MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina's main opposition party begins recovery

Argentina's long time mostly opposition Radical Party seems to be enjoying a privileged situation, acting from both inside and outside the administration of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

Vicepresident Julio Cobos who was expelled from the Radical Party after agreeing to tie himself to President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's Peronist party's Victory Front has built his won image and currently is considered one of the most respected political figures in Argentina. Precisely the farmers' conflict and his Senate vote unlocking a tie which foundered the government's intention of increasing grain export taxes led to cracks in his relationship with the president and was the launching pad for his public opinion standing. Particularly since the Vice-president job is otherwise considered grey, low profile and non promising politically. But since last July Mr. Cobos is a regular critic of government figures. In an interview with Clarín, Cobos criticized both the actions of farm leaders and the president's handling of them. He said: "In the last two months there has been no response from the government (...) I don't like the strikes, but there has to be dialogue with results." Cobos also said that Julio De Vido, a key government figure and close confident of Mr. Kirchner "should offer some explanations" about his responsibilities in the scandal over the suitcase containing 800,000 US dollars, which the Venezuelan Guido Antonini Wilson was caught smuggling into Argentina last year. "Whether the extradition of Antonini Wilson is granted or not, the Argentine courts should independently have free rein to investigate and come to the United States, to summon, to charge, to clarify. This has been going on for more than a year". The prosecution in the case claims that the money was being sent from the Venezuelan government to aid Mrs. Kirchner's presidential campaign last year. Both governments have denied this accusation and it has affected the relationship between Argentina and the US. And the Radical Party which expelled him for joining the Kirchners bandwagon has changed its attitude towards him. The motto of "traitor" is now only heard from the close allies of the Kirchners. Radical Party chairman Gerardo Morales and Senator for the province of Jujuy said this week: "I think it is a good thing that someone in government is saying it, especially with people like De Vido." Cobos also criticized the government's treatment of the provinces, of local governments and of Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri. Referring to Macri's request for a government endorsement, Cobos said: "It's inadmissible that the Buenos Aires administration needs to resort to a constitutional measure in order to authorize a bond issue for works authorized by the Legislature". Meanwhile Morales confirmed the Radical party alliance with the Socialist Party for the 2009 legislative elections and called for changes to the Radical party's charter. The Radical Convention saw a debate on the party's charter, and before the debate opened, Morales said: "Until recently we were expelling leaders, now we are in a different phase and we will see the return of those who went to the ARI, to the Plural Concertation, to the Civic Coalition, if they want to return, but they must always comply with the party's decisions, and the party is one of opposition." He added: "Our task is to strengthen and rebuild the party. The task is one we have already started, with our electoral alliance with Socialism for 2009 in order to work toward (the presidential elections in) 2011."