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Monday, July 27, 2009

Argentina's first couple deliver prosperity – for themselves

Thanks Luke for the link.
Would you believe that there's still people in Argentine discussion forums that think these two aren’t corrupt thieves?
As Einstein said, "Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe."

Watch out for those with socialist speeches and capitalist bank account folks, for dangerous bullshiters they are.

(that sounded like master Yoda :-) )


FerFAL


Argentina's first couple deliver prosperity – for themselves

* Rory Carroll, Latin America correspondent
* guardian.co.uk, Sunday 26 July 2009 20.45 BST
* Article history



Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez and her husband, outgoing President Nestor Kirchner, Buenos Aires, December 10, 2007. Photograph: Argentine Presidency/Handout/Reuters

They were elected on the promise of delivering prosperity to Argentina, but statistics showing a stunning economic turnaround have come with a catch.

New figures show that since Nestor and Cristina Kirchner came to power in 2003, they have presided over a remarkable sixfold increase in their own wealth.

The couple have racked up a fortune through property speculation and investments that have thrived even as the economy has faltered. Last year alone their wealth jumped 158% to £7.3m.

Opponents have accused the Kirchners of exploiting political connections in their home state of Patagonia to buy municipal land cheaply and sell it at a vast profit. "It's a scandal," said Patricia Bullrich, a member of congress.

The couple, lawyers by training and leftists in the Peronist movement, denied any wrongdoing and through a spokesman said that being in office did not impede business deals: "That is the essence of capitalism."

In an unusual tandem, Nestor served as president until 2007 when he stood aside for his wife, a veteran senator and politician in her own right, who was elected in the first round over a divided opposition.

They were popular for presiding over a speedy recovery after Argentina's econnomic meltdown in 2001-02. But underlying problems became apparent after "Queen Cristina", as she is known to some, took over.

Analysts said inflation was perhaps triple the official rate of 9%, a figure widely viewed as a product of government fiddling, and a bruising battle with farmers over export taxes was compounded by a drought. After six consecutive years of steady growth the IMF expects GDP to shrink by about 1.5% this year. Industrial activity has slumped.

With their own party riven by in-fighting, the Kirchners lost control of congress in mid-term elections last month. In their Patagnonian fiefdom, however, they have notched up property deals that would have made Donald Trump proud.

According to information the couple supplied to the anti-corruption office, they own 28 properties valued at $3.8m, four companies worth $4.8m and bank deposits of $8.4m. Last year they sold 16 properties, almost tripling their bank accounts, and expanded their hotel business in El Calafate, a tourist magnet. Their debts also jumped because of bank loans.

Local authorities have investigated transactions over suspicions that a mayor had given the Kirchners a bargain price for municipal land, but the case has stalled.

3 comments:

Double Tapper said...

And so it always is my friend. Politicians are craven the world over.

CapnRick said...

At least, in most countries, the political thieves fear the courts. Here, the courts exist only to help the politicians steal. An Argentine court is a deadly place for a righteous person.

In my wife's ongoing civil case against a politically connected family in a housing association dispute, the opposition can simply request the files and remove documents if he wants ...and, as their lawyer has done. This is why my wife goes to the hall of records of the Tribunal to make copies of the documents as they accumulate in the file.

Also, no matter how many times he has been caught removing documents, their lawyer continues to remove documents prejudicial to his case with total lack of concern because... THE FIX IS IN!

Until Argentine courts cease acting like the Mafia, politicians will act with total impunity and Argentina will not recover as a market force due to the lack of investor confidence.

Anonymous said...

right on, kuma! send a teabag to yours. everyone send teabags. do it anonymously if need be.


public servants... What ever happened to patriots and public servants?