MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Elected Deputy Bielsa sent to mend fences in Paris

Argentine former Foreign Affairs minister and elected deputy Rafael Bielsa who was scheduled Tuesday to take the Congressional oath was unexpectedly named Ambassador in France.

The surprise decision from President Nestor Kirchner took place just a couple of hours before the formal ceremony in Argentina's Congress and was announced by Mr. Bielsa and cabinet chief Alberto Fernandez during a press conference in Casa Rosada, seat of the Argentine Executive.

Mr. Bielsa who headed the Buenos Aires City slab of candidates for Mr. Kirchner in last October mid term election said with certain resignation, that "the votes went for President Kirchner".

During the campaign Mr. Bielsa promised "on his honour" to the Buenos Aires electorate that if elected, he would be deputy "the four full years". "When the people vote you in, you're signing an implicit moral contract".

The Kirchner administration argued that the growing frictions and disputes with France involving public utilities, the last to leave Argentina was water giant Suez, and the importance of French investments demanded Mr. Bielsa's presence in Paris with the purpose of improving relations.

Furthermore, as a consequence of the last dispute, President Jacques Chirac who is scheduled to visit Brazil and Chile deliberately left Argentina out of the tour, according to Buenos Aires press reports.

However in practical terms Mr. Bielsa has been left out of domestic politics and will be under instructions from Foreign Secretary Jorge Taiana who was, until the cabinet reshuffle last week his Deputy.

"The President nominated in the Embassy in France former Foreign Affairs minister and elected Deputy Rafael Bielsa", announced Mr. Fernandez adding that "relations with France are of the utmost importance". "We're clearly looking forward to absolutely fruitful relations", added Mr. Fernandez who underlined that for President Kirchner "this is a clear signal in that direction, no one better that Rafael Bielsa to represent Argentina in France".

Mr. Bielsa was replaced by a relatively known television program humorous conductor Claudio Morgado.

But Mr. Bielsa was not the only surprise in the Congress oath session. An elected Deputy for the province of Buenos Aires and former police chief was prevented from taking office because of alleged human rights abuses during the 1976/1983 period when Argentina was ruled by a military junta and thousands were killed and tortured.

Following two hours of strong debate legislators voted 212-8, with 9 abstentions, to keep Luis Patti out of the Lower House.

Before the vote Mr. Patti rebutted the charges and argued he was elected by "tens of thousands of voters" insisting his party "supports democracy". He finally left the building amid heckling and shouts from human rights activists.

Another case was that of Eduardo Lorenzo Borocoto who was elected City of Buenos Aires Deputy running with the opposition ticket but a week later turned around and joined President Kirchner's "Victory Front".

Mauricio Macri leader of the group he defected tried to impede his taking office but was overrun by the ruling majority. Anyhow Mr. Borocotó oath was also taunted and booed by militants following the ceremony from the visitors' gallery.

Finally First Lady Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner elected Senator representing the province of Buenos Aires was hailed and applauded.

"This is the new left wing glamour" said opposition Deputy Elisa Carrió, "a Deputy elected by the people of Buenos Aires ends in Paris and another elected by the Conservatives suddenly turns into the arms of the government". Sheer evidence of the "mafia methods, double speech and deputy buying of Kirchner's administration", she added.

Ricardo Lopez Murphy another opposition leader said that a basic principle of democracy is that all elected members take the oath and the seat, but "we're not surprised: we're well aware of the president's ambitions and attitudes".