MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Cristina Fernandez will resume and complete her mandate”, despite fragile health

Nelson Castro is a journalist and doctor by training, and has become a reference on the president's medical condition for the political system

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez “will resume her duties and complete the four years of her mandate”, there is coincidence on this among incumbents and opposition, even when the leader's health remains delicate, according to Argentine political analyst Nelson Castro.

 “There is determination from the political system, including the opposition that the president must complete her mandate”, Castro said during a conference in Montevideo earlier this week. He added “the worst thing that could happen to Argentina is that Cristina does not complete her four years”.

Castro who also happens to be a doctor and is well aware of medical terminology and practice said that “no one in Argentina wants to take over such a complex socio-economic situation. Now is the moment to adopt strong, unpopular measures. Forcing Cristina to step down could create a political martyr, but nevertheless the fact she is returning is a personal decision”.

But Castro insisted that despite the removal rumors and the 'good news' about the Argentine leader's recovered condition “her health remains very delicate”.

Addressing the Uruguayan audience, Castro said “I'm going to reveal to you firsthand information on the subject: surgery has been good, there are no problems there. In the social webs there are versions circulating which are not true. Cristina suffered from a subdural hematoma and the blood clot drainage was good, with no complications. But she also has a cardiac problem which is a blockage of her left side. During this week she will be exposed to further monitoring because she has a record of fainting and this problem could be repeated, and the president would become extremely fragile if she receives another blow in that part of the brain”.

“This is why doctors are deciding whether to implant a pace maker or not. But this has no counter indications in the life of a person with normal activities. It has had greater repercussion because of the secrecy with which her entourage manages that possibility”.

Castro further revealed that the head of the neurologist team that looked after the presidential patient, Dr. Facundo Manes had told him that 'the main problem of the president is managing stress'.

“It's a delicate issue for this kind of patients”, said Castro who added that the question is “how does a person address government duties without stress. The exercise of power implies a serious health risk if the president does not change her attitude”.

Castro added that since in the government there is a 'secrecy culture' and power is essentially personal, of an only person, not even her cabinet minister knew about her real health condition.

In effect Castro said that when he interviewed Buenos Aires province governor Daniel Scioli in his television program, before starting one of the politician's advisors approached him and asked “beg your pardon, but the governor would like to know what is the health condition of the president”.

The different medical episodes (physical and emotional) of President Cristina Fernandez, which have not been few, and Castro's interpretation in plain language given his double condition of doctor and journalist, at first sparked the fury from Government House, but time has shown he has been a responsible, serious and accurate informer of the medical conditions and its implications.

Despite “presidential fury” the political system have great respect for Castro and his responsible reporting.

Last Monday the latest medical report on the president's health said 'she was ready to resume her formal activities” as of next Monday (in a week's time). Clinical controls and the 48 hours Holter have shown “the absence of a significant arrhythmia and a good cardio-vascular condition” and thus the patent was released from “cardiologic attention”.