MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cristina Fernandez blasts Judges and independent media on Democracy Day

The Argentine president addressing the crowd in Plaza de Mayo

In a major speech on Sunday before the iconic Plaza de Mayo celebrating ‘Democracy Day’ and ‘Human Rights Day’ , Argentine President Cristina Fernandez kept pressure on Judges and independent media calling for a “deep democratization of the three branches of government” and a “greater independence from economic power and corporations”.

“It was common in the past to say that with four front pages they could knock a government out of office” added the Argentine president on national television in clear reference to the ongoing dispute of her government with the powerful Clarin Media Group regarding a bill tailored to dismember it but which the courts have been delaying.

“I demand respect for the people’s will and vote” because “if respect is lost towards the Chambers that respect the people’s will, if laws drafted at the Legislative are not respected, where is the essence of democracy?”, underlined the Argentine leader.

“We call on all branches of government to exercise decorum and respect for the popular will” she insisted. “People feel there are sectors that still follow a logic of not respecting the popular will, and I’m not just saying this because of the Media Law, but also because sometimes the population sees judges who release people who once again commit crimes, rape or kill,” she added.

“People are tired, and they want the Judiciary to serve de population,” she underlined.

The administration of Cristina Fernandez is trying to break up the Clarin group which it accuses of systematic opposition and of having played a pivotal role in ‘promoting’ the farmers’ protests in 2008. Considering the media group a greater challenge and more effective than the elected opposition, the president is insisting in the implementation of the 2009 bill which strongly limits the number of different licences (television, radio, cable) that can be held by a single group.

On December 7 of D7, the government was prepared to move in and forcibly put on auction or sale the surplus licences since Clarin had not complied with article 161 (and 45) because it has requested their constitutionality be considered. D7 was to be followed Sunday with the great victory celebration, but has this has been delayed until sometime this week.

On D6 as Appeals Court despite all the threats and warnings further extended the injunction requested by Clarin, thus spoiling D7 and D9. But the government immediately appealed, on Friday, directly to the Supreme Court under the ‘per saltum’ law, also specially voted for such a circumstance. However since three Judges were absent the Saturday emergency meeting postponed the consideration of the matter until all members of the Supreme Court attend early this week.

Thus D9 speech thus became a ‘Judges and independent media’ bashing day for Cristina Fernandez.

“People want Justice which serves the people, hopefully that it is less corporative so we can enjoy a full democracy, deep, committed and without privileges”, said the president who then insisted that “some, when the media ‘bullying’ fails the appeal to the judicial ‘bullying’ so they can achieve their goals. There are people saying and writing that with four rulings against government that’s the end of this administration”

The president also mentioned the barrage of alleged insults and offences from certain ‘concentrated groups’ and said ideas can’t be defended with insults or disqualifying language, “if convictions are true, deeply rooted, if they respond to popular interests, we must be sufficiently intelligent to know that we will be exposed to one and a thousand provocations”.

But “I have the strength you are giving me; I will yield only if you yield, that is why I will continue playing in the whole field and stopping penalty kicks as I do every day”.

Cristina Fernandez also had time to attack some media which she accuses of siding “with those who enjoy the rulings of a foreign Judge (in reference to US magistrate Thomas Griesa) and “for that almost vandal attack against our frigate (ARA Argentina)” retained since the beginning of October in Ghana on request from a New York federal court.

Finally as happens when the Argentine president become emotional she spent several minutes referring to her late husband and former president Nestor Kirchner, praising his performance, sacrifice and for setting, since May 2003, the foundations of Argentina’s recovery and the current successful and inclusive model.

However while Cristina Fernandez was addressing the crowd in Plaza de Mayo followed by a festival of music and singing with different groups playing, a horde of thugs attacked the offices and studios of Channel 13 and TN, which belong to the Clarin Group.

December 10 is emblematic for Argentina not only because it is Human Rights international day but 29 years ago the first democratically elected government following the last military dictatorship (which collapsed following the crushing defeat in the Falklands/Malvinas war) took office.