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Tag: Cristina Fernandez

  • Cristina Fernandez Breaks Public Silence

    Cristina Fernandez Breaks Public Silence

    Argentina’s president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, made her first public appearance since December 19, 2013 on Wednesday.

    Fernandez has faced criticism for her recent month of silence and absence from the public eye.

    During her televised speech, Fernandez announced a 600-peso ($87) a month stipend for students.

    The Argentine president also mocked the criticism she has received for her absence during the Christmas period. Fernandez spent the holiday at her house in southern Argentina from December 20 to January 8, when she returned to the capital.

    “I hope nobody criticizes this national address after so much clamor for my presence. They wanted to create the sensation that I couldn’t carry on,” said Fernandez.

    Not long before Fernandez left for the Christmas holiday she was accused of taking taxpayers money and putting it into resort hotels. Fernandez denies the accusations made by the Argentine newspaper La Nacion.

    Also during her time away from the public eye, reserves fell to a seven-year low and the peso weakened to 12.15 per dollar on the black market. The government allowed the peso to depreciate to 6.9641 per dollar to make exports competitive and to close the 70 percent gap between the illegal street market and the official exchange rate.

    Foreign debt payments will continue to be an issue for Argentina in 2014. In September the government said they would use $9.86 billion of reserve to pay their foreign debts.

    Another incident that occurred during Fernandez’s absence, many residents in Buenos Aires went without electricity for over a week because the national power grid couldn’t keep up with the demand. It was also the middle of a heatwave while these people were without electricity.

    Fernandez took to her official Twitter account to announce the news of the public appearance and to link to the video for others to watch.

    *Translation: “[LIVE] At 19 message to the Argentine people, from the Hall of the Bicentennial Women Government House.”

    *Translation: “PROGRESS backup plan Argentine students”

    If you understand Spanish, feel free to watch the video of Fernandez’s recent public appearance in the video below.

    Image via YouTube.

  • Cristina Fernandez Accused of Funneling Taxpayer Money

    The president of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez, has found herself under fire recently due to accusations published in investigative news reports in an Argentine newspaper. The article accuses president Fernandez of funneling taxpayer money into expensive resort hotels owned by an old friend named Lazaro Baez.

    Lazaro Baez is a former business partner of president Fernandez and her late husband, Nestor Kirchner. Accusations that the relationship between Fernandez and Baez has lead to profits for Baez are not a new occurrence; under the office of both Kirchner and Fernandez, Baez’s corporations, such as “Austral Construcciones,” have won many public works contracts. The current accusations, however, do not focus on public works projects; instead, they center around Fernandez and her husband’s private business.

    Investigative reports by the Argentine newspaper “La Nacion” have put forth the idea that the tax money given to Baez for public works projects may have been funneled into the private hotels that Kitchner and Fernandez owned. The official books kept by Baez’s company indicate that one third of the rent for the rooms in these hotels were payed for by Baez’s company, whether or not they were filled. The failing government airline for Argentina, Aerolineas, was also accused of reserving one third of the hotel’s rooms. If these allegations are true, it might explain the tenfold growth the presidential couple saw in their personal wealth since taking office.

    In response to these allegations, president Fernandez sent her presidential secretary, Oscar Parilli, to speak about the rumors on public television. The statement had this to say: “The false reports by the daily La Nacion, later repeated incessantly once again by Clarin… try to put in doubt the legitimacy, legality and honesty of the private economic acts of the Presidents Nestor Carlos Kirchner and Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.” Though she vehemently denies the claims made by the newspaper, it is unclear whether or not any further research will be done, or if a formal investigation will take place.

    Image via this YouTube video.

  • Cristina Fernandez, Argentine President, Out of Surgery

    Tuesday, Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner came out of a successful surgery to remove blood from the surface of her brain. She is expected to make a full recovery, says government spokesman Alfredo Scoccimarro. He reports that, “She is in a very good mood.”

    But, with key mid-term elections approaching and court battles raging with the nation’s “holdout” creditors who are demanding $1.3 billion back from Argentina, the timing may have been inopportune for a troubled nation. Argentines are increasingly frustrated over high inflation rates and government-imposed controls on currency to stall the flight of capital from the country.

    Subdural hematomas don’t wait however, so when diagnosed Saturday the advice was to rest (Fernandez is pictured at a Saturday rally). That advice was changed when Fernandez complained of tingling in her left arm on Monday, prompting the surgery. The apparent cause was a fall in August, in which she hit her head.

    Presidential supporters gathered outside the hospital where the surgery took place, Favaloro Foundation in Buenos Aires, and some wielded signs saying, “Hang In There Cristina,” and, “The Country Is With You.”

    Scoccimarro said the president, “sends greeting to all of you and would like to thank you and her medical team.” The medical team overseeing the president released a statement that the operation was without complications. The operation was to drain pooled blood from between the brain and skull.

    Fernandez has a reputation for being a micro-manager and experts imagine she’ll be running the country, even from the hospital bed. Her public duties, for now, were assumed by Vice President Amado Boudou who returned early from planned trips to Brazil and France. When she fell ill on Saturday, Fernandez was speechifying in preparation for the 27 October mid-term primary, supporting her political allies. Congressional control is up for grabs and Fernandez’ party control over the legislative body could be in jeopardy.

    Fernandez has two years left as president of Argentina. She was originally elected in 2007 and re-elected in 2011.

    [Image via presidential website.]