MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Boudou is Argentine caretaker president but power remains in Cristina’s inner circle

The acting president said: “Cristina is taking a rest that she needs and deserves” (TV pic)

“There are no uncertainties or any weird things here, we just have to keep up with the performance”, said Argentine Vice-president and caretaker president Amado Boudou speaking on Monday from Government House a few hours after signing to replace Cristina Fernandez for thirty days while the head of state undergoes cranium surgery and a recovery period.

“Very soon we will be here again listening to the President, feeling really good. It’s a job that is not new and does not generate any uncertainty”, said Boudou, who added the president has asked us to continue with the administration, “and all of the president’s team will keep up with the performance”.

But Boudou then committed his first gaffe.

“Cristina has already had to take some days off because of her health and it was quicker than what we expected (January 2012). Cristina is taking a rest that she needs and deserves”.

His words did not please the hard-core Kirchenirtes, who never really accepted him as Vice-president particularly since it came to light he is involved in several major financial scandals which demanded the Executive to put pressure on the courts.

Until Monday Boudou had no idea he would have to run the full presidential show since in the previous occasions he was mainly limited to protocol events. This was evident in early 2012 when Cristina Fernandez took 25 days off following thyroid gland surgery.

However as then Boudou offices will not be in Casa Rosada but in the neighbouring Banco Nacion.

And similarly power will rest in Cristina Fernandez closest aides and family: her son Maximo Kirchner; the Executive Legal Advisor Carlos Zanini and Intelligence chief Hector Iscazuriaga plus Alicia Kirchner (all from Santa Cruz) and Domestic Trade minister, Guillermo Moreno and immediately below Federal Planning minister Julio De Vido and Deputy Economy minister Axel Kicillof.

Boudou was considered such a liability ahead of the 27 October election that he had been sent overseas, to Brazil and was scheduled to fly this last weekend to France.

In Brasilia on Saturday when Cristina Fernandez first worrying diagnosis was made public the Brazilian press caught Boudou riding a super Harley Davidson motorbike, one of his passions together with rock music.

On Monday morning caretaker president Boudou headed a ceremony in which new patrol cars were presented to the Gendarmerie. He was accompanied by Buenos Aires province governor Daniel Scioli, cabinet chief Juan Manuel Abal Median; Security secretary Sergio Berni and Buenos Aires province Security Secretary Alejandro Granados.

Rampant crime and insecurity figure as the major concern of Argentines.

“We want to give people the certainly and security that this team is united and committed”, said Scioli who added that the “institutional and constitutional mechanisms are in place” as in other occasions.