A High-Stakes Summit at the Pink House
The governor of Neuquén Province, Rolando Figueroa, will meet this Wednesday, August 19, with Argentina's Chief of Cabinet, Diego Santilli, at the Casa Rosada (the Argentine presidential palace, also known as the Pink House). The meeting, scheduled for 3:00 PM, aims to unblock strategic issues for the Patagonian province and set the tone for relations between the national government and Neuquén—which hit a rough patch following the rejection of the Land Law.
Figueroa arrives strengthened after his senator, Julieta Corroza, voted against the ruling party's initiative that would have allowed the sale of state-owned land to foreigners. “Putting Neuquén first demands respect,” said a source close to the provincial leader, as reported by EconoJournal.
The national government, for its part, is seeking support for its key reform package, including the elimination of PASO primaries (Argentina's mandatory open, simultaneous and compulsory primary elections), the modification of the Cold Zone subsidy regime, and the reform of the Central Bank. The meeting with Figueroa is part of a broader strategy to build bridges with “dialoguista” (dialogue-friendly) governors.
National Highways: The Central Demand
One of the key topics will be the transfer of national highways to provincial control. Figueroa wants to remove obstacles so Neuquén can manage and improve strategic corridors connecting with Chile and major tourist destinations.
In statements after the inauguration of Crouzeilles Avenue in Neuquén's capital, the governor detailed the routes he wants to take over:
- Route 242 (access to Pino Hachado International Pass)
- Route 231 (toward Cardenal Samoré Pass)
- Route 40 (southern section)
- Route 237 (connection to Bariloche)
- Route of the Seven Lakes (to develop the tourist corridor)
- Route 22 (urban section, to improve access to the capital)
“We have a roadblock there preventing us from being given some of the routes we want to take charge of,” said Figueroa, as reported by LM Neuquén. The governor anticipated that within a month or two, “all international border crossings will be administered by the Province.”
Regarding Route 22, the mayor of Neuquén capital, Mariano Gaido, is already planning the construction of an elevated bridge over Casimiro Gómez, the Los Paraísos works, and the duplication of the roadway to the border with Río Negro Province. Figueroa also confirmed work is underway on a fourth bridge over the Neuquén River, a long-awaited project to ease traffic congestion.
Cold Zone: Protecting the Patagonian Subsidy
Another key point on the agenda is the Cold Zone regime. Figueroa will ask Santilli to publicly commit to not touching the amount of the subsidy corresponding to Neuquén and Patagonia. “We are going to ask for express statements,” said the governor, as quoted by Neuquén Informa.
The concern stems from a reform pushed by the ruling party to reduce the fiscal cost of the regime. Meanwhile, the national government has already agreed with governors of the Norte Grande (Greater North) region on a parallel warm zones scheme that expands electricity subsidies, in an attempt to gain votes in the Senate. Figueroa, who has already anticipated his rejection of an article granting the Executive discretion to set percentages, seeks to protect the Patagonian benefit.
Vaca Muerta and Joint Work with Río Negro
Figueroa will also raise the need to improve access to Vaca Muerta—one of the world's largest reserves of unconventional oil and gas—with less impact on cities. “We want to move forward on a project we will develop together with Río Negro, in conjunction with the CFI (Federal Investment Council),” he noted.
The governor of Río Negro, Alberto Weretilneck, announced that negotiations for the transfer of routes 22 and 151 in his province have entered the “final stage.” Coordination between the two provinces aims to create an infrastructure backbone for the growth of oil and gas activity.
State Land: The Philosophy That Sets Figueroa Apart
The Neuquén governor was blunt when referring to the Land Law: “We voted against it because we have a different philosophy regarding who the land belongs to.” Neuquén submitted a bill in the provincial Legislature to protect provincial state-owned lands, which represent approximately 33% of the territory.
The Neuquén law establishes that state-owned lands can only be awarded, sold or leased to Argentine citizens or legal entities constituted in the country with productive projects. “We believe it is important to resume dialogue because when we agree and there is a regulation that benefits Neuquén, we support it, but when we consider that something harms us, we oppose it,” he clarified.
The Political Backdrop: PASO and 2027 Elections
The meeting takes place amid intense political negotiation. The ruling party needs votes to pass the elimination of PASO primaries, a bill already submitted to the Senate that Peronism is trying to block. Figueroa has already expressed his support for doing away with the primaries, though he does not endorse other points of the electoral reform, such as enabling the “lista sábana” (full-slate list) on the Single Paper Ballot.
The Neuquén governor is also scheduled to participate on Thursday in the Council of the Americas, where President Javier Milei will also speak, alongside Luis Caputo, Pablo Quirno and Federico Sturzenegger.
According to Clarín, Wednesday's meeting is part of the Government's strategy to “build bridges with the provinces” and advance its legislative agenda. This is the first face-to-face meeting between Santilli and Figueroa since the negative vote on the Land Law—a gesture the governor seeks to turn into a position of negotiating strength.