Timerman UK trip ‘quixotic’, British daily

In an extensive report published, British daily The Daily Telegraph presented an analysis of the current state of economic and political affairs in Argentina, with particular emphasis on the Malvinas dispute, describing Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman’s recent visit to London as a “quixotic propaganda mission.”

The report, written by Philip Sherwell, argues that society has become largely immune to the attempts of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner “to play the nationalist card to shore up domestic support” as “people struggle with” domestic ails.

In the article, former Central Bank governor Martín Redrado was quoted as stating that: “the Malvinas issue is not going to cover up rising unemployment, lack of investment, high inflation and lacklustre growth,” while a “middle-class local” argued that although it is “an article of faith for Argentines that the Malvinas are our territory... nobody is interested in this obsessive and inflammatory approach from Kirchner.”

The economy was also mentioned in further detail, with Sherwell stating that “Britain this month joined the US and some other European states in announcing it would vote against loans to Argentina for non-poverty projects at the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank because of the country’s financial malfeasance.”

The government is also said to have not only “upped tensions with Britain, it has also annoyed America and Israel with overtures to Iran,” in reference to the agreement to investigate the 1994 AMIA terrorist attack with the Persian country.

An inside Kirchnerite source told the reporter that Fernández de Kirchner is “paranoid” and “arrogant”... She’s the queen surrounded by courtesans who only want to deliver good news.”

The article contextualizes that “just 15 months ago, the Argentine leader was basking in the afterglow of a landslide victory, but her popularity has flagged dramatically as the economy has floundered,” with think-tank Poliarquía’s Sergio Berenstein affirming polls have shown a decrease from 69 to 42 percent positive rating from voters, and a negative rating increase from 14 to 33 percent.

Angry chants of “daughter of a bitch” toward the President at the Once railway station tragedy anniversary on Friday and today’s strike by schoolteachers over wage hikes were also mentioned.

Herald staff with the Daily Telegraph