MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina's Cabinet Chief hospitalized but “stable”

Francos' hospitalization came ahead of a week riddled with key discussions for the Libertarian administration in both Houses of Congress

Argentina's 74-year-old Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos was hospitalized this weekend at a Buenos Aires sanatorium but reported to be stable. He will not be discharged until further studies are conducted.

The high-ranking official was admitted to La Sagrada Familia clinic with an acute gastrointestinal condition that also resulted in an episode of lipothymia, a feeling of faintness sparked among other causes by intense pain.

Francos' symptoms are consistent with a sudden and temporary decrease in the amount of blood flowing to the brain, for reasons that can range from a sudden drop in blood pressure or heart rate to changes in the amount of blood in areas of the body, it was explained. In approximately 33% of these cases, the cause remains unknown, although medical literature agrees that the risk is higher as a side effect of some types of medication.

In this scenario, it was determined that Francos needed electrophysiological studies, autonomic nervous system and neurological tests, and CT scans, to rule out any more serious prognosis.

Sources close to Francos quoted by local media said that all things considered, the official was rather good beyond his intestinal problem.

Last Wednesday, Francos appeared before the Lower House to submit his first management report as provided for in the Constitution. During his appearance, violent incidents were recorded outside Congress as law enforcement forces clashed with pensioners protesting their current plight amid President Javier Miilei's so-called “chainsaw” adjustments to fight inflation, which led to a severe contraction in the country's economy, making it the worst in all of the Americas and the only one to post negative figures together with Haiti.

Francos' hospitalization came ahead of a week riddled with key discussions for the Libertarian administration in both Houses of Congress.

Francos has served as a national Congressman, in addition to presiding over the Banco Provincia [de Buenos Aires] under then-Governor Daniel Scioli and also represented Argentina at the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) under President Alberto Fernández.