colombia.