ARGENTINA: HIGHLIGHTS OF INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY THE NEW

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002327 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL PGOV ECON PHUM AR SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: HIGHLIGHTS OF INAUGURAL ADDRESS BY THE NEW PRESIDENT KIRCHNER ¶1. Summary and Introduction: At her December 10 swearing-in, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) thanked her husband/predecessor for getting Argentina back on its feet after the devastating 2001-02 crisis. She vowed to deepen his center-left economic programs to create jobs and reduce poverty, and offered to push ahead with negotiating a "social pact." On foreign policy, CFK called for international terrorism to be fought with full respect for human rights, and she reiterated Argentina's claim to sovereignty over the Falklands/Malvinas and gave a mixed message on the dispute with Uruguay ("they are our brothers but our complaint is just"). CFK also spoke eloquently of the need for government, communities and parents to work together to strengthen public education. Local reaction has generally been positive, but a key union leader sent a verbal warning, several commentators criticized her harsh words on the Uruguay dispute and noted that she had little to say about public security, the public's top concern. End summary. Argentina's First Elected Female President -------------- ¶2. Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (CFK) took office as President of Argentina on December 10, having been elected six weeks earlier with 45% of the vote to replace her husband, Nestor, as president. Nestor Kirchner stepped aside after a four and a half year term which followed a rapid succession of presidents in the wake of the 2001-2002 financial, economic and political crises that traumatized the country. Nestor Kirchner retains, upon leaving office, unprecedented levels of popular support (over 60%),due in large part to the strong recovery of the Argentine economy since 2003. ¶3. The unusual husband-wife transfer of power made CFK's inauguration a compelling drama, as many observers still try to fathom Nestor Kirchner's decision earlier this year to decline a bid for a likely, if not guaranteed, re-election in favor of his wife's candidacy. The media claimed that up to 160 foreign delegations were in attendance. The U.S. was represented by Secretary of Labor Chao and the Ambassador. Foreign dignitaries included Colombian President Uribe, French PM Fillon, Brazil's President Lula da Silva, Chile's President Bachelet, Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Ecuador's Rafael Correa, Bolivia's Evo Morales and Spain's Crown Prince Felipe. Economy -------------- ¶4. In her 40-minute inaugural address, delivered extemporaneously from a bare outline, CFK praised the progress delivered by her husband and vowed to deepen his center-left economic programs to create jobs and reduce poverty. In praising her husband's accomplishments, CFK cited his restructuring of Argentina's debt and his settlement of IMF obligations. She lauded his efforts to create jobs and reduce poverty and pledged to continue the battle until poverty was fully eradicated. "Social Pact" -------------- ¶5. Although in advance of the inauguration there had been much speculation that CFK would use the occasion to shed light on her frequently bandied promise to bring the government, business and labor together to negotiate a "social pact," she did not offer much detail. She reiterated her commitment to a diversified economy and "accumulation with social inclusion," but in a much-quoted sentence aimed at business and labor leaders, warned that she had not become President just to watch out for business profits or to get caught up in trade unions' infighting. Foreign Policy -------------- ¶6. Praising "multilateralism," CFK made clear she hopes to end Argentina's isolation and re-insert it into the international community. "The need to reconstruct multilateralism is imperative. A unilateral (sic) world is an unsafe and unfair world." Referring to the international terrorist attacks on Argentina that left 29 dead in the 1992 bombing of the Israeli Embassy and 85 dead in the 1994 bombing of a Jewish community center, she said the war on terrorism should be pursued within a human rights framework. Although she did not name the United States, at least one major newspaper ("La Nacion") interpreted this as "criticism of U.S. counter-terrorism policy." ¶7. Also in the foreign policy arena, she re-asserted Argentina's "inalienable right" to the Malvinas/Falkland Islands. CFK welcomed Uruguayan President Tabare Vasquez, but then accused him of violating the bilateral treaty that governs usage of the waterway that separates the two countries. The Uruguayans "are our brothers but our complaint is just." She offered to help Colombia secure the release of Ingrid Betancourt from her captors. She praised the "Banco del Sur," which had once again been launched the night before, this time with a signing ceremony that involved Venezuela's Hugo Chavez, Brazil's Lula da Silva, Ecuador's Rafael Correa, and Bolivia's Evo Morales, and a promise to conclude an agreement within 60 days (see Buenos Aires 2317 and Buenos Aires 2216). She praised Mercosur as necessary for the growth of its members, given that "food and energy will be the key of a future that is not so far away." Human Rights -------------- ¶8. CFK revisited the issue of human rights when she claimed that her husband had put an end to impunity by getting some amnesty laws overturned, allowing the government to prosecute human rights violations committed during the 1970s "Dirty War" period. She said she hoped to see some convictions in these cases during her term but noted that even the most heinous of human rights violations must be prosecuted in full observance of due process. She led a standing ovation in honor of the "Plaza de Mayo Mothers" and "Grandmothers," Argentina's most iconic human rights activists. Education -------------- ¶9. CFK repeated her view that progress could not depend on government programs only but required social change as well. She spoke at length of her commitment to improve the quality of education. Recalling her parents' close supervision of her public school education, she called on government, parents and communities to work together to strengthen the system. She also mentioned technology and research as key areas for competitiveness, and stressed her commitment to focus on those fields, together with the improvement of public education. (Note: CFK's emphasis on education dovetails with her continued focus on the need to raise Argentina's profile in science and technology, which is not something that previous governments have emphasized.) Institutions -------------- ¶10. In reviewing her lengthy experience as a provincial and national legislator, CFK urged legislators to assume their responsibilities in formulating and debating intelligent policy proposals and alternatives. She praised the executive and legislative branches for their work in restructuring a new and "honorable" Supreme Court and promised to extend judicial reform to the rest of the courts in order to restore people's confidence in justice. ¶11. In addition to the presidential swearing-in, the day's televised events included the installation of her cabinet members, roughly two-thirds of whom she inherited from her husband. Comment -------------- ¶12. The address was an impressive performance by CFK, who spoke without a prepared text for over 40 minutes and touched upon many of the issues most important to her: poverty reduction, human rights, and education. Pundits immediately noted that she did not address issues of great concern to many Argentines, such as crime, the growing threat of inflation, and corruption. Several also took her to task for her sharp criticisms of Uruguay. She did not announce any major initiatives or new goals, but then again, she did not need to, since she promises to continue with her husband's team and policy direction. As if to underscore that CFK's hopes for a "social pact" will not be an easy task, the leader of the largest labor federation, the CGT's Hugo Moyano warned that if the government did not defend the rights of the workers, the latter "will be (picketing) on the opposite sidewalk." The press also reported that 25 social activist ("piquetero") groups, led by the radical-left "Polo Obrero" organization, were planning to block streets in downtown Buenos Aires on December 12 and protest in the Plaza de Mayo, across from the presidential office building, the "Casa Rosada." WAYNE