Public support of President Kirchner –runner-up in the presidential elections in 2003 with only 22% of the votes, less than the percentage obtained by Carlos Menem– soared to 70% in a few months. This fact, inexplicable in mature societies, is due to the adolescent and capricious personality of a population that, deep down, loves to delegate its obligations to whoever is in charge because this is also a way to implicitly pass on its responsibilities.

If things go reasonably well, then the election was right. If things go wrong, then someone else is to blame: we trusted the candidate the lead and he failed. “Once again, we’ve been deceived and let down!” This is enough for the people to assume the role of a victim: “He has disappointed us, poor things”.

Now, when almost everything is being done wrongly, the society is beginning to see that, unless it takes the lead and start making things right itself, it heads directly towards a precipice, although in perversely slow motion. The Kirchner administration shows no hurry in undergoing the bad times.

Intermediate organizations, NGOs, professional associations and the general public are beginning to protest, weary of the governmental mismanagement. In the last few days, a large manifestation was held by citizens who, with the National Constitution in their hands, surrounded the Presidential Palace demanding the end of the constant infringement of the law, already customary for this administration.

Companies have been reincorporated to the state; arbitrary prices have been set from a desk in a ministry full of public officials; contracts have been breached at both sides of our borders; diplomatic relations with almost all the nations in the world have suffered, and so did the tolerant coexistence within the country; our society has been pushed to confrontations and to entangle in the defense of old causes, vested interests and fallacious arguments. Institutions have been devastated and history has been distorted in the name of human rights.

The freezing of the utilities’ tariffs for over three years, wage raises by decree, the creation of new taxes, and the ban on meat exports, the flagship product of Argentine economy, are some of the measures adopted by the current administration.

Not satisfied with what has already been done, the government has picked on the people’s savings, and is now making inroads into other rights. It curtails the freedom of the press with subtle and not-so-subtle methods. And this lack of independence for journalists is followed by the negation of the freedom of information. Society is being manipulated.

Last week, the Congress passed an anti-constitutional rule that gives the Cabinet Chief the power to decide the fate of a generous share of the national budget without legislative approval. This aberration was heatedly defended by Mrs. Kirchner from her seat at the Senate and resisted by the opposition at large, whose efforts, however, were not enough to prevent the approval of the rule.

Four days later, the President himself asked the judges to hurry certain judicial causes and demanded more arrests, displaying an unconceivable degree of interference in issues that are strictly judiciary.

The advance of the Executive over the other powers is reaching disturbing levels. However, there are many signs that society is leaving its indifference behind. This, together with the fragility of the calmness in the economic indicators, which could be over very soon, makes it easy to believe the rumour about the official intentions to bring forward the elections scheduled for October next year.

As business men, unionists, legislators and judges have been tamed, nothing seems impossible in Nestor Kirchner’s Argentina.

* María Zaldívar is a TV journalist from Argentina and Bachelor of Political Science (UCA, Catholic University of Argentina)

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