MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Menem re-elected Senator says the only post he’s missing is ‘Pope’

The former president celebrating at his home province

Former president Carlos Menem who ruled Argentina for ten years running and was re-elected on Sunday as one of three Senators for his home province of La Rioja, said the only post he’s missing to be named for is ‘Pope’.

“I knew all along we were going to win, I always said so. I’m only missing to be named Pope” said Menem jokingly during celebrations following his Senate re-election. The winning ballot Menem presented accompanied President Cristina Fernandez in spite of the fact the two leaders have been distanced for some time.

The former president, 81, on Sunday garnered 35.36% of the vote followed by the official candidate from Cristina Fernandez’ Victory Front with 33.7%, in the election for federal Senator.

“We are going to continue working with the President so she can continue with her achievements that have been monumental so far”, said the former president in reference to Cristina Fernandez that won on Sunday by a landslide and the largest margin since the restoration of democracy in Argentina in 1983.

Menem’s current six year mandate would be over next December but with Sunday’s victory can remain for another six years.

The former president who is facing several court demands for alleged irregularities committed during his ten years, last September was absolved from a trial under charges of aggravated contraband in the alleged illegal supply of Croatian weapons to Ecuador between 1991 and 1995.

During that period there was an armed conflict between Peru and Ecuador over disputed border areas in the Amazon jungle and Argentina supplied undercover the Croatian weapons to Ecuador. The conflict is not new, it is recurrent and to make things worse Argentina was one of the peace guarantors of a previous clash several decades before.