Tha Latest Argentinean Myth

8/6/2019 Tha Latest Argentinean Myth

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Carina Leichner

Professor Raymond Day

Cultural Studies

Maestra en Lengua Inglesa

November 2010

The latest Argentinean myth: from political animal to popular hero

Mr. Nstor Kirchner, former Argentinas president, chairman of the Peronist Party,

congressman and secretary general of the South American regional grouping,

Unasur, died of a heart attack last Wednesday, 27th October. His sudden demise

caused widely different reactions in Argentina and worldwide due to his influential

role as the current president s husband and chief advisor. The news appeared

among the headlines of the most widely circulated international newspapers, and

occupied the whole attention of the Argentine media for several days in a manner

that made it evident that his controversial figure will not pass unnoticed into

Argentinean history. Although the general discontent of Argentineans against Mr.

Kirchner and his wife, Mrs. Cristina Fernndez, was clearly expressed in the

popular vote in the last legislative elections, when their party lost the absolute

majority of seats in Congress, his death gave rise to the deepest sympathies from

all Argentineans, immediately turning popular support in his favour, and

transforming him into a national hero.


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Pity the country that needs heroes!

Bertold Brecht (1938) Life of Galileo

From reading different articles in the local media I have the impression that people

in my country are particularly prone to the creation of mythical figures from

conflictive, ubiquitous characters who are innately capable of appealing to the

sensibility of the masses. The emergence of these popular heroes is ruled by

passions or illusions which are far removed from rationality or critical assessment

of reality. Examples of these popular heroes are provided by Juan Jos Sebrelli in

Comediantes y Mrtires, Ensayo contra los mitos (2008), where he observes with a

clear eye the contradictory and sometimes unethical behaviour of four Argentinean

mythical figures: Evitas passion for expensive dresses and jewels, Maradonas

boastful airs, Che Guevaras addiction to warfare, Gardels dubious origins and

ambivalent personality are some of the character traits analysed in Comediantes y

Mrtires. At the end of his essay Sebrelli argues that the reverence for such

popular heroes encourages fanaticism, hatred and intolerance, pervades critical,

rational thought and paves the way for authoritarian regimes, preventing free

individuals from the opportunity to forge their own destiny (p. 214) Taking this intoaccount, one cannot help noticing the underlying connection between these

mythical heroes and the overwhelming popular reaction that the death of the

controversial figure of Mr. Kirchner aroused. Examples of passionate behaviour,

fanaticism, intolerance and lack of rational behaviour will be provided in the

analyses of three articles from the Argentine media and one from a British

newspaper. Following these analyses, a different perspective will be shown in

articles from American newspapers and an Argentinean national daily.

The birth of a political myth


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According to Vicente Palermo in his article La construccin del mito poltico ( La

Nacin newspaper, 29th October 2010), the circumstances of Mr Kirchners death

create the perfect environment for the construction of a political myth. Mr Kirchner

appears as an epic hero succumbing to more powerful forces in a battle against

external and internal evils (examples of this are his outright criticisms of the FMI

and his declared war on the Argentinean media, respectively) His biography will

necessarily speak of a lifetime of dedication and commitment for a popular cause,

and his early death arrives at the peak of his struggle, consequently he pays for

victory with his own life. Palermo warns against violently opposing the inevitable

course of events; however, he advocates for the defence of difference, which will

enable people like him to express his opinions freely, without fear of being crushed.

Diario Popular also published an article on the idealisation of the figure of Mr.

Kirchner (Las exequias marcaron la construccin de un mito, 31st October 2010.) A

social psychologist, Luis Moffat, was interviewed, and he commented that it is clear

that Argentineans need the emergence of a myth. He explained that such

necessity arises from traumatic situations in which a society manifests itself

through the idealisation of a famous personality. This phenomenon usually occurs

at the moment of crisis and uncertainty, such as the one generated by the passing

away of perhaps the most influential figure in Argentine politics. Despite the impact

of the surprise, Moffat is doubtful whether it will contribute to enhance the

reputation of the ex-president in a way comparable to the iconic figures of Juan

Domingo Pern and Eva Duarte.

However, it is worth mentioning that the Kirchners husband-and-wife governance

was reminiscent of the way Mr. Pern worked with his second wife, Eva, to build

support among the poor. Mrs. Kirchners glamorous style and her political

advocacy for the underclass have always born resemblance with mythical Evita.

Moreover, the outburst of affection which eventual voters have shown in these

tragic circumstances may infuse her with renewed strength to continue with the

same line of government her husband had started. According to Diario Popular,


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surveys show that if elections were held today, Mrs. Kirchner would win a second

term with 41,2% majority, making runoff vote unnecessary. Regarding swift and

unexpected voters sways, there is also a sad precedent in Argentinean politics in

relation to a grieving president: president Carlos Sal Menem was able to win a

second round in presidential elections soon after the tragedy of a helicopter crash

took away the life of his son on 15th March, 1995. There is clear evidence that

public opinion can be easily affected by passions and feelings, rather than

rationality.

A further account of passionate behaviour was provided by witnesses to the official

mourning ceremony in Buenos Aires. Many who watched the funeral procession

reported to hear the desperate cries from people in the crowd. A woman was heard

to cry Cristina, you are a mother for all Argentineans! A spectacular ceremony

was held at Casa Rosada, the governments central headquarters, in Buenos

Aires, where thousands of mourners, among them politicians, celebrities and the

public in general, queued for hours on end to spend one last moment near the ex-

presidents coffin and his family. Diario Popular reports the emotive moments,

charged with chants and cries of support for the president, pleading for her re-

election the next electoral term. (Una multitud despidi a Kirchner en la Rosada

(Diario Popular on-line, 29 October 2010)

On the other hand, as the day went by, the increasingly emotional cries of support

were accompanied by shouts of abuse against Mr. Julio Cobos, the vice president,

who had broken relationships with the official government after he sided with the

farmers in their confrontation about taxation in 2008, and who was denied

attendance to the funeral by members of the executive. The article in Diario

Popular also describes the encounter between Mrs. Fernandez the Kirchner and

president of Venezuela, Mr. Hugo Chvez, a left leaning president whose rhetoric

can be likened to that of Mr. Kirchner, as one of the most moving moments.

The multitudinous congregation of faithful supporters to Mr. Kirchner and his wifes

government received the full attention of the Argentine media for several days. The

official ceremony, which had been carefully staged, (only the official broadcast


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media was allowed into the chapel) reminded some people of the farewell received

by historic figures such as Juan Domingo Pern. However, it is worth mentioning

that another recently deceased ex-president, Ral Ricardo Alfonsn, the first

democratic president after Argentinas darkest period of de facto military

governments, received deep shows of affection from fellow partisans but far less

popular sensitivity.

In a poem entitled La Recoleta, Jorge Luis Borges wrote about the dignity of being

dead, when everyone is forgiven their weaknesses and is judged only by their

highest deeds. This positive consequence of death appears to be evident in an

exceptional article published in the British newspaper, The Guardian. (Nstor

Kirchner: Argentinas independence hero, The Guardian, 27th October 2010) The

writer, Mark Weisbrot, describes Mr. Kirchner as an independence hero of Latin

America, and praises his role in recovering Argentina from the terrible recession of

2001-2003. To Weisbrot, Kirchner is comparable to American president F.D.

Roosevelt: Like Roosevelt, Kirchner had to stand up both to powerful moneyed

interests and to most of the economics profession, which was insisting that his

policies would lead to disaster. They were proved wrong, and Kirchner right.

Weisbrot also qualified the $95 billion default to the IMF as a gutsy move, which

marked the beginning of the end of US influence over Latin American countries. He

also mentioned Kirchners help in consolidating this independence through

alliances with other left governments like Brazil, Venezuela, Bolivia and Ecuador.

Moreover, Weisbrot pointed out that Mr. Kirchner earned the respect of human

rights organisations for his willingness to prosecute and extradite some of the

military officers accused of crimes against humanity during the 1976-1983

dictatorship, and together with his wife, current president Cristina Fernndez, he

made an enormous contribution in helping to move Argentina and the region in a

progressive direction. In my opinion, this article overlooks the facts that many of

these policies were shrewd political moves intended to attract voters, which caused

deep social divides as well as ideological confrontations among Argentineans.


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A view from above

Most of the other articles I surveyed from the international media were quite

different in their perception of the figure of Mr.Kirchner. For example, the journalists

Matt Moffet and John Lyons from the Wall Street Journal are not as sympathetic to

Mr. and Mrs. Kirchner as Mark Weisbrot is. In their article, Ex- Leaders Death

Shakes Argentina, published 28th October 2010, they speak of Mr. Kirchner as the

power behind his wife, the president, and see his death as an opportunity for

Argentina to shift away from combative populist policies and move towards more

market-friendly policies. Investors optimism was revealed in the sudden surge in

Argentine asset prices immediately after Kirchners death, they announced. Moffetand Lyons also described Argentina, once a leader among emerging nations, as

consumed by political battles and with nearly broken commercial relations with her

neighbours. Neither did they omit to mention the fact that Argentina had committed

the worlds biggest sovereign-debt default, and that her declining global role was in

sharp contrast to the rise of Brazil.

Although this article appears to expose all the inefficiencies of Kirchners

administration and his wifes, it is consistent with the kind of information that was

among the current issues discussed in the Argentine media, which were also a

source of preoccupation for the middle-classes, not so long ago. For example, in a

chronological account of Mr. Kirchners political career, which was added to the

Wall Street Journal article, the years 2007 and 2009 receive most attention: in

2007 his administration is said to have been plagued by corruption scandals,

energy shortages and high inflation; in 2009 he comes in second when he runs for

a seat in the lower house of Congress. The article is also critical of the conflict with

farmers originated from Mrs. Kirchners interventionist policies when she took

office in 2007, which was followed by fierce political conflict.

Moffet and Lyons point out that Mrs. Kirchner counted on her husband to help her

sort out difficulties through her administration, and handle the day-to-day horse-

trading that is vital in Argentinas patronage driven Peronist system. (WSJ,


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October 28th 2010) This patronage system, which has been widely exercised in

Argentina for the past decade, is reminiscent of the client system that formed the

foundations of the ancient Roman state. It created a kind of welfare network which

generated stability but promoted the unwavering loyalty of clients, which helped

keep patron families in power for centuries. (The Client System Web,) Since a

large number of Argentineans are descended from poor Italian immigrants, who

have always been dependant from political patronage, a system which has

survived in Italy since the days of Rome , it is not surprising that these people

should be willing to continue with the same tradition. Such a system is one that

does not hold truly democratic ideas in high esteem but promotes the perpetuation

of a powerful elite who will look after the poor and dispossessed while keeping

them in poverty. The wailing woman crying for a mother instead of a president

makes it more evident: people are not grieving over the loss of a democratic

president; they are yearning for a fatherly figure who cared about and protected

them.

The Washington Post makes a point on the fact that Mr Kirchner and his wife have

maintained a populist rhetoric that is in line with that of Juan Pern and Eva

Duartes. Emma Brown, the WP reporter described the Kirchners as Argentinas

most powerful couple... who held a place in the national imagination that recalled

the near-mythical Perons. (October 27, 2010) Brown is also suggestive of Mr

Kirchners authoritarian style when she quotes an Argentinean journalist who

spoke of Kirchner as a man obsessed with power. Brown adds that Kirchner

consolidated power and asserted more influence over the judiciary, winning the

right to alter the budget without consent from the legislature. These unorthodox

policies raised polarized opinions and gained him a contentious reputation in the

turbulent world of Argentinean politics.

Jorge Lanata, an Argentinean writer and political analyst, makes use of critical

words to describe Mr. Kirchners life and death. In his article published in La

Nacin, 28th October 2010, Muri en su ley, como vivi, he draws a parallel

between Kirchners sudden death and his sharp, impetuous personal style. His


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death matched his lifestyle argues Lanata. According to him, lately Kirchner was

known to have been over sensitive and paranoid; it was his own aggressive

personality that killed him. Mr. Kirchners combative rhetoric and factious political

strategies were well known around both his political friends and foes. His

belligerent personal style also pervaded Argentines everyday life, causing not only

harsh political ruptures but also widespread social division and unrest.

A place in history

Despite non-existing previous consensus in public opinion regarding the figure of

one of the most influential politicians of the decade, thousands of Argentineans

went out of their homes to accompany the Kirchners in the funeral procession, and

millions cried their hearts out in support. Mr Kirchner has become Argentinas

martyr: yesterday he was regarded as a controversial politician, today he is

considered an able statesman. Sebrelli (2008) argues that societies which are

accustomed to exceptional situations of instability like that of Argentina, favour the

emergence of these popular heroes who force the legitimate rules to secure their

place in history. A myth need not be a historical truth because, as Napoleon said

History is the version of past events that people have decided to agree upon

Then, it will ultimately depend on the subjectivity of historians to regard Mr.

Kirchners death as a symbol of avarice or one of dedication and commitment to

his country.

Sources and works cited

Barrionuevo, Alexei, Kirchner, former Argentine president, dies. New York: The

New York Times, 27 October 2010. Web 27 October 2010.

Brown, Emma. Nestor Kirchner dies: Powerful Argentine politician was 60.

Washington: The Washington Post, 27 October, 2010. Web 27 October 2010


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Caparrs, Martn. Bajo La muerte de un poltico. Madrid: Diario El Pas, 20 octubre

2010. Web 6 noviembre 2010.

Cuadernos hispanoamericanos - N 585, marzo 1999

h ttp://www.cervantesvirtual.com/servlet/SirveObras/35784622325460728500080/2

07383_0015Web Accessed 29th October 2010

Editorial: Nstor Kirchner 1950-2010. Buenos Aires: Buenos Aires Herald, 27

October 2010

Former Argentinas president dies. London: The Guardian, 27 october 2010. Web

27 october 2010

Lanata, Jorge. Muri en su ley, como vivi. Buenos Aires: La Nacin, 28 octubre

2010. Web 2 noviembre 2010.

Las exequias marcaron la construccin de un mito. Buenos Aires: Diario Popular

31 octubre 2010. Web 15 noviembre 2010.

Lyons, John, Moffet, Matt. Ex-leaders Death Sakes Argentina. New York: The

Wall Street Journal, 28 October, 2010. Web 28 October 2010.

Nestor Kirchner, husband of Argentina's glamorous president, dies of heart

attack. London: The Daily Mail, 27 October 2010. Web 28 October 2010.

Sebrelli, Juan Jos, Comediantes y Mrtires, Ensayo contra los Mitos, Buenos

Aires: Debate, 2008

Una multitud despidi a Kirchner. Buenos Aires: Diario Popular, 29 octubre 2010.

Web 29 octubre 2010.

Weisbrot, Mark. Nstor Kirchner: Argentinas Independence Hero. London: The

Guardian, 27 october 2010. Web 27 october 2010

The Client System

http://www.roman-empire.net/society/society.html Accessed 28 October 2010

(contribution from Prof. Douglas Town)
http://www.google.com.ar/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cervantesvirtual.com%2Fservlet%2FSirveObras%2F35784622325460728500080%2F207383_0015.pdf&ei=gXHNTL7cGMX_lgeh6sjzCA&usg=AFQjCNEj_KvSL30vebOg4LDk9r3xqGEGHwhttp://www.cervantesvirtual.com/servlet/SirveObras/35784622325460728500080/207383_0015Webhttp://www.cervantesvirtual.com/servlet/SirveObras/35784622325460728500080/207383_0015Webhttp://www.roman-empire.net/society/society.htmlhttp://www.google.com.ar/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CBUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cervantesvirtual.com%2Fservlet%2FSirveObras%2F35784622325460728500080%2F207383_0015.pdf&ei=gXHNTL7cGMX_lgeh6sjzCA&usg=AFQjCNEj_KvSL30vebOg4LDk9r3xqGEGHwhttp://www.cervantesvirtual.com/servlet/SirveObras/35784622325460728500080/207383_0015Webhttp://www.cervantesvirtual.com/servlet/SirveObras/35784622325460728500080/207383_0015Webhttp://www.roman-empire.net/society/society.html


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Appendix

La construccin del mito poltico

Vicente Palermo

Para LA NACION

Viernes 29 de octubre de 2010 | Publicado en edicin impresa


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Creo que hay un aspecto posible de la poltica poskirchnerista que est siendo inadvertido; me

refiero a la constitucin de la figura del ex presidente como mito poltico. En efecto, las

condiciones para que Kirchner se convierta en mito estn presentes. En primer lugar, un mito

requiere de una pica: el hroe entregado a una confrontacin de dimensiones

sobrehumanas, que lo pone a prueba y que puede ser inscripta en un relato de lucha

sempiterna, ms general y abarcadora. En este caso, la pica est presente: la batalla del

hroe contra fuerzas externas (el FMI) e internas (los "medios concentrados"), que fue capaz

de vencer, puede ser percibida como formando parte de una guerra (v.g., del pueblo contra el

"antipueblo"). En segundo lugar, el mito precisa que la pica sea mucho ms que un relato

intelectual, artstico o periodstico, para alimentar sus races en sentidos y sentimientos de

grupos sociales, por tener sus configuraciones analoga con las configuraciones de esos

sentidos y sentimientos (v.g., en este caso, las nociones dominantes en torno al FMI). En

tercer lugar, es necesario que la biografa del hroe sea percibida como una vida de

dedicacin y entrega totales a esa confrontacin pica. Sin duda el caso de Kirchner califica

bien al respecto. Por fin, la muerte "joven" y sobre todo en lucha, es decir, en un momento de

plenitud, es indispensable, y confirma la entrega, puesto que el hroe consuma la mayorofrenda: triunfa, nos dice el mito, pagando el triunfo con su propia vida.

La nitidez que puede adquirir, por lo dicho, la figura de Kirchner como mito poltico, puede

llegar a ser muy marcada; en otros trminos, que su potencial poltico y cultural puede ser

relevante. Personalmente no veo el menor motivo para celebrar esta eventualidad. Pero un

mito no es ni verdadero ni falso. Qu importancia tiene sealar que la mitificacin de Kirchner

es posible? Si el fenmeno tiene lugar, tendremos que aprender a coexistir con l. Poco

sentido tendr oponernos frontalmente. La pretensin de hacer tierra arrasada con fenmenos

polticos que nos disgustan es demasiado argentina. Pero es una forma ms de contribuir a

los desastres. Si Kirchner se constituye en otro mito poltico argentino, aquellos que, comoser mi caso, no nos dejaremos capturar por su encanto, deberamos defender la diferencia,

la que nos habilita a expresar nuestra opinin sobre el tema, en lugar de tratar de aplastarla.

De que se verifique o no la mitificacin de Kirchner se siguen consecuencias de historia

poltica y de poltica prctica. Porque el futuro del kirchnerismo depender mucho ms de que

el mito se condense, o no, que de la voluntad del manojo de alfiles, torres y caballos que hoy

rodea a la reina. La Nacion

Diario Popular 29 Octubre 2010

oces de aliento para la Presidenta durante el velatorio

Una multitud despidi a

DURANTE EL VELATORIO CRISTINA SE MANTUVOSERENA, PERO CONMOVIDA.

Notas Relacionadas

Emotivo abrazo
http://www.popularonline.com.ar/nota.php?Nota=560154&fechaEdicion=2010-10-29http://www.popularonline.com.ar/nota.php?Nota=560152&fechaEdicion=2010-10-29http://www.popularonline.com.ar/nota.php?Nota=560154&fechaEdicion=2010-10-29


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Kirchner en la Rosadae desarroll ayer la primera jornada del velatorioultitudinario de Nstor Kirchner. El evento concit la presenciae una multitud que form una largusima cola que lleg aner veinte cuadras, con gente deseosa de despedirse del exandatario. La Presidenta estuvo con su familia junto alretro, donde salud a la gente y a los mandatariosxtranjeros que llegaron para dar sus condolencias. Hoy ser el

ortejo hasta Aeroparque y un avin llevar el cuerpo a Santaruz para su inhumacin.

Una multitud emocionada despeda anocheNstor Kirchner en un incesante desfile

rente a su fretro en la Casa Rosada ylentaba a la presidenta Cristinaernndez, tras una vigilia en la Plaza de

Mayo.Con infinidad de muestras de afecto, laargusima fila -de hasta veinte cuadras deiudadanos de todas las edades-

erpenteaba en forma ordenada en medioe vallados y una estricta seguridad para

ngresar a la capilla ardiente por el accesoe Balcarce 50 y dar su ltimo adis al exresidente.

Desde las 10, cuando se abrieron lasuertas del Saln de los Patriotasatinoamericanos, no slo los ciudadanosasaron frente al fretro, sino tambinresidentes de la regin, miembros del

Gabinete, gobernadores, intendentes,

egisladores, dirigentes opositores,epresentantes del campo de la cultura, elspectculo y los movimientos sociales.a consigna para los miles de argentinosue esperaron su turno a lo largo de la

Avenida de Mayo era ingresar sin banderasolticas, lo que fue cumplidoespecialmente durante la maana- porombres, mujeres y nios que, a cambio,ompan el silencio con aplausos yonsignas de apoyo a Cristina, queermaneci durante toda la jornada junto al

retro.Sin embargo, a medida que fue avanzandoa tarde aument la intensidad de losplausos, cnticos y palabras de apoyoara la jefa de Estado.Fuerza Cristina, Cristina 2011, por favor,ritaban algunos de los manifestantes,ntre quienes tambin se escuchaba a viva


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oz Compaero Nstor Kirchner, y lanmediata respuesta: Presente.De la misma forma, no faltaron lasonsignas contra el vicepresidente Julio

Cobos, ausente en el velatorio por pedidoel gobierno y a quien le reclamaronmasivamente la renuncia al EjecutivoNacional.En principio los restos del ex presidenteern velados en la Casa Rosada hastaoy a las 10 y luego trasladados a Ro

Gallegos, donde recibirn sepultura en elementerio local en una ceremonia privada.

Cristina, sobria, conmovida y acompaadaor sus dos hijos, Mximo y Florencia,

ecibi cada uno de los objetos dedicados a

Kirchner, y tambin dio la orden de guardarodos los carteles de apoyo que colocaronos ciudadanos en las rejas de la CasaRosada para homenajear a su marido.Tras once horas y media de permanencia,a Presidenta finalmente se retir a las2.40 de la Casa Rosada, acompaada porus hijos Mximo y Florencia, mientras anontinuaba la incesante hilera de personasue ingresaban a la sede gubernamentalara despedir al ex presidente. La jefa de

Estado haba arribado minutos despus deas 11 a la sede gubernamental -una horauego de haberse iniciado el velatorio del exmandatario- y se retir en helicptero a las

2.40 con destino a la quinta de Olivos.A partir de ese momento, su lugar frente alretro lo pas a ocupar la hermana del exresidente y actual ministra de Desarrollo

Social, Alicia Kirchner.a nota de color la dio un joven militanteue se sac la remera y, quedando con el

orso desnudo, se la obsequi a la

Presidenta, con la leyenda Cris Pasin,n un juego de palabras.

Por la noche, se produjo uno de losmomentos ms emocionantes durante el

brazo que Cristina se dio con su parenezolano Hugo Chvez, y luego con elaludo que cruz con el brasileo Lula Da

Silva.


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Hugo Moyano y Omar Viviani, fueron lasaras ms destacadas del mbito gremialn la capilla ardiente, mientras que delspectculo participaron varios artistas

omo Florencia Pea, Federico Luppi,Teresa Parodi, Pablo Echarri, NancyDupla, Osvaldo Santoro y Nora Crpena.Para hacer ms fluido el paso de la gente,e habilitaron dos vas de ingreso por lauerta de Balcarce 24, que se marcaronon vallas cubiertas con los colores de laandera Argentina, y en los alrededoresolocaron las ofrendas florales y coronasue hicieron llegar en homenaje al ex

mandatario.Kirchner, que ya haba padecido dos

bstrucciones arteriales en los ltimosmeses, muri este mircoles por la maana

n El Calafate como consecuencia de unaro cardiorrespiratorio no traumtico.

En medio de un importante operativo deeguridad, el cuerpo del ex presidente fuerasladado a Buenos Aires durante la

madrugada y arrib pocos minutos antese las 2 al aeroparque metropolitano,onde decenas de vehculos y ambulanciasguardaban su llegada.

Diario Popular 31 de Octubre 2010

estacan la idealizacin de la figura de Kirchner

Las exequias marcaron la construccin de un miton la sociedad argentina la muerte tiene una concepcin tanguera, asever Alfredo Moffatt.

El psiclogo social Luis Moffatt consider que las multitudinarias expresiones de dolor y sentimiento apreciaurante las exequias del ex presidente Nstor Carlos Kirchner revelan la necesidad de un mito que hay enueblo, indic que en situaciones traumticas como la que sin duda dio lugar a esas manifestaciones constituna respuesta comn del colectivo social idealizar una figura, y precis que la muerte de una personalid

rascendente, como la del santacruceo, equipara cuestiones ideolgicMoffatt, en dilogo con DIARIO POPULAR, afirm que analizar la muerte de Kirchner y el efecto que ha ten

n la sociedad implica hacerlo, en primer lugar, desde lo sorpresivo de la noticia que impact, para colm


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subray- en un feriado como el que propona la realizacin del censo del mircolEn ese contexto, que el profesional calific como un da sin tiempo, Moffatt plante que tras la sorpresa ini

or el desenlace fatal, lo que priv tambin en el conjunto social fue la incertidumbre estructurada desistintos perfiles pero que convergan sobre la presidenta Cristina Fernndez y su futura tras la muerte de

marido.La incertidumbre giraba tanto desde cuestionamientos sobre cunto era lo que realmente organizaba elresidente y hasta que punto su muerte dejaba desamparada a Cristina -destac- no solamente viuda pordida de su marido sino por el vaco que eso poda llegar a representarle la ausencia de Kirchner a su la

rente a las eventuales luchas por el poder posibles de surgir detrs de la mandata

Curiosa idealizac

En su lectura de la respuesta social al fenmeno de la muerte del ex presidente, Moffat puso de manifiesto quna cosa curiosa fue la idealizacin muy fuerte generada en torno de Kirchner, a quien en la medida qvanzaba su velatorio se lo comparaba con otras figuras trascendentes de la histor

A su modo de ver, esa manifestacin marca la necesidad de idealizar a la figura y que se expres, tambien una sobrevalorizacin del muerto a partir de la referencia directa a sus acciones positivas. Esto -sostuuarda relacin con que el pueblo necesita que exista una figura que tenga esa proyecci

Hay una necesidad de crear un mito y suele ocurrir en momentos de crisis o incertidumbre, como la que gena muerte de Kirchner, en los cuales la gente incurre en esas idealizaciones que ms all de la sostenida poreguidores a ultranza del ex presidente, antes no era esperada en la magnitud con la que se d

Cuestiones ideolgi

El director de la Escuela de Psicologa Social para la Salud Mental tambin hizo mencin a las muestrasalor, afecto y respeto que el cortejo que traslad los restos de Kirchner recibi en barrios que al menos a nlectoral le resultaban hostiles, y en ese aspecto consider que la muerte tambin equipara cuestio

deolgicas.Para Moffat el impacto de la sorpresa causada por el fallecimiento de Kirchner va a pasar y acerca de smuerte agigantar la figura del ex presidente al punto de las de Juan Domingo Pern y Eva Duarte tras

esaparicin fsica, opin que el santacruceo no est en la misma consideracin que los dos grandes conel justicialisOcurre que detrs de Kirchner no hay una doctrina como s la hay con Pern, por ejemplo, y por lo taapunt- difcilmente acceda al nivel de consideracin de los los otros dos, sobre todo porque tampoco se puedentificar al kirchnerismo como filosofa distinta sino -argument- como una variante dentro del justicialismPor ltimo, Moffat reiter el concepto surgido despus de las masivas muestras de cario y tristeza generad

n torno a las exequias del ex presidente, en cuanto a que ante situaciones traumticas o la necesidad

ontar con una figura fuerte a la cual aferrarse, el pueblo reacciona construyendo un mito.

The Guardian


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Former Argentina president Nstor

Kirchner dies

Contender to succeed his wife, Cristina Fernndez, in Argentina's election next year, diesfrom heart attack

Associated Press

guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 27 October 2010 17.07 BST

Article history

Nstor Kirchner,

right, former president of Argentina, with Hugo Chvez of Venezuela. Photograph: EraldoPeres/AP

The former Argentinian president, Nstor Kirchner, the current leader's husband and acontender to succeed her in next year's election, has died of a heart attack.

Kirchner, 60, was considered President Cristina Fernndez's closest adviser and a major

power broker in her government.

He died after being taken to the Formenti de Calafate hospital while suffering a severe heart

attack, the presidency said.

"It was a sudden death"Kirchner's doctor, Luis Buonomo, told Reuters.

The former president, who underwent two arterial procedures earlier this year, died in the

southern city of El Calafate. Fernndez was at his side when he died, state television said.

The left-leaning Kirchner from the ruling Peronist party was president from 2003 to 2007

and oversawArgentina's recovery from a devastating economic crisis. He was famous for
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his fiery speeches peppered with leftist rhetoric and outspoken criticism of political rivals,

private companies and the International Monetary Fund.

The news immediately had great impact in Argentina.

"A great patriot has died," said Juan Carlos Dante Gullo, a ruling party congressman, tostate TV. "This will leave a huge hole in Argentine politics. We will have to follow his

example. Argentina has lost one of its greatest men."

The leader of the human rights group Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo, Estela deCarlotto, said Kirchner "gave his life for his country."

"Our country needed this man so much. He was indispensable," she told radio Continental.

Kirchner, a likely candidate in next year's presidential elections, was secretary general of

the South American alliance known as Unasur and also served as a congressman and leader

of the Peronist party.

After meeting his wife at law school in the turbulent 1970s, the couple took turns in the

political limelight. She was a close adviser during his 2003-2007 rule and he was a key

economic adviser since she succeeded him in December 2007.

He was seen as a key contender in next year's presidential race and his popularity closely

tracked approval ratings for his wife's presidency that rebounded from lows of about 20%

alongside an economic recovery.

In their back-to-back tenures criticised by some for side-stepping presidential term limits

Kirchner and his wife increased state control of the economy, intervening in financial andgrains markets and maintaining price controls that analysts say have dampened investment

in the energy sector.

The Guardian

Nstor Kirchner: Argentina's independence hero

The death of Argentina's former president is a sad loss. His bold defiance of the

IMF paved the way for South America's progress


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Mark Weisbrot

guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 27 October 2010 20.20 BST

Article history

ArgentinePresident Cristina Fernandez seen hugging her husband, former President

Nestor Kirchner, who has died suddenly on 27 October 2010, at a 2008 rally inBuenos Aires. Photograph: HO/AFP/Getty Images

The sudden death of Nstor Kirchner is a great loss, not only to Argentina butto the region and the world. Kirchner took office as president in May 2003,when Argentina was in the initial stages of its recovery from a terriblerecession. His role in rescuing Argentina's economy is comparable to that ofFranklin D Roosevelt in the Great Depression of the United States. LikeRoosevelt, Kirchner had to stand up both to powerful moneyed interests and tomost of the economics profession, which was insisting that his policies wouldlead to disaster. They were proved wrong, and Kirchner right.

Argentina's recession from 1998-2002 was, indeed, comparable to theDepression in terms of unemployment, which peaked at more than 21%, andlost output (about 20% of GDP). The majority of Argentines, who had, untilthen, enjoyed living standards among the highest in Latin America, werepushed below the poverty line. In December of 2002 and January 2003, the
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country underwent a massive devaluation, a world-historical record sovereigndefault on $95bn of debt, and a collapse of the financial system.

Although some of the heterodox policies that ultimately ensured Argentina'srapid recovery were begun in the year before Kirchner took office, he had to

follow them through some tough challenges to make Argentina the fastest-growing economy in the region.

One major challenge came from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMFhad been instrumental in bringing about the collapse by supporting, amongother bad policies, an overvalued exchange rate with ever-increasingindebtedness at rising interest rates. But when Argentina's economy inevitablycollapsed, the IMF offered no help, just a series of conditions that would impedethe economy's recovery.

The IMF was trying to get a better deal for the foreign creditor. Kirchner rightly

refused its conditions, and the IMF refused to roll over Argentina's debt.In September of 2003, the battle came to a head when Kirchner temporarilydefaulted to the IMF rather than accept its conditions. This was anextraordinarily gutsy move no middle-income country had ever defaulted tothe IMF; only a handful of failed or pariah states like Iraq or Congo. That'sbecause the IMF was seen as having the power to cut off even trade credits toa country that defaulted to them.

No one knew for sure what would happen. But the IMF backed down and rolledover the loans.

Argentina went on to grow at an average of more than 8% annually through2008, pulling more than 11 million people, in a country of 40 million, out ofpoverty. The policies of the Kirchner government, including the central banktargeting of a stable and competitive real exchange rate, and taking a hard lineagainst the defaulted creditors were not popular in Washington or among thebusiness press. But they worked.

Kirchner's successful face-off with the IMF came at a time when the fund wasrapidly losing influence in the world, after its failures in the Asian economiccrisis that preceded Argentina's collapse. It showed the world that a country

could defy the IMF and live to tell about it, and contributed to the ensuing lossof IMF influence in Latin America and middle-income countries generally. Sincethe IMF was, at the time ,the most important avenue of Washington's influencein low-and-middle-income countries, this also contributed to the demise of USinfluence, especially over the recently independent countries of South America.

Kirchner also played a major role in consolidating this independence, workingwith the other left governments including Brazil, Venezuela, Ecuador and
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Bolivia. Through institutions such as UNASUR (the Union of South AmericanNations), Mercusor (the South American trading bloc), and numerouscommercial agreements, South America was able to alter its trajectorydramatically.

This united bloc successfully backed Bolivia's government against an extra-parliamentary challenge from the right in 2008, and most recently stoodbehind Ecuador in that attempted coup there, a few weeks ago. Unfortunately,they did not succeed in overturning last year's military takeover in Honduras,where US backing for the coup government proved decisive. Argentina,together with UNASUR, still refuses to allow Honduras back into the OAS,despite heavy lobbying from Washington.

Kirchner also earned respect from human rights organisations for hiswillingness to prosecute and extradite some of the military officers accused ofcrimes against humanity during the 1976-1983 dictatorship reversing the

policies of previous governments. Together with his wife, current presidentCristina Fernndez, Nstor Kirchner made an enormous contribution in helpingto move Argentina and the region in a progressive direction. These efforts havenot generally won him much favour in Washington and in international businesscircles, but history will record him not only as a great president but also as anindependence hero of Latin America.

Nstor Kirchner: Argentina's independence hero | Mark Weisbrot

This article was published on guardian.co.uk at 20.20 BST on Wednesday 27October 2010. It was last modified at 20.29 BST on Wednesday 27 October

2010.

The New York Times

Nstor Kirchner, Former Argentine President, Dies
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Dario Lopez-Mills/Associated Press

Nstor Kirchner with supporters in 2003, just before assuming the Argentinianpresidency.

By ALEXEI BARRIONUEVO

Published: October 27, 2010

SO PAULO, Brazil The former Argentine president Nstor Kirchner died onWednesday morning after suffering a heart attack, according to Argentine statetelevision.

Enlarge This Image

Enrique Marcarian/Reuters
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Nstor Kirchner with his wife, President Cristina Fernndez de Kirchner inBuenos Aires in October.

Mr. Kirchner, 60, had complained of the flu a day earlier and had chest painsearly Wednesday, according to Argentine news media. He was pronounced

dead a little after 9 a.m. at a hospital in the southern Argentine town of ElCalafate, in Santa Cruz Province.

The former president, who was originally from Santa Cruz, was visiting during anational holiday with his wife, the current president, according to Argentinenews reports. In September, he underwent an angioplasty in Buenos Aires toopen up a clogged artery, and in February he had urgent surgery to clear anobstruction in his carotid artery.

Elected in 2003, Mr. Kirchner guided Argentina out of its crippling financialcrisis in late 2001 and had continued to lead the Peronist party after his wife,

Cristina Fernndez de Kirchner, was elected president in 2007.The former president, who was elected to Congress last year, was widelybelieved to be very active behind the scenes in running the country, especiallythe Argentina economy. And many political analysts were betting he, not hiswife, would run for president again next year. His chances seemed to havebeen bolstered recently by the improved performance of the economy, whichthe Argentine Central Bank expects to grow by 9.5 percent this year, despitehigh inflation.

Charles Newbery contributed reporting from Buenos Aires.

Kirchner, Nestor

Argentina

Deaths (Obituaries)

The Washington Post

27th October 2010

Nestor Kirchner dies: Powerful Argentine politician was 60

Nestor Kirchner, the former president of Argentina and husband of the current president,

Cristina Fernandez,died today of a heart attack. He was 60.

Mr. Kirchner served as president from 2003 to 2007, when his wife became the country's

second female president (after Isabel Martnez de Pern, who served during the mid-1970s).
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His sudden death at his home in the Patagonian city of Calafate shocked Argentinians. One of

the nation's most influential politicians, he was expected to run for the presidency again in next

year's election.

As Argentina's most powerful couple, the Kirchners held a place in the national imagination

that recalled the near-mythical Perns.

"His populist rhetoric fit perfectly into an Argentine political tradition defined by Juan Pern,"

Washington Post reporter Monte Reel wrote in 2006. "Her gift for reconciling a glamorous

personal style with political advocacy for the underclass begged comparisons with Pern's

charismatic wife, Eva."

Mr. Kirchner ascended to the presidency as the country was recovering from its 2001

economic collapse. He took on the powerful International Monetary Fund and Argentina's own

military, whose dictatorships during the 1970s and 1980s left a legacy of human rights abuses.

He also consolidated power, asserting more influence over the judiciary and winning the right

to alter the budget without consent from the legislature.

"Kirchner is a man obsessed with power -- getting it, expanding it, then holding on to it," said

Walter Curia, an Argentine journalist who published a biography of Kirchner called "The Last

Peronist," in a 2006 interview with The Washington Post.

Above, Mr. Kirchner hands over power to his wife during her 2007 swearing-in ceremony.

(Juan Mabromata/AFP/Getty Images)

A full obituary will follow.

By Emma Brown | October 27, 2010; 10:43 AM ET
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LATIN AMERICA NEWS

OCTOBER 28, 2010

Ex-Leader's Death Shakes Argentina

Article

By MATT MOFFETT andJOHN LYONS

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

In Buenos Aires in June 2008, Argentine President Cristina Kirchner andhusband Nstor celebrate a victory in a conflict with farmers.

BUENOS AIRESThe death of Argentina's ex-president Nstor Kirchner, seen bymany as the power behind his wife's government, creates vast politicaluncertainties but also opens the possibility that the country could shift awayfrom its combative populist policies.

Mr. Kirchner, 60, died early Wednesday of a heart attack while visiting thesouthern city of El Calafate with his wife, President Cristina Kirchner. The fieryformer governor served as president between 2003 and 2007, and was widelyexpected to seek another term in October 2011 in a strategy to alternatepresidencies with his wife.

News of the death brought a mixture of sorrow and anxiety to Buenos Aires,unusually quiet as locals awaited the rounds of the official census. "I wasshaken up," said Beatriz Menndez, a 60-year-old businesswoman who lives inthe fashionable Palermo neighborhood. "His death generates instability."
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Zumapress

Nstor Kirchner

But Argentine asset prices surged Wednesday on investors' optimism that Mr.Kirchner's passing will pave the way for the country to shift to more market-friendly policies.

In the seven years in which one of the Kirchners have governed Argentina, thecountry emerged from its crushing 2001 financial collapse to become one ofthe world's fastest-growing economies. But in the process, Mr. Kirchneramassed a long list of critics by expanding the state's role in the economy,running roughshod over institutions, and shifting Argentina from friend of theU.S. to ally of Venezuela's Hugo Chvez.

More

Behind the Scenes of Argentina's Power Couple

Eerie Calm in Buenos Aires

Archive: Kirchners Climb in Argentine Polls

Argentina's National Census Day

Argentina, once a leader among emerging nations, turned inward as its ruling

couple were consumed by political battles. Relations with neighbors likeUruguay and Brazil were marked by commercial squabbles. Argentina, once theissuer of a quarter of all emerging-market debt, has been essentially shut outof international financial markets since 2001, when it committed the world'sbiggest sovereign-debt default, on $95 billion of bonds.

Argentina's declining global role is a sharp contrast to the rise of Brazil. TheLatin giant grabbed a leadership role in the region and, as its economy grew,
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became a global voice for the developing world in international forums such asthe Group of 20.

Mr. Kirchnera product of the "Pernist" political movement founded by thepopulist Juan Pern in the 1940swill be remembered as a shrewd and

pragmatic political operator who managed to hold on to power during atumultuous stretch in Argentine politics.

By many estimates, the lanky politician, who often favored brown leatherjackets over business suits, thrived on the tumult. Soon after coming to powerin 2003, he expanded his support base and popularity by confronting themilitary over crimes committed during a dictatorship more than two decadesearlier.

End of an Era Nstor Kirchner's life in politics

1950: Nstor Kirchner is born in Ro Gallegos, in the Patagonian province of

Santa Cruz, Argentina.

1970s: Studies law at National University of La Plata; marries CristinaFernndez.

197683: Active in opposition politics during military dictatorship forbelonging to the opposition, he is briefly imprisoned.

2003: Becomes president. Enables prosecution of military officers for human-rights abuses committed during the dictatorship; overseesnegotiations with foreign creditors that leave creditors with about 30 cents on

the dollar.

2007: His administration is plagued in its later years by corruption scandals,energy shortages that trigger rolling blackouts in Buenos Aires, and highinflation, due in part to the devaluation of the peso.

2007: Cristina Kirchner succeeds her husband as president of Argentina.

2009: Mr. Kirchner, now head of the Peronist party, r Runs for a seat in thelower house of Congress; he wins, but his slate finishes second to a rivalfaction.

Oct. 27, 2010: Elected secretary-general of UNASUR, a group promotingregional integration in South America. Dies of a heart attack.

WSJ research

He was a harsh critic of the International Monetary Fund, and sealed areputation as a stubborn negotiator by forcing international investors to take a


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steep loss in an abrasive 2005 restructuring of much of Argentina's defaultedbonds.

The Kirchners' husband-and-wife governance was reminiscent of the way Mr.Pern worked with his second wife, Eva, to build support among the poor.

For the 57-year-old Mrs. Kirchner, her husband's death creates what Argentinepollster Mariel Fornoni calls a "test of fire." Though a long-time politicianherself, she counted on Mr. Kirchner to handle the day-to-day horse-tradingthat is vital in Argentina's patronage-driven Pernist system.

In the short run, Mrs. Kirchner is likely to receive an enormous outpouring ofsympathy for her loss. Whether she manages to maintain popularity and launcha presidential run next year is an open question.

View Slideshow

"One worry for her is that since Nestor was the political operator, what happens

if the Pernists start smelling weakness and indecisiveness?" said RiceUniversity political scientist Mark Jones.

Mrs. Kirchner was thought to be more pragmatic than her husband when shetook office in December 2007. But Argentina has seen more state interventionand political conflict during her presidency than in her husband's. There'splenty of debate about how much of that was due to Mr. Kirchner's influenceand how muchif anymoderation can be expected from Mrs. Kirchneroperating solo.

"There is an opportunity to change the politics, but my own sense is that's

unlikely," said Michael Shifter, president of the Inter-American Dialogue, aWashington think tank. "It might be wishful thinking to think that that willchange now. I am not sure reaching out and engaging more broadly is part ofher political makeup."

Just a few months after she came into office, Mrs. Kirchner became embroiledin a battle with farmers over an export-tax increase, which coupled with theglobal recession, sapped much of her support. The Kirchners had enjoyed a
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resurgence of sorts over the past year thanks to the economy's fast growth andmissteps by their political foes.

If Mrs. Kirchner begins to lose control, one name to watch, political analystssay, is Buenos Aires Province governor Daniel Scioli. He has remained loyal to

the Kirchners while maintaining ties to farmers and parts of the private sectorthat the Kirchners have alienated. He could emerge as a consensus candidateto unite pro-Kirchner and dissident Peronist factions, analysts say.

View Full Image

Associated Press

A sign at the government palace on Wednesday says 'Thanks Nstor.'


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But the demise of Mr. Kirchner could help pragmatic opposition candidates whosuffered under his withering attacks. One of these is Julio Cobos, Mrs. Kirchner'svice president, who broke with the Kirchners two years ago after siding withthe farmers in the dispute over raising grain-export taxes. Another politicianwith his eyes on the presidency is Mauricio Macri, the conservative mayor of

Buenos Aires.

Mr. Scioli, Mr. Cobos and Mr. Macri couldn't be reached for comment. TheKirchners earned reputations as tough customers while restructuring most ofthe country's bonds for around 30 cents on the dollar in 2005 and in a smallerround this year.

But controversial policy decisions undermined investor confidence. Forexample, many investment bank economists believe Argentina began riggingits inflation numbers. Argentina says its inflation rate is around 11%, about halfwhat many international economists say it is.

Taos Turner and Ana Rivas contributed to this article.

Write to Matt Moffett at [email protected] and John Lyons [email protected]

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LATIN AMERICA NEWS

OCTOBER 28, 2010

Behind the Scenes of Argentina's Power Couple

Article

By MATT MOFFETT

BUENOS AIRESIn Argentina, the nation with more psychologists per capitathan any other, a favorite parlor game has involved trying to divine the
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dynamics of the relationship between President Cristina Kirchner and her latehusband and predecessor, Nstor.

They redefined the term "power couple" when Mr. Kirchner, as he was finishinghis term in 2007, helped get his wife elected, and then, observers say,

continued to wield power behind the scenes in her government.

Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

Cristina Kirchner addresses the U.N. General Assembly last month.

Now, some political observers wonder how Mrs. Kirchner will manage withoutthe man who was her husband and political partner for almost 40 years.

"She's the president, but she behaves like a queen, whereas the real presidentwas him and he died," said Alejandro Bonvecchi, a political scientist andprofessor at Torcuato Di Tella University in Buenos Aires. "For all intents andpurposes, this is a country without a government at the present time."

The Kirchners met in law school in the 1970s and bonded as opponents to thebrutal military government that then ruled Argentina. The walleyed andungainly Mr. Kirchner couldn't have been more of a contrast to his wife, whowas known among their classmates as one of the most beautiful students, aswell as one of the brightest.

But they formed an effective political team, as he became governor of thePatagonian state of Santa Cruz and she a prominent legislator. Mrs. Kirchner


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was often the more visible of the two during the 1990s, when she attacked themarket-oriented policies of then-President Carlos Menem. "She was out thereand Nstor was more reserved," said Javier Corrales, a political-scienceprofessor at Amherst College. "One interpretation was that he was more low-profile. The other interpretation was that he was the brain and she the mouth."

"They had divided the political labor in the following terms: He was in charge ofbuilding a power base in Santa Cruz, and she was in charge of maintaininglinkages to the national [Peronist] party and Congress," says Prof. Bonvecchi.

Mr. Kirchner was elected president in 2003, and moved to concentrate power inthe executive branch, steamrolling opponents on the way. When Mrs. Kirchnertook office in 2007, some analysts had hoped she might steer the governmenttoward a more consensus-based approach, but Argentine politics have onlybecome more divisive.

Related ArticleEx-Leader's Death Shakes Argentina

In early 2008, Mrs. Kirchner got caught up in a fight with farmers over anincrease in a grain export tax. Her husband seemed to relish egging on theconflict. Farm-group leader, Hugo Biolcati complained that the governmentsuffered from "schizophrenia," with more moderate officials linked to Mrs.Kirchner and harder-line officials linked to her husband.

One by one, Mrs. Kirchner's moderate allies were forced out, leaving theadministration dominated by Mr. Kirchner's loyalists.

"Even in Cuba, you have already seen more signs of independence from Ral[Castro] from Fidel than you ever saw in Argentina," said Amherst's Prof.Corrales. He said the closest thing to the Argentine arrangement was thesituation in Russia when Vladimir Putin stepped down from the presidency andbecame prime minister, and his chosen successor, Dmitry Medvedev, took overas president.

Argentine analysts say Mr. Kirchner's death opens a leadership vacuum thatholds out the possibility of more conciliatory politics.

"This does give the democratic opposition an important, historical opening tochange the rules of the game," said Riordan Roett, a Latin America specialist at

Johns Hopkins University. Whether "they have the courage to do so remains upin the air."

There are risks. Analysts cite the case of Isabel Pern, the third wife of JuanPern, who served as vice president and assumed the presidency after thestrongman died in 1974. Unable to manage the reins of power herself, Mrs.
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Pern effectively ceded control of government to the minister of social welfare,Jos Lpez Rega. Mrs. Pern was ousted in a military coup in 1976 and Mr.Lpez Rega was subsequently prosecuted for corruption and links to deathsquads.

In the current situation, analysts say one risk is that Mrs. Kirchner will turn toold-line Peronist leaders such as union boss Hugo Moyano. Mr. Moyano hassupported the government with controversial moves like a blockade of printingplants of newspapers that the government considers its enemies.

"If the president doesn't find a way to adapt, there's a risk she could becomeIsabel 2," said Mr. Bonvecchi.

Write to Matt Moffett at [email protected]

Copyright 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved

October 27, 2010, 12:45 PM ET

Muri en su ley, como vivi

Jorge Lanata

Para LA NACION

Jueves 28 de octubre de 2010 | Publicado en edicin impresa

1) Kirchner:

La muerte, siempre, sorprende y espanta. La de Nstor Kirchner estall en el vaco de un

feriado, espera de la llegada del censista y telfonos que no pararon de sonar. La muerte

ajena espanta porque nos enfrenta al fantasma de la muerte propia. Esta maana supimos,

otra vez, que no somos inmortales. La sola idea es insoportable, por eso vamos a olvidarla

con rapidez. Ni siquiera el poder puede defendernos de ella. Nstor Kirchner tuvo suerte:

muri en su ley y en El Calafate, su lugar en el mundo. Los mdicos diagnosticaron "muerte

sbita". Sbito: precipitado, impetuoso o violento en las obras o palabras, diagnostica eldiccionario. Tuvo, Nstor Kirchner, una muerte que coincidi con su vida.

-Ultimamente estaba sensible y paranoico -dijo Jessica en el chat. Jessica cubre Gobierno

para mi programa de televisin.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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-Se muri sin que nadie lo conociera -larg Luciana, ms temprano, apenas supimos la

noticia. Luciana hablaba y hablaba, y yo pensaba que la muerte nos empuja sobre los

silencios, que era el miedo de Luciana el que estaba hablando.

-Vos sabs que l era su amigo -sigui Luciana mencionando su conversacin con una

fuente-. Bueno, estaba muy mal, llorando, y me dice: "Es un tipo que no contaba nada, se

guardaba todo adentro. Pero sufra un montn. Este nivel de agresividad fue el que lo mat".

Escuch eso varias veces a lo largo del da: Kirchner fue asesinado por su personalidad.

Nstor Kirchner ha muerto y el pasado, ahora, se convirti en ancdota: la avidez que lo

empuj al precipicio ser avaricia o entrega generosa, segn la historia y quien la escriba.

Acabo de ver, en el noticiero, que alguien pint apresurado una tela que dice "Nstor Vive", y

la colg de la reja que separa la mitad de la Plaza de Mayo de la Casa de Gobierno. Antes,

supe que hubo quienes tocaron bocina en la calle, en una miserable actitud de festejo. Nadiepuede estar orgulloso de su odio, si es que lo tiene. El odio es una bajeza del espritu.

Record entonces aquella pintada de "Viva el cncer" durante la agona de Eva Pern;

pesadillas de una Argentina que ojal haya quedado para siempre atrs.

Nstor Kirchner ha muerto. Que su alma descanse en paz.

Sbado, 6/11/2010

Internacional

TRIBUNA: Luto en Argentina MARTN CAPARRS

Bajo la muerte del poltico

MARTN CAPARRS 28/10/2010

Y otra vez la muerte se hizo duea. En la Argentina no hay poltico mspoderoso que la muerte, y vuelve y vuelve y no nos suelta. Desde 1983 nohubo movimiento social que funcionara sin el respaldo de sus muertos: elreclamo por las vctimas, el peso de los mrtires es un sustrato ineludible. Haceprecisamente una semana, matones sindicales atacaron una protesta laboral,
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mataron a tiros a un militante de izquierda y estremecieron al pas; frente a lamuerte, el Gobierno se ocup de dar satisfaccin a la protesta, que antes habaignorado.

Kirchner deja hurfano al peronismo

Sergio Olgun: "Hoy nos sentimos hurfanos"

Nstor Kirchner

A FONDO

Nacimiento:

25-02-1950

Lugar:

Ro Gallegos - Santa Cruz

Argentina

A FONDO

Capital:

Buenos Aires.

Gobierno:

Repblica.

Poblacin:

40.482 millones (est. 2008)

La noticia en otros webs

webs en espaol
http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Kirchner/deja/huerfano/peronismo/elpepiint/20101028elpepiint_1/Teshttp://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Sergio/Olguin/Hoy/nos/sentimos/huerfanos/elpepiint/20101028elpepuint_16/Teshttp://www.elpais.com/todo-sobre/persona/Nestor/Kirchner/1756/http://www.elpais.com/todo-sobre/pais/Argentina/ARG/http://www.elpais.com/archivo/buscando.html?query=Bajo%20la%20muerte%20del%20pol%C3%ADtico&donde=enotros&idioma=eshttp://www.elpais.com/todo-sobre/pais/Argentina/ARG/http://www.elpais.com/todo-sobre/persona/Nestor/Kirchner/1756/http://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Kirchner/deja/huerfano/peronismo/elpepiint/20101028elpepiint_1/Teshttp://www.elpais.com/articulo/internacional/Sergio/Olguin/Hoy/nos/sentimos/huerfanos/elpepiint/20101028elpepuint_16/Teshttp://www.elpais.com/todo-sobre/persona/Nestor/Kirchner/1756/http://www.elpais.com/todo-sobre/pais/Argentina/ARG/http://www.elpais.com/archivo/buscando.html?query=Bajo%20la%20muerte%20del%20pol%C3%ADtico&donde=enotros&idioma=es


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en otros idiomas

Kirchner se convierte en un gran muerto patrio, de esos que sostienen polticas

El Gobierno de los Kirchner ha hablado tanto de la muerte: ha basado su mitode s mismo en el recuerdo de los muertos asesinados por la dictadura militarde los setenta, ha pretendido que su Gobierno era la concrecin de aquellosideales, aunque fuese, generalmente, lo contrario. Desde principios de esteao, la muerte de Nstor Kirchner era una posibilidad: haba tenido dosepisodios cardiacos, los mdicos le haban dicho que se moderara, l noparaba. Kirchner tena una pasin poltica que muy pocos tienen: saba quepoda morirse -no crea, seguramente, que pudiera morirse- pero seguaadelante, hasta que ayer cay. Su pasin era confusa: iba y vena, cambiabasus ideas y sus alianzas, acertaba y erraba, se peleaba bastante. Su muerte, encambio, es clara: ayer era un poltico controvertido, hoy es un estadista. Lamuerte, en nuestra cultura, suspende las crticas; as empieza la construccin

del hroe.

-Ay, Mara, se nos fue, con lo bueno que era.

-S, tan bueno, a veces me pegaba un poco, pero era porque me quera.

La muerte de un hombre siempre es triste. La muerte de un hombre pblico es,adems, un hecho pblico -un hecho de discurso- y como tal vale la penaanalizarlo. En pocas horas, ese hombre se ha convertido en otro hombre: hoyNstor Kirchner es un mrtir que muri porque, enfermo, no quiso dejar depelear por el bienestar de su pas, un argentino excepcional, un gran patriota.

Ya en estas pocas horas, las radios y televisiones se llenaron de figuras queemitan palabras de pesar y encomio mientras hacan, para s, cuentaselectorales. Ya en estas pocas horas, Kirchner -la figura de Kirchner- se estconstituyendo en un gran muerto patrio, de esos que sostienen polticas y sevuelven banderas y las distintas fracciones se disputan. Esa figura, de aqu enadelante, no puede sino ampliarse.

Kirchner era el candidato presidencial oficialista para 2011. Ahora la eleccininterna vuelve a abrirse, pero tampoco tanto: va a ser difcil volverse contra elmrtir. Hace ms de un ao publiqu un artculo que narraba una reunininexistente donde un comit de campaa kirchnerista llegaba a la conclusin

de que la nica forma de ganar las elecciones era que uno de los cnyuges sesacrificara: que muriera para que el otro aprovechara el fervor que producen,en la Argentina, ciertas muertes. Era un artculo de humor; hoy el pas no estpara esos chistes.

.
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Martn Caparrs es escritor y periodista argentino y su ltimo libro se titulaContra el cambio

Nstor Kirchner abraza a su esposa, Cristina Fernndez, durante unamanifestacin de apoyo al Gobierno en la pugna con los agricultores celebradaen Buenos Aires en 2008.- AFP

Tha Latest Argentinean Myth

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