MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Former minister: Kirchner “in love with abnormality”

Mart?n Lousteau

Former Economy minister Martín Lousteau claimed that Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's administration is “atypical, very centralized and is incapable of delegating”, adding that the President is “in love with abnormality and crisis”.

Speaking on Thursday night on a Buenos Aires television political program "El juego limpio" (Fair Play) the former minister said: "In a crisis, as was the case with Néstor Kirchner's government, unorthodox measures are always taken. But when the crisis is over one has to return to normality (...) but here we are in love with abnormality and crisis". Lousteau added that, due to the government's "inability to delegate", decisions are made in "15 or 30 minutes". The youngest minister of Mrs. Kirchner cabinet there were great hopes he could change the course of economic policy threatened by inflation. He was also named as responsible for the sliding farm export taxes that led to the four months conflict with the camp and which resulted in a major defeat for Cristina Kirchner's administration. He said: "When I first joined the government I felt that we were working as though in a field hospital that has to take quick measures, and that we were working toward a period of greater normality, but I realized that what my team and I knew was of no importance. That's why I quit". Lousteau also stressed that former President Nestor Kirchner carries a "predominant weight" in terms of running the economy, which led to them having "discussed measures together on a number of occasions" and he admitted that measures taken during his office "were decided between the two of us, with him carrying more weight". He revealed that many times he and President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner reached a consensus on a measure, only for it to be rejected following discussions between her and Néstor Kirchner. He continued: "I spent four months working for the government and I spent them arguing". Speaking about the export tariffs, he said, "Government Resolution 125 was not a request of Néstor Kirchner, rather we were trying to come up with an export duty scheme because prices were high and volatile". About Domestic Trade Secretary Guillermo Moreno (often under fire) he said: "It is common knowledge that I spent the last four months arguing, with Moreno in particular." He warned that the Argentine economy "has been building up tension since 2006. It is still unprecedentedly strong, but the favourable conditions in the international context are ending and they are unable to overcome the fiscal problems and inflation". (BAH)