Argentine first lady bashes IMF in campaign ad

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Argentine first lady bashes IMF in campaign ad
Thu Oct 18, 2007 11:20am EDT

powered by SphereBUENOS AIRES, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Argentine first lady and leading presidential candidate Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has taken a swipe at the International Monetary Fund in a campaign advertisement days before Argentina's election.

The television commercial shows children answering incorrectly when apparently asked if they knew what the IMF was. A voice-over then follows saying, "Thanks to us, your children ... have no idea of what the IMF is."

The government of President Nestor Kirchner last year prepaid $9.5 billion owed to the IMF, a step he said would free Argentina from the fund's influence over its economic policy.

Kirchner blames the fund's policies for triggering Argentina's 2001-02 economic crisis, when the country defaulted on its debt and devalued the peso currency.

The commercial, which is also featured on Fernandez's Web site, www.cristina.com.ar, marked renewed criticism of the Washington-based lender by Argentine authorities in a country where the fund is widely unpopular.


Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSN18278820

---

~~~~ click ~~~~

Laura Bush with Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner

[aquart]

1. Go Argentine First Lady!!

[Peace Patriot]

2. These new Bolivarian politicians in South America certainly get to the heart of the matter

--and don't mince words. It's so refreshing!

Here's hoping that the transparent vote counting and consequent good leaders and good governments that are being elected in South America will give our people up here in the north some ideas. It's time we had a Bolivarian Revolution here! Down with the robber barons, and war profiteers, and global corporate predators! Power to the people!

[Judi Lynn]

3. The Telegraph is the first source I've seen to call her the "new Evita."

Argentina's new Evita has a clear run to office
By Philip Sherwell in Buenos Aires
Last Updated: 1:07am BST 21/10/2007

Tossing back her dyed auburn hair, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner strode beaming on to the stage of the hotel ballroom and waved to the cheering crowd.



Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner: The new Evita


As she stood in her neatly tailored scarlet jacket, blowing kisses to her supporters, she exuded all the confidence to which she is entitled as Argentina's presidential front runner, a woman of style and ambition who is dominating the polls.

More than 60 years after Eva Perón, the actress who became the president's wife, first spun her magic over an adoring public, the macho world of Argentine politics is again in thrall to a glamorous, feisty First Lady.

Mrs Kirchner, already a popular national senator, is poised to sweep into the Casa Rosada (Pink House) presidential palace in next Sunday's elections after her husband Nestor, the incumbent, stepped aside – honouring an earlier promise to do so after his first term – and nominated her to replace him. Her success as the candidate of the Victory Front alliance will make her the most powerful woman in Latin America.

At the rally of Left-wing groups last week, Mrs Kirchner, 54, sought to burnish her populist and Perónist credentials, offering promises about economic growth, social justice and greater rights for workers as the country recovers from the economic meltdown that robbed millions of their savings five years ago and sent unemployment soaring to 25 per cent.

More:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/21/wevita121.xml

[Vidar]

6. Fine by me. I liked the first one, though Juan was a bit shady.

[AllyCat]

4. Good. Talk about an evil twin of the World Bank (both are evil)

They keep South America deliberately short of capital and exploit their resources, keeping their people poor, poor, poor.

Go get 'em!

[0007]

5. Is the world finally waking up to this three card monte game

that the U.S. plays so well?

[Hawkowl]

7. Better than Hillary

See Argentina is going to elect a first lady as President too. Except Argentina will be the progressive country and we will be the banana dictatorship...er republic. It' the ole switcheroo.