MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine president reaffirms current “economic and social development model”

Mrs Kirchner at the Renault plant

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) vindicated and praised the economic model launched by her husband and predecessor, deceased former head of state Nestor Kirchner. She also promised to deepen the model.

“All the intellectual and economic resources from the State are set on deepening this industrial development model with a strong domestic market and export geared”, said Mrs Kirchner during a rally on Tuesday at the automobile plant of French manufacturer Renault in the central province of Cordoba.

It was President Cristina Fernandez first public activity outside of Government House since the massive wake and funeral of Nestor Kirchner, who died last Wednesday of a massive heart attack.

Dressed in rigorous black, CFK defended the “economic and social model with which the Argentines recovered confidence and self esteem”, following the political and economic crisis of 2001/2002.

It was only at the end of her energetic speech and when remembering her husband that the president broke down in tears.

“Today I feel less sad because I’m sure that somewhere there he (Nestor Kirchner) must be walking among you. I know he’s walking among you, I can feel it. He toiled for this Argentina as none did. Thanks to this Argentina that he helped to build … but that also consumed his life”, said the president addressing hundreds of workers and militants at the packed car manufacturing plant.

“In 2003 when Kirchner took office we decided we were going to represent the interests of the majority, who needed equality, memory, justice and a democratic society” said Mrs Kirchner.

“We wanted a different country, an absolutely different model for a country devastated by the crisis and neo-liberal policies imposed on us”, she added.

“And this was achieved by a man deeply involved in his people, in the Argentines, who believed it was possible to have our own development, here, with reasonable autonomy from a globalized world and that it was possible to address what until now seemed a utopia”.

CFK went on to make a strong defence of domestic manufacturing “with added value”, and “good salaries” based on the development of a solid domestic market which enabled the model launched in 2003 to successfully overcome the 2009 crisis: with retraction worldwide the Argentine economy expanded 0.9%.

The president also recalled that the model was many times criticized from the orthodox sectors of the economy and from political circles that promote “the model from the North, stamped and blessed by Wall Street”.

“But when that model collapsed, melted, it was the Argentine state that stood up to face the challenge and during the whole of 2009 helped all sectors of industry to retain employment and sustain economic activity”.

CFK harshly criticized that in the 90's “democracy could not battle the neo-liberal politics that came from the outside and were imposed in society”. She recalled that Renault was one of the automakers that closed its plants during ex President Carlos Menem's administration (1989-1999). Currently, the automaker sector is “the second main block of exports in the country,” assured Fernández de Kirchner.

“I am really proud of being able to participate in the national and popular political project,” she affirmed.

At the rally Renault presented its latest model “Fluence” with 40% of Argentine manufactured auto parts. CFK drove the new model next to Renault Argentina CEO Dominique Maciet who announced the company is seriously considering manufacturing another model for the “ever-growing local market” and neighbouring countries.

Attending the ceremony were Economy Minister Amado Boudou, Labour Minister Carlos Tomada, Technical and Legal Secretary Carlos Zannini and Córdoba's former Governor José Manuel de la Sota accompanied the Head of State. Córdoba Governor Juan Schiaretti and city Mayor Daniel Giacomino were also present.