MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Boudou: “The worst negative image of the Cristina Fernandez administration”

Boudou’s image is “worse than even Hugo Moyano”

Vice-president and caretaker president Amado Boudou has “the worst negative image” of the Argentine government, according to a leading pollster in Buenos Aires. Mariel Fornoni from Management & Fit made the statement only hours before Boudou, and according to Article 88 of the Constitution, signed as acting president for thirty days during the medical absence of Cristina Fernandez.

“Boudou has the worst image in the national government of all the officials that have been measured”, said Ms Fornoni.

“Worse than even Hugo Moyano” added the pollster in reference to the organized labour leader who is identified as head of a ‘mafia organization’.

“The Vice-president has too many open fronts, not only is he questioned by public opinion but also by the courts where he has several pending cases. He certainly is not one of the most loved by the hard core Kirchnerites”.

The negative image of Boudou is estimated at 46.7%. If the positive image is subtracted the negative image of the acting president is minus 30.5%. On the other extreme is opposition lawmaker and former governor of Santa Fe, Hemes Binner with a positive image of 30.5%. He is followed by Sergio Massa, a former cabinet chief who is running against Cristina Fernandez in the province of Buenos Aires, 29.9% and at quite a distance Buenos Aires governor Daniel Scioli.

Ahead of the 27 October mid term election, Fornoni anticipates no major changes in the people’s voting intention and results. “It is possible that there could be a strong support for the image of President Cristina, but not necessarily in votes”.

However the tone of the campaign will have to change. “Speeches from the opposition will necessarily have to be more prudent, more careful about what they say”, Ms Fornoni underlined.

Finally if the Argentine government was to be more open with information, “as has not been events leading to the current diagnosis of the president, there would be far less suspicions”.