MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Menem confirms wife's pregnancy.

Argentine presidential candidate Carlos Menem confirmed this week his wife's pregnancy.

"Yes, she's pregnant", said the smiling 72 year old former two times president when he was asked about the ongoing rumours.

Mr. Menem said that the child is to be born next December and that his wife Cecilia Bolocco, 37, and former Chilean beauty queen is in perfect health.

The former Miss Universe had to endure two months of complete rest following medical prescription while she underwent a fertilization treatment that finally proved successful.

Ms. Bolocco and Mr. Menem married on May 26, 2001 in his hometown in La Rioja. Twelve days later the former president was sentenced to house imprisonment for alleged illegal sales of arms to Croatia and Ecuador between 1991 and 1995. However following a Supreme Court ruling he was liberated in November six months later.

Mr. Menem was formally married to Zulema Yoma, whose family comes from the same Syrian town as the former president parents.

They had two children, Carlitos who died in a helicopter accident in 1994 and Zulemita currently living in Miami and distanced from her father following his marriage to Cecilia.

The timely announcement comes a few days away from the April 27 crucial presidential election that also show Mr. Menem leading vote intention in the latest opinion polls.