MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mrs. Kirchner back to business on a light, private agenda

President Cristina Fernadez

Contrary to Buenos Aires press speculation and apparently to medical counselling, Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner retook on Monday afternoon her agenda at the official residence of Olivos, although at a lighter pace and with breaks for short walks in the gardens.

Last week Buenos Aires hot weather allegedly overwhelmed Mrs. Kirchner who suffered a dehydration bout and was diagnosed lipotimia with her personal doctor recommending 48 hours rest, which was later extended to another 48 hours. Her health condition forced the Argentine president to cancel appointments, meetings and other political activities while patiently recovering. Over the weekend the head of the Argentine Presidential Medical Unit reported that her "clinical parameters" were optimum, but rest is recommended until next Wednesday while routine tests are done on Monday and Tuesday. However given the press display on her condition, the decision was taken that Mrs. Kirchner dispatch some pending issues with several ministers including Agriculture and Production in advance of Wednesday's postponed announcements for farmers who are suffering the effects of a prolonged drought and high export taxes. All the meetings with ministers and members of Congress were considered "private", with no media or photographers allowed in. According to a release from Government House the Argentine president will be making a full presentation next Wednesday when she announces support measures for farmers including for the purchase of new equipment and other inputs such as seeds and fertilizers. Next Saturday Mrs. Kirchner is scheduled to leave for an official visit to Cuba and Venezuela, which were postponed because of her condition. Apparently Cuba's Raul Castro and Venezuela's Hugo Chavez simply delayed the agenda with a similar program for a week. However there was an intriguing side to the episode. Mrs Kirchner is known to have an uncommon work day dispatching business until late in the night, early dawn and begin the following day after a frugal lunch. It is also not a secret that she has a "bi-polar" condition with up and downs which need special medication. This side was emphasized by a respected Argentine journalist who also happens to be a medical doctor, Nelson Castro, who publicly said he doubted "dehydration" was responsible for Mrs. Kirchner's condition. In effect on the Thursday she suffered the bout Cristina did not leave the Olivos residence, where obviously "there's air conditioning". Castro added that Mrs. Kirchner or one of her assistants at all times carry a bottle of water for her to drink. Mr. Castro recently gained praise for having written a book that looks back on history and plays on a pun, "Sick for Power", where he describes the cover up operations to try and hide, dissimulate or distract attention from Argentine presidents illness or precarious health conditions. Since the health condition of a head of state is "a political issue", Mr. Castro argues that in his opinion, Mrs. Kirchner's diagnosis was "minimized and covered up". But he's quick to point out that the Argentine president is not suffering from a clinical point of view of any illness, but rather is medicated, which could include "from diuretics to psychiatric prescriptions". Finally Mr. Castro argues that the official release "does not express the whole truth" and therefore can only be seen "as an expression of political weakness". Argentina's soy, corn and wheat crops down, says USDA Argentina is suffering the consequences of a prolonged drought and lack of rainfall which is beginning to show in the harvest estimates for this season, according to the latest reports from the US Department of Agriculture. Soybean exports are now estimated (January) at 14.4 million tons, down from December's 14.8 million tons. Argentina is the world's third largest producer and exporter of soybeans. Regarding another summer crop, corn, the USDA supply and demand report for January has Argentina with a production of 16.5 million tons, down from the 18 million tons of December. Argentina's overseas sales of corn, the world's second behind the US, are now estimated at 9 million tons compared to the 10.5 million of the previous month. Similarly with wheat the 2008/09 crop has been estimated by the USDA at 9.5 million tons, compared to 10.5 million tons in December. Wheat export estimates have also been cut by a million tons from 5.3 million in December to 4.3 million in the last USDA forecast.