MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Capitanich reacts to US Senators statements on Cristina Fernandez government

“In Argentina citizens and inhabitants enjoy a full democracy and social inclusion”, said the Cabinet chief

Argentina's cabinet chief Jorge Capitanich reacted on Friday to US Senators' remarks who on Thursday harshly criticized the economic policies of President Cristina Fernandez administration and forecasted an economic collapse sooner than later.

 During a hearing in which two members of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee challenged the qualifications of Noah Mamet, President Obama’s nominee to become ambassador to Argentina, statements such as “Argentina is more insolent than North Korea” were heard.

The Western Hemisphere Subcommittee head Marco Rubio said: “We have an ally that doesn’t pay bondholders, doesn’t work with our security operations, is reopening the AMIA terrorist investigations. These aren’t the actions of an ally” concluding that this would only change with “a new government.”

“Argentina is on the list of countries we are controlling and looking at closely regarding the drugs and narcotics issue,” Robert Menendez, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, defied, and described Argentina as an example of a regional trend in which democratically-elected governments begin to restrain press freedoms and the Judiciary.

In his press conference on Friday, Capitanich reacted saying that “in Argentina citizens and inhabitants enjoy a full democracy and social inclusion” rejecting the US senators remarks. He added in Argentina “there is an expansion of civil, politic and social rights.”

Republican for Florida Rubio and Menéndez, Democrat from New Jersey agreed they were unsatisfied with financer Noah Mamet testimony.

“I feel disappointed, I have many concerns because the candidate for ambassador needs more in depth knowledge” on Argentina, said Senator Menendez who is also chair of the powerful foreign relations committee.

“To hold the position in the embassy at Argentina you need someone with experience. I have nothing personal against Mamet, but I'm concerned he does not have the necessary experience for the post”, said Senator Rubio.

Furthermore the Republican party press office distributed a video with the fragment during the hearing when Mamet confesses he has never been to Argentina.