IPS-English POLITICS-ARGENTINA: The Same Old Faces
 
Date: Wed, 14 Nov 2007 15:36:44 -0800

 
Marcela Valente

BUENOS AIRES, Nov 14   (IPS)  - Continuity is the name of the game
in the cabinet that will accompany Cristina Fernández when she is
sworn in as president of Argentina on Dec. 10, succeeding her husband,
President Néstor Kirchner.

The list of names announced Wednesday by cabinet chief Alberto Fernández
(no relation) shows that more than half of the current ministers will
remain in their posts, including the cabinet chief himself.

The new names are those of deputy ministers or other subordinates,
or new leaders very similar to the ministers they are replacing.

That is the case of the future economy minister. Although the president-elect
planned to show that she will continue to follow the economic policies
that had the backing of 45 percent of voters on Oct. 28 (when she
was elected), she took the public by surprise by naming Martín Lousteau,
the current head of the state-run Banco de la Provincia de Buenos
Aires, to replace outgoing Economy Minister Miguel Peirano.

Nevertheless, Lousteau, a 36-year-old economist, has a track record
of supporting production, similar to that of Peirano. The Unión Industrial
Argentina (UIA), which represents industrialists, has already applauded
the designation of Lousteau. The head of the UIA, Juan Lascurain,
said the minister-designate represents ”continuity” in economic policy.

In a conversation with IPS, political analyst and pollster Jorge
Giacobbe also used the word ”continuity” to describe the new cabinet.
And although he questioned whether Lousteau had the experience needed
for his new post, he praised the president-elect's bold decision to
tap such a young economist.

He cautioned, however, that this is merely ”a starting gesture,”
and that it is necessary to wait before reaching any conclusions on
the new cabinet. ”Card players say you count your chips at the end
of the game, not the beginning. In Argentina there have been many
presidents who turned out to be much more, or much less, impressive
than people expected them to be at the start,” he remarked.

Political scientist Sergio Berensztein, with the Poliarquía polling
firm, said the new cabinet confirmed that the president-elect's aim
is to leave in place most of what she considers a successful administration,
with just a few ”corrections.”

He welcomed the appointment of Lousteau who, he said, ”represents
the arrival to a political decision-making post of a generation of
young people who were very well-trained in Argentina and abroad and
have accumulated experience in the public sector.”

Lousteau, who was previously minister of production in the province
of Buenos Aires, defends the existence of a strong state apparatus,
backs an exchange rate that is competitive for exporters, and is a
staunch supporter of small and medium businesses.

It was rumours of the imminent resignation of the current economy
minister that reportedly prompted the president-elect to announce
her cabinet earlier than she had anticipated.

Peirano was a candidate to continue in his post, but due to family
reasons, as well as clashes with Domestic Trade Secretary Guillermo
Moreno, who enjoys strong backing from Kirchner, he decided not to
stay on.

The rumours, which were later confirmed, caused ill-feeling among
Kirchner and Fernández's inner circle. 

Peirano has been critical of the unorthodox handling of inflation
figures by Moreno, who has been accused of manipulating the statistics
to downplay a rise in consumer prices.

In response to the mini-crisis, the president-elect decided to unveil
her cabinet, which she would have preferred to do closer to the date
of her inauguration.

In an unusual move, the pronouncement was made from the presidential
palace by the cabinet chief himself. Alberto Fernández called a press
conference, as if it was just another announcement by the Kirchner
administration. Afterwards, he refused to take questions.

In the meantime, Kirchner and his wife were meeting with Vatican
Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone.

The ministers confirmed in their posts are Jorge Taiana in the Foreign
Ministry, Julio De Vido in the Ministry of Federal Planning, Alicia
Kirchner (the president's sister) in the Ministry of Social Development,
Nilda Garré in the Defence Ministry,
and Carlos Tomada in the Labour Ministry.

Kirchner's chief of staff, Oscar Parrilli, and his legal and technical
secretary, Carlos Zanini, will also be kept on.

”The main policy lines will remain the same,” said the cabinet chief.

Interior Minister Aníbal Fernández, the future justice minister,
will be replaced by cabinet chief of Buenos Aires province Florencio
Randazzo, while Health Minister Ginés González García will move aside
for Graciela Ocaña, current head of the institute of social services
for retirees.

Daniel Filmus, who was elected to the Senate, will leave his post
in the Education Ministry to his deputy minister Juan Carlos Tedesco.

The cabinet chief also explained to reporters that after certain
legal reforms are approved, Fernández will create a new Ministry of
Science, Technology and Productive Innovation, an area that previously
fell under the Education Ministry. It will be headed by an expert
in biotechnology, José Lino Barañao, current president of the National
Agency of Scientific and Technological Promotion.

”For the president-elect, the question of scientific and technological
research and development is key,” said Alberto Fernández.

The Justice Ministry, meanwhile, is to be given control of the security
forces, and will be renamed the Ministry of Justice, Security and
Human Rights.


*****
+ ELECTIONS-ARGENTINA:  Cristina's Turn (http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=39838)


(END/IPS/LA IP IF/TRASP-SW/MV/07)


 
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