MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cristina Kirchner faces first full attack on her presidency

In spite of alegations CK will continue to strengthen relations with Venezuela

Facing the first allegation within days after becoming the President of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner strongly denied U.S. charges that Venezuela tried to illegally influence her election campaign.

Terming the charges by U.S. prosecutors as part of a "trashing operation," Mrs. Kirchner said, "Trying to operate in regional politics will not be successful," an apparent reference to Washington. Speaking in Buenos Aires on Thursday, Kirchner said the allegations will in no way affect her efforts to strengthen Argentina's relations with other countries in the continent, especially with Venezuela. Customs officials discovered 800,000 US dollars from Guido Antonini Wilson, a Venezuelan-American businessman, when he was flown in to Buenos Aires by the Argentine government on a private jet in August as part of a delegation. Argentine officials issued an extradition warrant when he fled to the U.S. Although the U.S. prosecutors do not accuse Antonini Wilson of any crime, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Mulvihill said on Wednesday that an FBI recording showed that the money was destined for Kirchner's campaign. Three Venezuelans and a Uruguayan were arrested in connection with the incident. The prosecution said they were undeclared agents and met Wilson in Florida, in an attempt to pressure him to hide the source of the money and its destination. A criminal complaint was also charged against them. Venezuela has also rejected the U.S. accusations as a "fabricated scandal". "It is a desperate effort by the U.S. government using the judicial branch for a political, psychological, and media war against the progressive governments of the continent," Venezuelan Foreign Minister Nicolas Maduro said. Cristina took over from her husband Nestor Kirchner as the first elected woman President of Argentina on Monday. After winning the election in October, she had stressed the need for strengthening the regional trade bloc, Mercosur. The group consisting of Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, has invited oil-rich Venezuela also to join.