MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine presidential candidate cancels Chile visit

Cristina Kirchner, wife of the current President of Argentina and herself senator and presidential candidate, has cancelled a previous scheduled trip to Santiago.

Political analysts speculated that Kirchner will not visit Chile while President Michelle Bachelet's approval ratings are at an all time low. "Señora K", as the Argentine first lady is called, had planned to take part in high-profile 8th international Biarritz Forum in Santiago this week. The conference brings together former top officials and former elected political leaders from all over Latin America and Europe to debate social responsibility and cohesion. If Kirchner succeeds in her quest to win the presidency in late October, 2007, she will be Argentina's second female leader following a husband's political footsteps to the top of government; the first female president of Argentina – and in Latin America - was María Estela Martinéz de Peron, who succeeded the late Juan Domingo Perón's presidency in 1974.