MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Buenos Aires Mayor blames Kirchners for farmers' lockout

Macri supports farmers and blames lack of long term policies

Buenos Aires City conservative Mayor Mauricio Macri blamed Argentina's farmers lockout on the government of President Cristina Kirchner and, in what seemed a reference to her and her husband and predecessor Néstor Kirchner, he criticized “those who seek eternal power”.

The mayor, who is confronted with the federal administration, spoke during a forum at the City's Legislature also attended by Spain's conservative former president José María Aznar and former Bolivian president Jorge Quiroga. Macri praised Aznar's "wisdom to retire in time with his prestige high" and contrasted that with Argentine politics. "To grab eternal power in a soccer team, a union, or a presidency is a bad practice," said Macri, who happens to be a successful president of the Boca Juniors club, Argentina's most popular football team. Argentina's Communist Party on Friday repudiated his decision to name Aznar an "illustrious citizen" of Buenos Aires. "We must remember that Aznar is the main ally of (US President George) Bush in the war policies implemented by the US in the Gulf War and also supports the Empire's policies towards conflicts in Latin America," the party said in a statement. The Communist Party and leftwing and indigenous groups held a protest against Aznar in front of the city's Legislature in downtown Buenos Aires. Aznar derided the demonstration saying jokingly: "Macri not only lures listeners, he also lures the presence of the demonstrators who are on the street. It seems that this has been organized". Aznar last Friday closed a neo-conservative forum in Rosario which was also attended by former presidents Quiroga (Bolivia), Vicente Fox (Mexico), Luis Lacalle (Uruguay), Francisco Flores (El Salvador) and Osvaldo Hurtado (Ecuador) and Peruvian novelist Mario Vargas Llosa. Macri said the Argentine farmers' lockout can only be blamed on the Kirchner administrations for having failed to set clear long-term rules for economic sectors. The mayor of Buenos Aires City was elected last year with almost 60% of the vote defeating two candidates sponsored by the Kirchner administration. He is considered a strong hopeful for Argentina's presidential election 2011.