27 October, 2007

General elections in Argentina

Tomorrow is general national election in Argentina. I'm not even registered here in the Argentinean consulate so I've no idea if we're entitled to vote. In any case, I don't think is fair for me to vote because I've been away from the country for more than 14 years and I hardly know who's who anymore.

However, the stronger candidate seems to be Cristina Kirchner, the current president's wife and all political forecasts and polls are predicting that she'll be the next elected president. She's always been compared with Hillary Clinton in that she was as much involved in politics as her husband, was elected senator and was always pursuing a political career on her own right. She's also been called ruthless and accused of all sort of sins, from corruption to wearing too much mascara.
I meet her once in a party in London given by the Argentinean embassy when their were touring European countries as her husband was then the newly elected president. That was 2003. She was already a senator and I remember that I asked how it was the meeting with the then PM, Tony Blair, a few minutes before the party. She said the it all went well and that she dared (her word) to say that maybe protocol would not allow her husband to mention the problem with the Falklands (of course she said Malvinas) but that she, as a senator, couldn't let the opportunity pass to say that there should be more talks about it and all the rest. Then Blair as an answer muttered something such as they're were also a good a political team and that he knew a thing or two about that and it all ended in polite smiles. She seemed very chuffed with herself while telling this. I found it funny at the time.
I found her very clever, well spoken and very self assured and with that politician's easy charm that you can see is kind of fake but still work. She's petite but she was wearing the highest heels that I've ever seen in real life and was dressed and made up to the extreme. She was also very kind and all smiles when I asked to take her picture with me, as I explained to her that my late mum wanted to see me with the power couple of the times and was very exited about my meeting the then very popular new president and his feisty wife.

I remember telling them how much hopes people were investing in them and that I wished them both all the luck in the world.
The same now... I liked her at the time and I appreciate that to be a woman in that position must be really hard so I wish her all the best.

1 comment:

knasil said...

Two presidents for the price of one!! Now you can say that you've met (and got photographed with) not one but TWO argentine presidents! and all for the same ticket price!