Tragic News from Buenos Aires
Former Argentine President Néstor Kirchner died Wednesday, October 27 at his home in El Calafate, Argentina after suffering from congestive heart failure. Néstor and his wife, current President Cristina Kirchner, had gone to the Patagonian town of El Calafate in order to be counted for the national census. At 60 years, his death came as a surprise to the nation even though his cardiac issues began much earlier in the year.
After his election in 2003, Néstor came to see his chief responsibility as president to repair a country left demoralized and in disarray after the failed presidency of Fernando de la Rúa. Unhinged just days after his election, de la Rúa represented an alliance of left-leaning and liberal groups which were challenging various factions of the Peronist party. In the midst of the country’s deepening economic crisis, the de la Rúa administration was expected to reinvigorate the economy after its steep decline under the corruption-ridden government of Carlos Menem. But following the economy’s utter collapse in 2001 and corruption within the de la Rúa administration, a series of violent protests ultimately led to resignation.
This analysis was prepared by COHA Research Associate Kelsey Strain
Blog de Octavio Islas 