- Title: Argentina government deadlocked as uncertainty hangs over cabinet
- Date: 17th September 2021
- Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (SEPTEMBER 17, 2021) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) POLITICAL ANALYST, FACUNDO NEJAMKIS, SAYING: "Withdrawing the support of a President is a mortal wound because it leaves him without credibility, weakened. At the same time, the President does not have the recourse of the parliamentary regime to call for elections or to form a new majority. It is still unclear what the Vice-President's intention is because the move has a striking symbolic dimension, which has made all her ministers resign. On the other hand, the letter says dire things because it states that there are personal differences. It states that there are differences of criteria on the reading of last Sunday's electoral defeat. (The letter) says that there are differences concerning management. She is very critical of the administration of President Fernandez. At the same time, she raises significant differences, fundamental differences on the direction Argentina should take in the economic area. That is where the main issue under discussion comes from." VARIOUS EXTERIOR OF ARGENTINE CONGRESS BANNERS WITH THE FACE OF FORMER ARGENTINE PRESIDENT JUAN DOMINGO PERON ARGENTINE RESIDENT MARIO SITTING ON A PARK BENCH (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINE RESIDENT, MARIO, SAYING: "We saw this coming. (It is a situation) that has been going on for a long time, and it is getting worse and worse. Instead of improving, we are going backward." PEOPLE SITTING ON PARK BENCHES AND WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINE RESIDENT, MATIAS LOMBARDI, SAYING: "It would be good that everything is a little more organized to see that there is some order among those who govern us. This situation is also logical because the defeat was complicated."
- Embargoed: 2nd October 2021 00:52
- Keywords: President Alberto Fernandez Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner elections politics
- Location: BUENOS AIRES / ALMIRANTE BROWN, BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE, ARGENTINA / INTERNET
- City: BUENOS AIRES / ALMIRANTE BROWN, BUENOS AIRES PROVINCE, ARGENTINA / INTERNET
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: South America / Central America,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA005EV3Z9ZB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Argentina's government remained mired in uncertainty on Friday (September 17), with President Alberto Fernandez yet to decide the fate of rebel ministers who tendered their resignations earlier in the week, sparking a political crisis.
Amid frenzied speculation from political commentators and local media over ruptures in the ruling Peronist coalition, Fernandez took part, as planned, in a virtual climate forum convened by U.S. President Joe Biden.
Center-left President Fernandez has been fighting against a cabinet revolt from ministers allied with the hard-left wing of his party since a bruising defeat in a midterm primary election last Sunday put the government's grip on Congress at risk.
Divisive but powerful Vice President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner on Thursday night lashed out at what she said were errors made by the government, sharpening tensions between the moderate faction around President Fernandez and her more militant supporters.
The electoral blow left the party stuck between two paths: Deepening populist policies to ease conditions for hard-hit Argentines or a more moderate approach to lure back middle-class voters who rallied behind the conservative opposition.
On Wednesday, several ministers, including the interior minister, tendered their resignations to Fernandez, though he has yet to publicly accept or reject them.
On Thursday night the president and Fernandez de Kirchner both went on the offensive. In a public letter, she called for a shake-up of the ministries and slammed a shortfall in public spending.
The president on Twitter said that he would be the one to determine the future of the government.
"The administration of the government will continue to develop in the way that I deem appropriate. For that I was elected," he said.
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