MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine president criticizes lack of political leadership to present alternative model

Cristina Fernandez recovering the political initiative

Reacting to Thursday massive protest against the government which convened hundreds of thousands of Argentines in the country and overseas, President Cristina Fernandez said that the real problem is the lack of a political leadership that can represent an alternative model to that which has been so successful for the majority of Argentines.

Speaking on Friday from Government House at the launching of a financial program in support of Buenos Aires province municipalities, the president strongly defended the current ‘development and inclusion’ model implemented since 2003 and said she would not change her ideals and policies.

“The true problem is the lack of a political leadership which can represent an alternative model; but we can’t be responsible for that. We believe in the one we have, let to others who don’t believe in our model to build their own”, said Cristina Fernandez.

“Ours is an inclusion model, even for those who disagree and complain about the inclusion of others”, she added claiming that the universal family allowance per child ‘has upset’ those who use to exploit staff such was the case with the domestic service and the migrant workers.

“They are upset with the universal family allowance per child because before they could contract for a few pesos, but now they have a floor which doesn’t allow them to exploit labour, and I’m proud of belonging to a government which helped lower the levels of exploitation”, underlined the Argentine leader.

Further on she admitted that her government makes “many mistakes”, but “I can assure you that this president and her ministers work 24 hours a day”.

“I’m only asking Argentines to help me to build a better Argentina; I’m doing my best, all my effort, more I don’t have. Honestly these are the neurones I have, the time I have and they are all on the table, as I did my whole life and without complaining”, continued CFK.

However, “I’m not victimizing myself; I hate those who victimize themselves, because nobody forced me to be here, and if I’m here at the presidential chair it is because I wanted to be president”.

The president also made a reference to the Argentine frigate impounded and retained in Ghana and said she was hurt, deeply hurt and disappointed that “there are Argentines who are on the side of the vulture funds”.

“My government is temporary, but the motherland where we live is permanent. So when one sees these things (support of vulture funds) one asks what is happening with this cultural domination”.

But she immediately continued recalling that “this is the president who most money invested in ARA Libertad, and I can assure you this government is going to recover her”.