Argentina: President Kirchner fires Lavagna and Bielsa
By Tony Pagliaro
28.11.05 | When, in Argentina, a leader of the troublemaking “piqueteros” -who responds to President Kirchner and acts as per his instructions- openly attacks the Argentine Minister of Economy, Mr. Roberto Lavagna, you know the Minister is in very deep trouble.
When a bully union leader, like the Secretary of the Truck Drivers, Mr. Moyano, does the same thing along the same lines, you can -definitely- be sure the Minister is about to be fired.
This is a good and linear reasoning in a country like Argentina that is being consistently led in the direction of both populism and authoritarianism.
Both attacks against the now former Minister of Economy occurred last week. Today Lavagna was fired by President Kirchner.
The main changes made today by Néstor Kirchner in his cabinet suggest a hard turn to the left.
Mr. Lavagna was replaced by the up to now President of the State owned “Banco de la Nación”, an inexperienced public officer, Ms. Felisa Miceli.
Nilda Garré, up to now Ambassador to Venezuela, will be Argentina’s next Minister of Defense, in what seems to be another clear change to the left combined with the growing intimacy Kirchner has developed with Hugo Chávez.
The brand new Minister of Foreign Affairs will be, once again, a well known leftist, Jorge Taiana who replaces Rafael Bielsa, who will become a legislator.
Those who feared this turn are probably getting ready for more bolivarian “friendship” between Messrs. Hugo Chávez and Néstor Kirchner.
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