MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Kirchner faces political crisis in his own backyard

Patagonia Santa Cruz province governor Sergio Acevedo and one of Argentine president Néstor Kirchner most trusted men resigned Wednesday alleging “personal reasons”.

Mr. Acevedo's resignation and of his full cabinet comes in the midst of a political crisis which began a month ago in a small frontier town when striking oil workers razed a police station and killed a member of the force while trying to free one of their arrested leaders.

Oil rich Santa Cruz is also President Kirchner's turf. Before moving to Buenos Aires Government House in 2003 he was provincial governor for ten years and previously mayor of Rio Gallegos.

On Thursday the provincial legislative must accept Acevedo's resignation before naming his successor, the current deputy governor. Apparently President Kirchner will be arriving Thursday to personally address the "institutional crisis" as was described by members from the opposition.

The killing and rampaging of a month ago in oil town Las Heras still remains partly in the dark and according to the Argentine press involves strong infighting among unions and President Kirchner's own political allies.

Both in Santa Cruz and Buenos Aires the Kirchner group members are keeping silent about events and contacts with the press have been minimal and off the record.

"Governor Acevedo was exposed to too many pressures. We were expecting a fracture inside the same government and in the relation between the federal and provincial authorities", said opposition Deputy Juan Acuña.

"It's disappointing Acevedo has to leave. He's a good guy, serious, hard working. But the province had two governors, Acevedo in Rio Gallegos and another in the winter resort El Calafate with President Kirchner, but unfortunately he couldn't take the pressure and broke down", added Acuña.

"This is a conflict inside the "kirchnerismo". The Las Heras incident weakened the governor and the union leadership. Both consequences sought by a very close aide of President Kirchner", emphasized in Buenos Aires Congress member Elisa Carrió, one of the main opposition voices.