MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Kirchner contains political crisis.

Argentine president Nestor Kirchner contained this weekend a political storm by dismissing Justice and Security Minister Gusatavo Beliz and appointing Treasury Prosecutor General Horacio Rosatti to replace him following a growing controversy over law enforcement which became most evident July 16 when the police stood passively for hours while demonstrators attempted to storm the Buenos Aires Legislature.

Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernandez told reporters that President Kirchner had removed Mr. Beliz entire team including Domestic Security Secretary Norberto Quantin, adding that the former minister's public remarks about Argentina's intelligence services "sealed his fate".

Over the weekend Mr. Beliz told the press that the his ousting was for "having said the truth; my disputes with Argentina's most somber power, SIDE, Argentina's intelligence service".

The fact is two of President Kirchner's most trusted men currently manage SIDE and in spite of claims of funds mismanagement, erred and incomplete intelligence reports, Justice minister Beliz and previously the head of the powerful Federal Police, have been sacked.

The picketers phenomenon which virtually on a daily basis take over the streets of Buenos Aires peaked when together with other groups that were to be curtailed by a new law and order code, stormed the city's legislature and the police stood by nearby for hours without intervening. Personnel and staff from the Legislature finally managed to expel the attackers with water hoses.

Furious with the incidents President Kirchner demanded the immediate dismissal of Domestic Security Secretary Quantin but Mr. Beliz took his time and even criticized the president's inner circle in SIDE for incomplete intelligence reports on the protestors. Besides the newly nominated Chief of the Federal Police Commissar Nestor Valleca is questioned by human rights groups for apparently having commanded "repressive" actions against students demonstrations in 1998 with several severely injured.

The previous Chief of the Federal Police, Commissar Eduardo Prados was sacked for having disobeyed strict orders to protect the Buenos Aires Legislature with several barricades and no firearms. The last line of contention organized by Mr. Prados apparently had fire arms.

Argentina's Federal Police, the best equipped and most effective force is know for its repressive tactics and involvement in corruption practices. The command of the force has been decapitated several times by successive elected governments in an attempt to change its public opinion standing but with cyclical results. Fearing a challenge to his authority President Kirchner over the week end wasted no time and imposed a drastic end to the situation.

This Monday Mr. Rosatti, 47, an expert in constitutional law who for nine years was elected mayor of the city of Santa Fe, 1991-1999, will become president Kirchner's Justice and Security Minister. Mr. Rosatti who last year was preparing to run for the governorship of Santa Fe in June 2003 was invited to become Treasury Prosecutor General and defend Argentina from foreign defaulted bondholders.

From his new job Mr. Rossetti will have to deal with the daily challenge of the picketers and convince police and security forces to act more as a law enforcement body.

Buenos Aires public opinion polls show that public security is President Kirchner's weakest and most vulnerable side.