MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

The “Viking”, an “ultra K” next Argentine ambassador in Montevideo

Dante Dovena, a life dedicated to the Argentine ruling coalition

An ‘ultra K’ as the most dedicated supporters of Argentina’s ruling couple Kirchner are identified, will most probably be the next ambassador in Montevideo, according to press reports on both sides of the River Plate.

Former provincial lawmaker Dante Dovena, although not a diplomat, will be responsible for Argentine affairs at a very sensitive embassy both for the host country Uruguay, and for Mercosur that has its administrative offices in Montevideo.

The nomination of “the Viking” as he is known in political circles is a “reward to loyalty” not necessarily to his diplomatic skills points out the Buenos Aires press recalling civil engineer Dovena was head of President Cristina Kirchner’s advisors between 1995 and 2001 when she was a Senator for the province of Santa Cruz.

From 2001 to 2003 Dovena was the personal advisor to Mr. Kirchner who at the time was governor of the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz.

As engineer for two years he was the government’s representative at the board of Papel Prensa, a subsidized government-private sector company that ensures the supply of print to Argentina’s main newspapers.

While in this post he shared responsibilities with another notorious ‘ultra K’: Guillermo Moreno, currently Domestic Trade minister, the trusted Kirchner couple crony responsible for keeping consumers (voters) happy and supplied at accessible prices, no matter what.

Moreno is known for his bullying tactics and aggressive attitude, even with a gun on his desk and is feared by the business community and loathed by farmers.

Dovena in 2009 was candidate for a seat in the Lower House representing the province of Buenos Aires where he was born. He was second in the slate behind Nestor Kirchner, who had an austere showing at the mid term congressional elections.

It was expected that if Mr. Kirchner finally took the Unasur chair full time, Dovena would replace him, but this is not the case, so Montevideo seems to be prize for such dedication.

In related news it was reported that Commerce and International Trade Relations Secretary Alfredo Chiaradía will take over Foreign Affairs minister Hector Timerman post as Argentine ambassador in Washington.

Apparently Mrs Kirchner decided to nominate not necessarily a politician but an expert diplomat and negotiator who is well known as Argentine representative in trade discussions at the WTO, Mercosur and bilaterally with the United States.

Chiradía, an economist is scheduled to be officially nominated following the Mercosur summit next August 3 in the Argentine province of San Juan, when the group’s rotating chair will be handed to Brazil by Argentina.