MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine minister denies any “institutional risk”

The Argentine government “stands in cohesion” and the differences between president Nestor Kirchner and vice-president Daniel Scioli represent no “institutional risk”, underlined this week Alberto Fernández Argentine government cabinet chief.

The mini crisis erupted Tuesday evening when President Kirchner requested the resignation of the Tourism and Sports Minister and his closest aides, all belonging to vice-president Scioli's turf, following last week's public controversy at the highest level of Argentina's Executive.

Mr. Fernández defended president Kirchner's decision to remove high officials, in this case closely linked to Mr. Scioli, as part of his Executive attributions.

Last week Mr. Scioli publicly stated he was against the government's initiative to annul legislation going back to the eighties that exempted repression forces from responsibilities in human rights abuses and brutalities during the last military dictatorship, 1976-1983.

Mr. Scioli further offended the Kirchner camp by supporting possible increases in public utilities rates that have been frozen since the peso was significantly devalued in January 2002. His remarks coincided with the Kirchner administration strategy of denying increases until privatization contracts are reviewed, a controversial approach that has surprised foreign corporations and governments.

"There' no question that who conducts the country is the president. People elected him to manage government and that is Mr. Kirchner", stressed Mr. Fernández interviewed by the Buenos Aires press.

Mr. Fernández added that the people also elected Mr. Scioli "to act as vice-president, and he will continue with his responsibilities as vice-president".

Earlier in the day Mr. Scioli insisted there "is no crisis, I'm not resigning", and requested people to keep calm. "As you can see I'm going to work, as every day, and there's not much else to add", insisted Mr. Scioli. Later on the day Mr. Scioli defined himself as a "man of consensus and not of dissent".

"There has been a collision (between the president and the vice-president) regarding focus on public policies, but President Kirchner ratified those policies", underlined Mr. Fernández who admitted that officials' removals "could not be unlinked to recent events".

Although Mr. Kirchner and Mr. Scioli belong to the same party, the former speed boat world champion actually entered politics sponsored by former president Carlos Menem, considered by the current president as his most fierce enemy. According to the Argentine press Mr. Scioli on hearing of the sackings visited the Casa Rosada, (Government House) expecting to meet with President Kirchner, however it seems he never managed an interview.