MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

(Mother) tosses Maximo Kirchner's hat in the ring for Argentina's elections

Scioli called for “no speculations” regarding his vice-president candidate but also expressed his “affection and respect” for the president’s son

Maximo Kirchner, Argentina's president Cristina Fernández son name, has surfaced as a possible candidate running for the coming October presidential and legislative elections, with several hopefuls admitting such an option and praising his conditions and political organization.

 On Friday morning Cabinet Chief Anibal Fernández did not rule out the possibility of Maximo running in the coming elections saying the son of Cristina Fernández had the political “stature” to stand for it.

“There are no doubts left that he is fit and that he has the stature to be a candidate,” the head of ministers said during his usual contact with the press at the entrance of the Casa Rosada presidential palace.

Queried about Máximo Kirchner (38) joining presidential hopeful Daniel Scioli, one of the strongest candidate, as his running mate, Fernández responded “I don’t know what stops him.”

The minister’s statements come after Scioli called for “no speculations” regarding his vice-president candidate but also expressed his “affection and respect” for the president’s son in an interview with a radio show on Thursday.

“(There must be) no speculations about matters they install and then one has to come out to talk. I have affection and respect for Maximo (Kirchner), especially, because he is the son of a great president (late Nestor Kirchner) who gave me the opportunity of joining him and his support to be governor (of Buenos Aires province) twice”, pointed out Scioli, who was Nestor Kirchner’s vice-president.

However Scioli also added that he always sets up his work teams “with complete freedom and independence”. This comes because the governor of Buenos Aires province has stoically stood up on several occasions direct and indirect aggressions from government officials, which would only dare such actions unless they had the not from Cristina Fernández.

Something similar can be said about Interior and Transport minister Florencio Randazzo, another presidential hopeful, supposedly with the blessing of Cristina Fernández since he has been involved in the renewal with Chinese funds and hardware, Argentina's dilapidated urban and long distance railways systems.

“He is the leader of a political organization that has a territorial expression across the country; he has been an activist for many years, besides been the son of a man like Nestor Kirchner and Cristina, he has values of his own and people have been able to listen to him; I have had many chances to talk with him,” Randazzo said.

Recent public opinion polls show Maximo Kirchner was rallying support in the province of Buenos Aires with 27.8% of vote intention, well ahead of other potential candidates.

“Of course, I would like him to accompany (the government)” Randazzo said when queried about Maximo’s possible candidacy to Congress representing BA province, which is Argentina’s most populated province and key electoral district.

Randazzo also questioned media accusations that depict negatively the leadership of Maximo Kirchner, founder and head of the La Campora political youth organization. The tight organization in effect has much media exposure but is also said to receive abundant handouts from her mother's government as well as very good jobs in the administration, prosecution office and state companies.

“That is part of the strategy by media and power groups that depreciate all government actions and the family of the President with falsehoods and insults”, concluded Randazzo.

Next August Argentine political parties will be holding simultaneous primary elections to choose presidential candidates for the October election, and that is when Scioli and Randazzo will be clashing for support from the government's electorate.

”Cristina (Fernández) asked me to be candidate to president. I seek to participate in the primary. We have an opponent who is (Daniel) Scioli. But it will be Argentines who will define the candidate” Randazzo pointed out adding he was the government’s figure who “expresses this project, that has transformed Argentina.“

“We have been able to show results, less marketing and talking,” he insisted praising the launching of the new DNI and passports id cards, the transport SUBE smart card system and the recovery of Argentina’s railway system.

“It is not a matter of selfishness, I think the primary must have volume” Randazzo added insisting ”it is positive having two good candidates”. Anyhow “we have sixty days ahead to expose our ideas and projects. Having two candidates is favorable.”