Argentina: Menem in 2003?
06/08/2002
- Opinión
A few weeks ago, former Argentine president Carlos Menem seemed to
imitate the phoenix coming back to life from its own ashes. With his
bright colored suits and ties and a sure smile, the former president
toured in a few days the top TV news programs. The main newspapers
began to publish photos and stories displayed in several columns on
Menem’s new race for the presidency and his declarations drew the
attention of the public. There were also photos with his Chilean wife,
TV anchorwoman Cecilia Bolocco, and also with former US president
George Bush, Sr., with whom Menem has a surprising friendship, besides
their common passion for golf, which they usually play when they meet.
Although there were pleasing questions from some journalists that
consider themselves “opinion makers”, Menem had to face the reality of
a public that questions him severely for believing he is most
responsible for the country’s present situation. With an employment
rate of 21,5% and the loss of tens of thousands of jobs every month,
there are few Argentines willing to keep silent about the former
president’s public appearances. In Washington Menem had to put up with
jeering by a group of fellow countrymen when he was giving a
conference; in Buenos Aires passersby gathered in front of the TV
channels banging pots in protest against the presence of Menem, who
still is president of the Justicialista Party.
Some “friendly” media published somewhat hastily that 43% intended to
vote for Menem. But true figures soon disproved the assertion. In the
latest polls Menem hardly gets 10%, and he still has to win the
nomination of his own party, which promises to be a bitter battle that
the runners themselves have called “dirty”.
Like in classic American comic books Menem has his own archenemies,
among them President Duhalde himself, who is set on stopping Menem from
serving a third term. In that direction Duhalde is backing José Manuel
de la Sota, the Justicialista governor of the province of Córdoba, and
the national government has signed controversial decrees regulating the
primaries. Some politicians consider that there are dispositions in
the decree that could affect the election, such as allowing members of
one party to vote in the primaries of another party. This could
seriously distort the outcome and is a matter of serious discussion and
controversy.
Bu Menem’s precious conduct also runs against him. The many
accusations of corruption against his administration have gathered
strength with the revelation about a secret bank account in Switzerland
that the former president says he opened to put away some money for his
family’s future needs. A New York Times story a few days ago cast more
shadows on Menem. According to the newspaper he received a large sum
of money for destroying the clues about the 1994 bombing in Buenos
Aires of the main building of the Jewish community in Argentina, where
89 people died.
Although the former president is surrounded by good political
operators, this time it won’t be easy for him to convince angry,
anguished and unemployed voters that witness the degrading of their way
of life and who are not willing to tolerate double talk and electoral
manipulation, nor the luxury and easy life that is characteristic of
Menem and his people.
Lack of definitions
Rosendo Fraga, one of the most sought after political analysts by the
media in Argentina said in a radio interview that the election seemed
to be very segmented and that the country could probable follow the
trend of other Latin American countries, where three or four political
forces share equally the voters’ backing.
According to the latest polls, Luis Zamora, the leftist Congressman
from Autonomy and Liberation Movement had the best image. Zamora
received his highest ratings in polls through web sites that cater to a
young public. His opposition to neoliberalism, against the Latin
American policies of banks, multinational corporations and the United
States have brought him almost 45% of voters’ preference. But Zamora
is not a runner for the presidency up to the moment.
In polls published by the main newspapers, the main positions are for
Congresswoman Elisa Carrió, of ARI, known for her struggle against
corruption, and for former president Adolfo Rodríguez Saa, of the
Justicialista Party, a populist in the best Perón style. This man, who
lasted barely a week in power in late 2001, is willing to battle for
the presidency, although there is no indication yet if he will seek his
party’s nomination in the primaries or if he will run as an
independent. For the moment, the polls show that he would have a
better chance to be elected if he runs as the Justicialista candidate
instead that as an independent runner.
The possible candidates of Radical Civic Union (UCR) hardly appear in
the polls, with a meager 2%, while José Manuel de la Sota, who has the
backing of President Duhalde’s political machine, barely reaches 5%.
Observers wonder what would happen if de la Sota can’t go beyond that
percentage in the coming months. Duhalde’s backing can have a meaning
with the party, but not for the whole of society. In a poll by
Research International-Analogías, published last Sunday by the morning
daily La Nación, 76.6% has a negative opinion about Duhalde’s
administration, while 88.4% rejects his economic policy. For the new
presidential candidate it won’t be an easy task proving that his
ability for government is better than his mentor’s and that he is able
to break away from the immobilism that characterizes the Justicialista
government.
https://www.alainet.org/es/node/106253?language=es
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