MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine President halts all traveling due to poor health

Cabinet Chief Juan Manzur sat in for President Fernández

Argentine President Alberto Fernández Wednesday decided not to travel to Corrientes for the Convention of Grand North Governors on his doctors' advice after the gastritis problem he had during the G20 Summit in Indonesia.

Fernández was represented by Cabinet Chief Juan Manzur, a Grand North governor himself, albeit on unpaid leave from his position in the province of Tucumán.

Casa Rosada sources told local media in Buenos Aires that the head of state needs to resume his activities gradually.

Governors Gustavo Valdés (Corrientes), Jorge Capitanich (Chaco), Raúl Jalil (Catamarca), Gildo Insfrán (Formosa), Gerardo Morales (Jujuy), Gustavo Sáenz (Salta); Osvaldo Jaldo

(Tucumán -acting-), Oscar Herrera Ahuad (Misiones), Ricardo Quintela (La Rioja) and Gerardo Zamora (Santiago del Estero) were attending the gathering.

The President's presence in Corrientes had already been advertised nationwide. It was going to be his public reappearance after his health crisis.

Fernández also canceled his trip to Mexico which was originally scheduled for Nov. 24. He was due to meet President Andés Manuel López Obrador (AMLO) together with Brazil's President-elect Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva.

Although the main reason for this decision is said to be Fernández's health, there are rumors around Casa Rosada that things are not so smooth among the leaders following the appointment of the new Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) Chief, a decision in which the Brazilian candidate prevailed over Fernández's choice.

“President-elect Lula and President Alberto Fernández of Argentina will not be there, but this is the home of both of them, we are very good friends, and later, surely, they will visit us,” AMLO explained.

López Obrador also announced he had been forced to cancel his Pacific Alliance meeting with Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, who was to take over the presidency of the organization but was denied Parliamentarian clearance for the trip.

“We are exploring the possibility of holding an event in Peru,” López Obrador also said, while confirming Presidents Gabriel Boric Font (Chile), Gustavo Petro (Colombia), and Guillermo Lasso (Ecuador) would be attending.

The bilateral meeting between López Obrador and Fernández was suspended after Mexico maintained its candidate for head of the IDB despite AMLO's alleged promise that he would back Argentina's Cecilia Todesca. López Obrador claimed “there was no agreement” but “this does not mean any distancing.”

In Corrientes, Fernández was to discuss whether to hold the Primary, Open, Simultaneous, and Compulsory (PASO) Elections next year or to submit a bill before Congress to have the legislation rewritten.