
Argentina named the president's chief of staff, Anibal Fernandez, as the new Cabinet chief on Thursday in a reshuffle that comes as the government faces a political crisis. Fernandez, a close political ally of President Cristina Fernandez, who is no relation, will replace Jorge Capitanich, the presidency said.

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez will remain with the family at her private home in El Calafate, Patagonia, most of next week thus avoiding the Wednesday 18 February 'silent march' organized by prosecutors and judicial unions on the month of special prosecutor Alberto Nisman's still unsolved death.

A colloquium sponsored by an Argentine business grouping, IDEA, that has been critical of the government of Cristina Fernandez, but in a framework of moderation and self containment, turned into a students' open assembly when a constitutional law professor gave a speech on the rule of the law, called on President Cristina Fernandez to show her law degree and described minister Hector Timerman as a 'traitor' of the essence of Judaism for having reached an agreement with Iran.

The historic emblems of Peronism, which has dominated Argentine politics since mid XXth century, have now their representation, Russian style in local 'mamushkas' the egg shaped dolls that fit into one another, apparently promoted by the political group that responds to President Cristina Fernandez son, Maximo Kirchner, as reported by the Buenos Aires press.

Argentine President Cristina Fernández attended on Thursday evening the Favaloro Foundation Hospital in Buenos Aires for a medical check-up, including a brain scan and an electrocardiogram which were described as satisfactory.

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez will resume official functions as of next Monday 18 November, after completing a month of convalescence, presidential spokesman Alfredo Scoccimarro announced on Monday. However further tests are programmed to check when the president can again travel by air.

Maximo Kirchner, the eldest son of Argentine President Cristina Fernandez said his mother's medical condition was 'improving' from the cranium surgery to drain a blood clot to which she saw submitted at the beginning of the month, but did not advance any date as to when the head of state will return to her job.

Argentines aged 16 and 17 will be able to vote for the first time in Sunday's midterm elections but the incidence of their ballot in the final result is considered marginal since many of them did not register. In Argentina voting is mandatory for the 18 to 70 age group, and 600.000 teen agers of 16 and 17 have registered to vote on 27 October when half the Lower House and a third of the Senate seats are renewed.

Argentine Cabinet Chief Juan Manuel Abal Medina guaranteed there will be no political or institutional crisis due to President Cristina Fernández health condition and underlined that ‘the president’s team is solid and working with no difficulty”, following her instructions.

His nickname is ‘El chino’ (the Chinese) because of his strong Maoist tendencies when a law student. Long a solicitor, Carlos Zanini is Argentine president Cristina Fernandez (and of her deceased husband Nestor Kirchner) most trusted aide and top of the Kirchnerite ‘nomenclature’.