MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“No one can teach us how to make the economy grow”, blasts Cristina Fernandez

“Don't forget whenever a private enterprise or company has problems, there's the state to ensure workers are not left in the street”.

In a speech broadcasted live on Argentine national television and radio, President Cristina Fernández used most of the time to praise her government’s achievements insisting no one “can give us lessons on how to make the economy grow” and highlighting the role of the State.

 “Few talk about the role of the State, not because they don’t know about it but because they play dumb, they suck their thumb” blasted the president on Wednesday during a rally in support of her candidates in the coming elections in the northwest wine-producing province of Mendoza.

“If we can be proud of something is that our administration and our political organization articulates the role of the worker along with the role of capital to make a country grow and build a nation” added the president, underlining that “no one can teach us how to make economy grow”.

”Don't forget whenever a private enterprise or company has problems, there's the state to ensure workers are not left in the street“.

As she inaugurated hydroelectric works in Mendoza province and announced financial assistance for the “Los Blancos” hydroelectric complex, Cristina Fernandez said many of these initiatives have been waiting for years.

“We Argentines have grey hair for all the things we should have done and they weren’t done.”

Cristina Fernandez then reminded her Mendoza audience the increase in pensions and social plans implemented by her administration: ”We were able to do it after we recovered the management of resources in the hands of private pensions' schemes. Our lawmakers, only our lawmakers in solitude supported the recovery of those funds which has allowed pensioners to have decent incomes, even for those bumped aside by privatizations, plus the allowances for family, for children, for pregnant women“.

And ”you don't protect life only praying, you to do with public policies. Yes you can pray, but you must also militate and work to make sure those policies remain firm and continue to be implemented“, insisted the president.

During her speech she also praised the Argentine wine industry and announced the reopening of a wine exporter registry for shipments which could not be exported, mentioning again “only the State is present to sustain these private companies which create employment for Argentine workers.”

”This is not magic. We can have the best governor, the best mayor, but if we don't have a country project with public policies that encompass the whole country, you won't see any growth”, warned the president.

Likewise the Argentine leader dedicated part of her speech to refer to nuclear energy in Argentina stating that the country “inspires confidence in scientific matters” and guaranteeing “we will continue building nuclear plants in Argentina”.

“Argentina uses nuclear energy for peaceful purposes, not to build nuclear weapons,” she stressed. “We are not interested in the offensive power. We are interested in defending human life, in defending peace.”

Cristina Fernández is expected to be back on the political trail in support of her candidates next week, since on Thursday she leaves for Italy, to meet with Pope Francis and other engagements with European leaders.