MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina: Scioli to take over as Productive Development Minister

President Alberto Fernández used the pen and sacked Kulfas

Former Argentine Vice President and current Ambassador to Brazil Daniel Scioli has been picked to replace Productive Development Minister Matías Kulfas, after President Alberto Fernández acquiesced to Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's advice to “use the pen.”

Presidential Spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti confirmed Fernández had asked Kulfas for his resignation, although Scioli will not take over until the head of state has returned from the Summit of the Americas in Los Angeles, it was reported.

Casa Rosada sources also said Scioli had thanked the head of State for the offer and informed him that he hopes “to be able to solve pending issues in Brazil” before returning to the country.

The news was announced after the company Energía Argentina issued a statement accusing the Ministry of Development and Production of “setting up ”off the record“ operations against Vice-President Cristina Kirchner.

”Very unfair and, above all, very painful that this kind of attacks are executed by officials of the Frente de Todos government itself. Worst of all: without showing their faces, “off the record”, lying and using journalists. With mistakes and successes, I always spoke and acted in front. Pitiful,“ the former president posted on her Twitter account.

According to media rumors, Kulfas's communication team had briefed reporters ”off the record“ saying CFK was behind the rigging of the bidding process for the construction of the Néstor Kirchner gas pipeline.

After Cristina Kirchner's social media posting, the President supported her and summoned Kulfas to request his resignation. Official sources clarified, however, that the resignation request was strictly linked to the fact that Kulfas said that ”there was a negotiation in the bidding process of the Government's emblematic work“ and stressed: ”This is a decent and transparent Government. It is not possible to say anything under the cover of an off or internal affair.“

Leaders of the ruling Frente de Todos celebrated Scioli's arrival at the Productive Development Ministry and said his performance as ambassador in Brazil had been ”brilliant.“

”I congratulated the President for having used the pen in this case“, said Deputy Eduardo Valdés, who also recalled Scioli had run for President in 2015, when he was defeated by Mauricio Macri. He also underlined that the former governor of Buenos Aires ”has been everything Daniel: deputy, senator, governor of the province of Buenos Aires, vice-president under Néstor Kirchner, and presidential candidate. I think we brought the First A to the Government, with a very good dialogue with Cristina and an extraordinary dialogue with Alberto.“

Chaco Governor Jorge Capitanich also spoke in favor of Scioli's appointment. ”The Frente de Todos represents unity in diversity,” Capitanich pointed out.

The newly-appointed head of the Federal Intelligence Agency (AFI), Agustín Rossi, highlighted that the President “has the responsibility and is the one who has the timing and the sensitivity to modify his team of collaborators when he sees fit.”

Asked about Scioli's appointment, Rossi explained that “the changes made by the President are aimed at preserving the photograph that was taken on Friday,” in reference to the 100th anniversary of YPF that brought together the President and the Vice-President. For Rossi, the presence of both in that meeting “loosens tensions going forward.”