MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Let’s hope “they wont’ have stolen Government House and Plaza de Mayo”

Argentine senator and presidential hopeful Carlos Reutemann

An Argentine Senator from the ruling Justicialista party, several times tipped as a presidential hopeful harshly criticized the government while saying that the people of Argentina would be “pleased” when ”they (the Kirchner couple) leave in 2011,“ so they won't have ”stolen Government House and Plaza de Mayo.”

Santa Fe province Senator Carlos Reutemann made these declarations during a meeting with agricultural representatives and political leaders from his province, after having returned to Argentina over the weekend from a visit to the United States.

The lawmaker and ex governor responded after having been asked about declarations he made about him by CGT labour union head Hugo Moyano, who asked ironically whether or not “he had abandoned” his post or not.

Reutemann responded by saying that “as long as they haven't stolen Government House and Plaza de Mayo when they leave in 2011, the people of Argentina will be pleased”. The powerful union leader is a strong ally of the Kirchner couple both at government and party level.

On Monday afternoon, he went to a meeting with agricultural representatives from the northern part of Santa Fe province and criticized the leadership of the Kirchner’s government, along with the relationship that the federal government maintains with the provinces, saying that “it is a system that we are all very familiar with,” making references to economic interests.

The Kirchner administrations have unabashedly conditioned federal aid to political support from the different Argentine provinces, the majority of which have their numbers in red.

After staying quiet about the national political situation for some time, Reutemann questioned once more the government's policies within the political context and the renewal of Néstor Kirchner's return as head of the Justicialista Party (PJ).

Kirchner will once again take over the leadership role for the party and the ceremony will be in Chaco Province, where avid government supporter Jorge Capitanich is governor.

Reutemann, however, during a rally held at the Syrian-Lebanese Reconquista society, said that “all governors, mayors and all provinces are begging” for a change. He added that “we have to be careful” when it comes to economic affairs, making reference to the idea that people are capable of doing anything for money.