Argentina's Fernandez Sees Support Surge After Husband Kirchner's Death

Argentina's Fernandez Sees Support Surge After Husband Kirchner's Death
By Eliana Raszewski - Nov 1, 2010 3:32 PM CT

Support for Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner rose to 68.5 percent in a survey taken the day after the death of her husband and predecessor Nestor Kirchner, according to pollster Ibarometro.

The number of people saying they had a positive image of Fernandez, 57, rose 20 percentage points in the Oct. 28 survey from a poll taken 10 days earlier, the Buenos Aires-based company said in an e-mailed statement today. Kirchner, 60, died of a heart attack on Oct. 27.

About 45 percent of those surveyed said they would back Fernandez in next year’s presidential race, the poll said. Vice President Julio Cobos had 11.8 percent support and Buenos Aires Mayor Mauricio Macri was third with 10.1 percent.

“The death of Nestor Kirchner revitalized support for Kirchnerism,” said Ibarometro’s President Doris Capurro. “Even after the image of the current government was rising in recent months, that growth process accelerated.”

More:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-11-01/argentina-s-fernandez-sees-support-surge-after-husband-kirchner-s-death.html

Argentina's president Cristina Fernandez addresses the nation in tears
Argentina's president has emerged from mournin vowing to honour the memory of her husband and predecessor, Nestor Kirchner, as she leads the country.

Published: 7:00AM GMT 02 Nov 2010

Cristina Fernandez spoke to the nation for the first time since the death of Kirchner, a popular former president who was her closest ally and confidant in what many people viewed as a virtual joint presidency.

"It's the greatest sadness I've had in my life. It's the loss of the man who was my companion of 35 years, the companion of my life, of fights, of ideals ... a part of me has gone with him," she said, her voice breaking repeatedly.

Recalling her husband's body lying in state at the presidential palace, she thanked "all the men and women who mobilised, who wanted to see him, who wanted to say farewell, who prayed for him, who cried for him." Ms Fernandez said she would carry on in pursuing the couple's left-of-centre economic and social policies.

"I want to tell all the Argentines that I have always felt a great sense of responsibility. On me depends the future of all the Argentines. Since this Wednesday, in addition to this responsibility I feel another: that of honouring his mandate and doing honor to his government, which transformed and changed the country. Many thanks to everyone for everything," she concluded, with tears in her eyes.

More:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/southamerica/argentina/8104128/Argentinas-president-Cristina-Fernandez-addresses-the-nation-in-tears.html