MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mr. Kirchner prepares comeback with his mind on the 2011 election

“He never left the arena, and never will”, says a confident Cristina about husband Nestor

Former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner (2003/2007) is scheduled to reappear in a political rally next week for the launching of his presidential pre-campaign, the first such appearance since he underwent an emergency and delicate surgery in his carotid earlier in the month.

Spokespersons for the ruling Justicialista party confirmed that the husband of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will be leading the celebration of the 63 anniversary of the movement’s first electoral victory, (when General Juan Domingo Peron was first voted president, Feb 24, 1946), which will take place in the city of La Plata, to the south of Buenos Aires.

The local branch of the Front for Victory, --the Kirchners grouping inside the Justicialista party-- said that the leader has confirmed his participation and will be making his first public speech since the operation. The preparations for the rally are been carefully organized and a massive turnout is expected together with that of ministers from the cabinet plus members of Congress.

The event according to Front for Victory sources will also mark the formal beginning of Kirchner’s pre-campaign for the presidential election of October 2011, when he will be trying to succeed his wife.

“We want to consolidate a wide, democratic and horizontal space from where to build the great victory of 2011 under the rallying call of Kirchner President”, said the official release from the La Plata chapter of the Front for Victory grouping.

Although the Kirchner couple has repeatedly refused to anticipate their apparent project to consolidate themselves in office by rotating husband and wife, they certainly have given signals about their intentions. Last week, after her husband left hospital, President Cristina said that Nestor Kirchner was in very good health and “he never left the arena, and never will; for the moment he’s in the benches for a few days because he was injured. But he’ll be back and soon”.

Mr. Kitchener underwent surgery last February 7 because of an obstruction in his right carotid artery that immobilized his arm and leg. Doctors warned he must rest and de-stress for two weeks before taking back any activity. Dates coincide strictly with February 24, the bid day when he will be addressing militants and followers who want a continuation of the Kirchner era.

However next time will not be as easy as when he endorsed his wife in 2007. Not only is the economy sputtering, inflation has turned loose, financial resources are scarce and plans to grab Central bank reserves to repay sovereign debt and have access to international money markets have stalled, he also has before him some formidable candidates.

One of them is Senator Carlos Reutemann, a fellow member of the Justicialista party but distanced long time ago from the authoritarian style of the Kirchners and a good friend of farmers whom the couple has repeatedly punished. He is believed to have the necessary charisma to bring together the splintered ruling party again and even catch outside votes.

The opposition has Vice-president Julio Cobos who has returned to his original fold (after a short alliance with the ruling couple) and has gained prestige for having cast decisive votes in the Senate against the Kirchners. He also has the capacity of attract independent votes and with a good alliance Justicialista voters.

Meantime the public opinion standing of President Mrs. Kirchner continues in free-fall and Mr. Kirchner’s personal image was severely damaged when it was revealed he was involved in a two million US dollars foreign exchange operation to purchase a hotel.

All legal but never in recent Argentine history have leaders who share the bed with the president, have managed as something “normal” such a sum of money, which added to the unanswered questions about the rocketing increase of the couple’s assets, do not anticipate much following except from those whom directly benefited by their years in office.