Argentina: Alberto Fernandez-Cristina Kirchner ticket announced

[sandensea]

Former Argentine President Cristina Fernández Kirchner announced she will run as a vice presidential candidate in elections this October, a surprise move by the firebrand former leader who had been widely expected to be the main challenger to incumbent Mauricio Macri.

Kirchner, 66, has endorsed fellow Peronist Alberto Fernández, who is little known outside Argentina, for president.

Alberto Fernández, 60, served as chief of staff from 2003 to 2007 for former President Néstor Kirchner, Cristina Fernández's late husband, and for a few months during her first term.

A law professor, he is considered a moderate within the broad Peronist political flank and is not related to the former president.

The two have had their differences, with Alberto Fernández supporting the Renewal Front, a centrist Peronist faction, for most of the last few years.

But they also have known each other for over two decades, and in the past 18 months have become close allies.

The unexpected move will shake up an election race many thought would be a choice between Macri and the more fiery populism of Mrs. Kirchner, who governed Argentina from 2007 and 2015.

Rebuilding the country

Polls show Macri losing against almost any Peronist opponent by nearly double digits.

Narrowly elected in late 2015 on promises to jump-start sluggish growth with tax cuts and deregulation, his policies have instead resulted in a massive debt crisis, and IMF bailout, and the most severe recession since the 2001-02 collapse.

"The debt taken on by Macri in just three years is larger than the one Néstor received, defaulted, in 2003 - aggravated by the fact that 40% of it is now owed to the IMF," Mrs. Kirchner noted in her announcement video today.

"To my fellow Argentines, who are anxious about losing their job, inflation and unpayable public utility rates. Who are also worried because the government continues to indebt the country to finance obscene financial gambling, I ask them not to give up. We know that a better country is possible because we've already lived it."

"Rebuilding a country for all must be not only our dream but our goal. I love you all very much."

At: https://www.yahoo.com/news/argentinas-cristina-fernandez-run-vice-presidential-candidate-2019-125422478--sector.html

Former Chief of Staff Alberto Fernández and former President Cristina Kirchner.

Widely expected to run for president this year, Mrs. Kirchner will instead be on Alberto Fernández's ticket as his running mate.

Fernández is known as a moderate within Argentina's big-tent Peronist movement, in contrast to the more left-leaning Kirchner.

The two become instant front-runners in a country suffering from Macri's carry-trade debt crisis and its worst recession since the 2002 collapse.

[Judi Lynn]

1. What a tremendous resolution, joining with a former chief of staff who's been central to both!

He has been a major personality to both Presidents, a witness to everything, already knows how things work. He also has the ability not to alienate those who fear excellent leftists, still.

Wow. Love the tone of the information you've shared about this new development.

The new candidate has a serious, concerned, civilized face. He looks very focused, thoughtful.

Can't wait for the population to start learning about him. Hope this great idea will take right off.

God knows Macri has tried every vicious trick in the book to harm her, telling lies, even sending armed people to toss her house looking for alleged evidence of her wrong doing. Another fascist with no sense of shame whatsoever. Another fascist desperately substandard morally. Runs with the territory for people far below minimal requirements for leadership.

Looking forward from this minute to discover these two can make it. Bless them both.

Thank you, so much, sandensea.

[sandensea]

2. You're welcome, Judi. I think she made the right decision.

She wanted as much Peronist unity as possible - and is realistic enough to know that she's not the best person to bring that about.

There were also matters of international relations to consider: Kirchner knows that her very last name elicits a Pavlovian-like hostility from the Miami exiles running Trump's Western Hemisphere desk at the State Department.

'Beto' Fernández, on the other hand, is known for his center/center-left views - and has already shown to have very good political instincts besides.

He had advised Cristina Kirchner against ALL three of her major policy errors: the proposed tax hike on farm exports in 2008, the anti-trust dispute with Clarín, and the 2012 currency controls.

He also enjoys a good rapport with both business and labor, and both centrists and leftists - but has been very critical of Macri, and in fact is about to publish a book detailing Macri's policy of weaponizing the judiciary against opponents.

Ironically, Beto had been among the best-known advocates for having her run for office.

After not having spoken for several years, the two have became close friends over the last 18 months - and according to Kirchner herself, it was Beto who encouraged her to write her memoir, Sinceramente.

Incidentally, did I tell you Macri's napkin judge, Bonadío, had a lien placed on the royalties - which Cristina was donating to the Children's Hospital of La Plata (her favorite charity). The matter's still in limbo - like Argentina itself.

But getting back to Beto, they met today over coffee after his early morning class (he teaches at the Univ. of Buenos Aires Law School) to discuss her possible candidacy. All candidates have a month to declare, so time's ticking.

"You're a uniter and I'm a divider," she told him. "And what the country needs right now, is unity."

"I'll do it," he eventually told her. "But only if you're on the ticket. You have the votes."

And that, reportedly, was how it happened. All the Best to them; should they win, Macri's leaving them quite a challenging situation.

[Judi Lynn]

3. Outstanding information on how and why the two candidates arranged their ticket! Completely logical.

Such dirty scheming it took to put a lien on the book Cristina wrote. Hadn't heard Bonadío did that to her. Deeply underhanded. Have never even heard it could happen, ever! It shows someone's really determined to do damage when a person would even consider anything that low.

So now the new President will be faced with a horrendous assignment just trying to get the country out of the deep ditch Macri dug for it in almost no time, just to get it back to where it was when Cristina was still the President.

I remember the rotten claims Macri and his minions made to convince the voting public that only he could save them from total economic destruction Cristina would cause.

Hope their campaign is going to work well for them. It won't be a picnic with Clarín breathing down their necks, committed to promoting Macri every waking moment, just as it did the military dictatorship.