MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Kirchner, Latinamerican man of the year

Argentine President Nestor Kirchner was chosen Latinamerican Man of the Year by the influential Brazilian weekly magazine IstoE because, acting “without arrogance or chauvinism” he's dedicated to recovering the economy and self esteem of Argentine and Brazilian citizens.

The magazine describes Mr. Kirchner as a man "with no political charisma" but who anyhow managed to establish the leadership Argentina was lacking to overcome its financial difficulties. IstoE not only praises Mr. Kirchner's leadership but also recalls that in a recent interview with the magazine Brazilian president Lula da Silva said that bilateral relations with Argentina "have never been healthier", since the former governor of Santa Cruz took office.

The magazine also points out to the fact that after the protests and recurrent crisis of the last two years when thousands of Argentines went to the streets demanding all Argentine politicians "get lost", President Kirchner has approval ratings of over 80%. Mr. Kirchner and Mr. Lula da Silva have "a privileged relation, definitively burying a decade of errors because of the "carnal relations" with the United States policy that the former administration of President Carlos Menem was so proud of".

Other distinguished personalities of the year include Brazilian Economy Minister Antonio Palocci, Sao Paulo governor Geraldo Alckmin; Rio do Janeiro governess Rosinha Matheus and volleyball coach Bernardo Rocha Rezende. Mr. Palocci was chosen the Man of the Year in Brazil because of his handling of the economy; Governor Alckmin for his management of Brazil's richest and most powerful state; Matheus for her political capacity and coach "Bernardinho" for having led Brazil to winning the world volleyball Cup.