Fight against “hegemonic media”, taking charge of oneself in networks, and military public health: the indoctrination of the Patria Institute of its militants

A few weeks before PASO, the Instituto Patria decided to relaunch a “training” course for Kirchner militants. There are more than 25 hours of lessons online, spread over eight weeks of study. Those who pay the registration fee, a symbolic sum of $ 900, also have access to audiovisual material, a bibliography on the topics taught in the course, and a virtual forum where they can debate ideas. Fight against “hegemonic media”, beware of comments on social networks, and military public health in the midst of a pandemic, are some of the concepts in the handbook, unwritten, for K activism.

The introduction to the course is given by Oscar Parrilli, President of the Instituto Patria. In a long video, the senator offers activists to resume the debate launched by Vice-President Cristina Kirchner in December 2020 with this sentence of “officials who do not work”. “When you are in public management, there are no friends but responsibilities. We cannot make a government of friends, but of officials who respond. Do not be afraid to say that there are officials who are not working. It is not a question of going to the media, TN, Clarín or La Nación, but internally we must not be afraid to debate, ”he sends out a clear message to the internal battle of the Frente de Todos.

Parrilli also poses as a campaign axis a possible reform of the health system, as the vice-president launched it a few days ago: “There is no coordination of the health subsystems, which generates inequities and injustices. Don’t be afraid to discuss it ”. In the end, almost like a parish announcement, the President of the Fatherland announces the formation of a new board of directors and the approval of the balance sheets. “They were looking for us everywhere for a narco or a terrorist to put moneyHe said with a knowing smile.

According to the report presented to the General Inspectorate of Justice (IGJ), in 2020 the Instituto Patria raised over $ 2 million in training and about $ 5 million in payroll taxes.

The “Self-Directed Activism Course” begins with a core module of four recorded courses. “The objective is to provide elements to colleagues to train and face the electoral campaign”, summarizes one of the facilitators in the introductory interviews. What tactics do I use to gain power? How to convince? How do you get the wills to join? How do we do to win? These are some of the questions we try to answer.

The reference to legislative elections keeps coming back. The ruling party’s goal is to secure majorities in chambers, both in Congress and in provincial legislatures. There are several specific recommendations for this.

– Think tactics and strategies to win

“Planning an election campaign is the closest thing to what’s happening with the pandemic, it’s planning, because we have only one goal: to win. We need twelve seats in order to have a majority (within the deputies) and to be able to move forward with the laws that Alberto Fernández needs ”, explains deputy Claudia Bernazza, who is also course coordinator and member of the Institute’s steering committee. .

– Do not fight with the enemy or try to change him

“We don’t have to think about how we change (Mauricio) Macri, Macri is what he says. We don’t have to be discouraged because our opponents are expressing these thoughts. I propose a change of logic, Macri is information. If an opponent says he doesn’t know what Estela de Carlotto contributed, that’s information, have a strategy against that information, ”Barraza offers in first class, where the general aspects of the elections are discussed.

In another course, he comes back to the same idea: “Our energy must not be put to go against the speech of the enemy but rather to reach the expectations of the indifferent, at the same time as we generate agreements with allies and adversaries. We will not be able to convince our enemies. They are clear on their plans ”.

In each segment of the course there are bibliographic recommendations for activists. In this first stage appear “The Prince” by Nicolás Machiavelli, and “Adiós, Señor Presidente”, by Carlos Matus, a Chilean writer who was Salvador Allende’s Minister of the Economy.

– Watch out for comments on social networks

The training pays particular attention to political communication during the campaign, particularly in terms of social media management. Communication appears to be one of the deficiencies of the Front de Todos. The activists themselves recognize this in an internal debate at the end of the first lesson.

“In the networks, many colleagues are discouraged by the problems of our government. Ministers are men and women with virtues and limitations. They can be changed. They wondered if it is useful to comment in a network where the adversary is, networks that the enemy manages, maybe it is better to think about what to do with these weaknesses and generate proposals “, suggests Bernazza.

Faced with the discouragement of some, Parrilli is overflowing with optimism. “I am convinced that we will have positive results (in the elections), we will increase the number of deputies, there are 20 or 30 projects approved in the Senate which cannot be approved by the deputies. IF we don’t reach our own majority, we will be very close. The Macri government is very present. They will have the rejection of the vast majority, ”he anticipates in one of his speeches.

In second class, the Homeland course coordinator offers an in-depth analysis of “Cristina’s master move”, when he decided to elect Alberto Fernández as presidential candidate of the Frente de Todos. “This game radically changed the picture, we celebrated it, it allowed us not only to be right but to be able,” he says.

In the field of political communication, concrete objectives are set for the campaign, such as setting up an own agenda and creativity during communication. Reference to hegemonic media pops up all the time. “The hegemonic media inhabit our heads. We do not think, we are thought, we cannot live outside the situation, we are situated beings», Bernazza launches following the comment of an activist.

Turning to the level of digital communication, another teacher, Giselle Rodriguez, asks to focus on an advertising guideline strategy: “She is very underestimated in popular processes. A guideline is important to skip ‘the echo chamber’ and reach the segments we want to reach ”.

Another of the speakers, Javier “Profe” Romero, known for his interventions in activist programs like 6-7-8 or Duro de Domar, suggests not to avoid the public debate on attendance in schools. “We are for life, the commitment to education they proclaim is false”, He says. And he harangues the militants: “The electoral campaign is every day, it is now, it is to be vigilant all the time, especially when the enemy is wrong.

Readings and a biography for consultation are recommended for each presentation. Arturo Jauretche, John William Cooke, Carlos Matus, Aurora Venturini, are some of the authors mentioned. Closer in time, the reflections of Open letter and the speeches of Néstor and Cristina Kirchner.

There is a phrase from the former president that is repeated throughout the course: “We have to prepare, we have to know, because those who do not study, those who do not know, what is going on and how the events unfolded are directed by their noses ”.

The course bibliography is not negotiated. Faced with “official” recommendations, an activist proposes a text by Flacso. The coordinator dodges it with a smile: “Yes, but it has a social democratic tinge. I prefer Matus, he’s more of a Peronist, he’s a Marxist humanist ”.

– How to plan a campaign in the midst of a pandemic

The Instituto Patria course raises a series of recommendations for dealing with a different campaign for the health conditions of the pandemic. “All of us who are activists must become promoters of health and promoters of public management.. Faced with complaints of closures, it is we who understand that this is a matter of public order. In this tension, we will work on our campaign, ”says Bernazza.

– Military the true territorial but also the symbolic

In theoretical terms, the real land is where we live. Instead, symbolic territory includes colleagues from work, union, or academia. The slogan for activists to fight in both places.

The Bernazza diputada offers a “heroic creation” to communicate creatively in the face of the limitations imposed by the pandemic. “The government is faced with a dilemma which leads it to plan, banish the epidemic, avoid contagion, we must kill the bedbug. These types of planning are simple in terms of goals, but they are very complex in terms of tactics and feasibility strategies. Everyone thinks crossed. Before the restrictions were announced, mayors showed their streets empty, it’s a creative tactic“, illustrated.

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