MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mrs Kirchner launches presidential bid promising continuity

Senator Cristina Fernadez de Kirchner

Argentina's First Lady, Senator Cristina Fernandez Kirchner launched late Thursday evening her campaign to become the country's first elected woman president praising her husband's administration and pledging to lift Argentines self esteem.

In her hour and a half long speech Mrs Kirchner promised that if she wins next October her administration will have three basic orientations: consolidation of the democratic state and institutions; reinforcing the "accumulation with social inclusion" economic productive model and rebuilding self esteem, all of which have been started by her husband's government. "We've rebuilt the decision making system. Those who occupied the Rivadavia chair (presidential palace) couldn't or didn't want to represent the overall public interest. There was a popular perception that for different reasons those in office did not make decisions and this led to an unbearable loss of presidential authority", said Mrs Kirchner. The political rally was organized in a fully packed closed theatre in La Plata, (Buenos Aires province capital) where two years ago she launched her successful bid for a Senate seat. In the first line of the theatre sat President Kirchner and the whole cabinet. In this context Mrs Kirchner praised the Supreme Court for having annulled the legal pardons granted to the leaders of the last military dictatorship and criticized former president Carlos Menem and his whole amnesty policy of the nineties. "We will continue along the path of rebuilding democratic institutions", she said. As to the second axis of her government if she's elected, Mrs Kirchner promised to keep advancing with the "social inclusion" model but recalling that "it's the economy that is vital", for good and for bad. This is part of "Argentina's history and tragic experience", she emphasized adding that to avoid "the (overseas) transfer model of the nineties" Argentina must work on the "accumulation productive process". She then praised the Brazilian industrial development model where there's "a coincidence of interests between the bourgeoisie and society". "For too long a time there seemed to be a contradiction between camp and industry, between the domestic and overseas markets, but we have shown that they do not clash, with an increase in exports and an improvement in the quality of life of Argentines as is clearly shown by the economic indicators of this administration". Although still admitting "inequality", she insisted in beefing up the industrialist model but "based on the agriculture and livestock breeding model". Mrs Kirchner then called for an end of the "Russian roulette" of each election so that changes can transcend "governments and rulers". "We must follow the same path, the same direction thus avoiding the shocks we suffered in the past". Finally she talked about "cultural construction" and the need to rebuild Argentines "self esteem" leaving behind the sense of failure and providing a sense of economic security. However in spite of the kind words for her "husband's sacrifice" on giving up re-election when he has a public opinion support of 70%, the Kirchner administration currently faces three main negative scenarios which are denting the government's image. A bout of alleged corruption cases involving three women ministers (Economy, Environment and Defence); energy crisis with a serious shortage of fuel to combat the coldest winter in a century, and inflation and manipulation of cost of living figures. Analysts fear that having taken the place of her husband as the government's candidate for the October 28 election, whatever happens will begin to reflect on Mrs Kirchner. On the other hand public opinion polls suggest that almost half of the population believes President Kirchner is doing a good job and this together with a lack of a united and strong opposition are a strong boost for the First Lady.