Leftists criticized Kicillof for dodging the question about Palestine: "With you, we are going nowhere"

The communist governor Axel Kicillof is facing harsh criticism in recent hours from leftist sectors after an awkward exchange with a journalist in New York, where he avoided answering a question about his position on Palestine and the war in the Gaza Strip.

The episode occurred yesterday during the ultra-Kirchnerist governor's trip to the United States, as part of an event held at the Institute of Latin American Studies at Columbia University.

The leftist journalist Silvina Sterin Pensel unexpectedly approached Kicillof and posed a comparison with the electoral defeat of former Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris in the United States.

According to her, the Democratic leader lost the elections for not defending Palestine and condemning the alleged "genocide by Israel in Gaza". From that reference, she asked the Buenos Aires governor what his own stance was.

“You are sometimes told that you are lukewarm on this issue, and I wanted to ask you directly,” the reporter said, hoping Kicillof would express support for Palestinian terrorism and opposition to Israel.

Kicillof dodges the question

However, the Kirchnerist leader bizarrely dodged the question and asked to stop the recording. “Hold on a second, I'll answer you, but wait a second,” he said while trying to leave. He then added: “I have the press outside, wait a second.”

The journalist insisted and asked him to express “what comes from your heart.” However, the governor did not take a position on the issue raised and continued trying to end the dialogue. In the midst of the awkward situation, he even responded with laughter: “I don’t know what happened to Kamala Harris.”

However, the most tense moment came at the end. When Kicillof was about to leave the place, he approached the journalist and claimed that she had "ambushed" him, referring to the way he had been questioned about the topic. “No, you can't do that. It's an ambush, it's an ambush,” he stated.

The journalist explained that she was trying to ask a simple question about foreign policy, but the governor's Communication Minister intervened to end the conversation. “I already heard you, and he says he doesn’t want to respond to that,” she maintained.

Criticism from leftist sectors

The governor's reaction generated strong criticism among leftist activists, including sectors that claimed to have supported him. On the social network X, many expressed disappointment and questioned why Kicillof had not taken the opportunity to attack Israel.

“Who would have thought that all it took to end Kicillof's electoral ambitions was for a journalist outside the protected PBA guidelines to ask a simple question,” one user posted.

Another message was even more direct: “You are useless, Kicillof. With you, we are going nowhere.”

In the same vein, another criticism pointed to his lack of definition: “We are in a globally favorable and easy context to repudiate the genocide in Gaza, and still, the coward doesn’t do it. What interests does Axel represent? A disgrace.”

The criticisms reflect the strong discontent felt by leftist sectors regarding the governor's attitude, particularly for not having taken a position on Israel and Palestine, which could result in a significant electoral cost for him.