MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Kirchner tunes political project for October elections

Pte. Kirchner and his wife Senator Cristina Fernandez

Argentine President Néstor Kirchner marked on Friday his four years in office reaffirming his call for a “concertation” – or alliance of different political forces — ahead of the October's presidential election. However, he remained tight-lipped on who will be the ruling Peronist party's candidate.

"Electoral issues must be solved in due time... meanwhile, this is the time to work," he said at a rally in the western province of Mendoza, also marking the anniversary of the May 25, 1810 revolution that ushered in the first local government to replace Spanish colonial rule. President Kirchner who has constantly sought to bypass his own Peronist party machinery, praised Mendoza Governor Julio Cobos, one of the five out of six opposition Radical party governors who support him, asking for "an ovation and applause for Mendoza's courage." Governor Cobos has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the vice-presidency. Kirchner has insistently been praising the credentials of his own wife, Senator Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, as a possible presidential candidate and he made a mention of the late Eva Perón, an infrequent occurrence, an icon for millions of Argentines, for her "dedication and solidarity." Kirchner recalled that he took office amid Argentina's worst-ever economic crisis, although when he actually came to power the economy had already begun to recover gradually from a five-year recession. The economy has recuperated at an average growth rate of nearly nine percent in each of the past four years. President Kirchner also mentioned the fight for human rights, one of the cornerstones of his administration. However in recent weeks the characteristic of his administration seems to be loosing control even in Kirchner's own province of Santa Cruz (a two months long teachers and civil servants strike) and the mushrooming impact of the Skanska corruption scandal (gas pipeline contractor) which hits hardest Federal Planning Minister Julio De Vido, who is a key member of Kirchner's Cabinet. His manipulation of the Judiciary branch and bullying of Congress taking advantage of a comfortable majority, and ample financial resources to "selectively" distribute in public works, are also beginning to backfire with an incipient distrust in public opinion and some significant stumbles in provincial elections. Furthermore speculation about Cristina Kirchner's presidential candidacy seems premature ahead of next weekend's mayoral elections in the City of Buenos Aires, traditionally a stronghold of Peronist opposition, and which Kirchner would like to see as a test trial of his transversal political project or "concertación". Opinion polls do not favour his candidate in the capital of Argentina and whatever the result it will have a decisive impact on the final choice for the October presidential election, which could force Kirchner to play it safe with his own candidacy. As the Buenos Aires Herald points out in its Saturday editorial, there's much to congratulate President Kirchner on all the positive economic data of the last four years (even while recognizing a favourable world economic cycle) and his strong popularity ratings But "he only has himself to blame for the problems â€" his aggressive erosion of the institutions has contributed directly to the corruption scandals while his indulgence of picket methods has led to social violence on a wider scale in Santa Cruz and among Greater Buenos Aires commuters". Plus some still powerful enemies he has created in the ruling hegemonic Peronist party, which has dominated Argentine politics for the last six decades.