Death and state funeral of Néstor Kirchner
Encyclopedia
Argentina
's former President
and Secretary General of UNASUR, Néstor Kirchner
, died of heart failure on the morning of 27 October 2010 at the Jose Formenti hospital in El Calafate
, Santa Cruz Province
at the age of 60. At 9:15, first aid
procedures that were used to keep him alive proved insufficient. His wife, President
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
, was present with him when he died. He was also expected to run for president in 2011
.
He had been subject to two coronary interventions earlier this year. On 7 February 2010, he developed problems with the common carotid artery
and needed surgery. On 11 September 2010, he was hospitalized due to coronary artery blockage and needed an angioplasty.
For more than 24 hours, hundreds of thousands of people filed past Kirchner's body lying in state, in a state funeral at the Casa Rosada
attended by several Argentine personalities and eight South America
n leaders. Starting October 29 afternoon, a massive popular procession accompanied the remains of Néstor Kirchner from Casa Rosada to the metropolitan airport
, and then from the airport of Río Gallegos to the cemetery.
presidential palace in Buenos Aires
, starting on the morning of 28 October, with the attendance of Latin America
n leaders.
President Cristina Kirchner and her two children, Maximo and Florencia, also attended the funeral services. Presidents Evo Morales
, José Mujica
, Sebastián Piñera
, Fernando Lugo
, Rafael Correa
, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
, Juan Manuel Santos
and Hugo Chávez
also joined her at the wake
. Opposition party leaders and other notable people from the arts, entertainment, and professional sports also paid tribute to Kirchner's political savvy, among tens of thousands of Argentine citizens that waited in line to enter the Latin American patriots hall, where Néstor Kirchner's body stood in state.
Tens of thousands of people, in a demonstration of popular grief and support for President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, spontaneously gathered at Plaza de Mayo
, Buenos Aires
, on the night of October 27. Thousands of them spent the night in the open waiting for the state funeral to take place There were posters bearing the slogan "Nestor forever, hang in there Cristina." Mourners and supporters waved hundreds of banners and chanted slogans as they waited to file past Kirchner's body lying in state.
For more than 24 hours, hundreds of thousands of people waited in line to get into Casa Rosada
. Starting October 29 afternoon, a massive popular procession accompanied the rests of Néstor Kirchner from Casa Rosada to the metropolitan airport
., and then from the airport of Río Gallegos to the cemetery. Kirchner was buried in a private ceremony, attended only by his wife, family, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez
, who had remained with the President's family throughout the mourning period in Argentina.
Estela Barnes de Carlotto
, president of Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo
said "Our country needed this man. We lost someone indispensable." "He was a great President, he made an excellent administration. He was one in a million fighter politician", said opposition left-wing politician Pino Solanas. His former Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers
Alberto Fernández
said "He's been the best President of Democracy. I've lost a friend, above all differences." CGT Secretary General Hugo Moyano
said "The people will recognise the continuing government effort Kirchner inaugurated in 2003." Emilio Persico of the Evita Movement said, "There will be a demonstration to honour Kirchner and to show Cristina that we're with her, supporting her. In these days we'll be demonstrating in the streets that we are millions who will replace Kirchner."
Argentina declared three days of national mourning. All Argentinian football league games were postponed until the following week.
Supranational bodies
Condolences came from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon
, the European Union's president of European Council Herman Van Rompuy
and the president of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek
, the OAS
underlined his "tireless efforts and dedication towards Human Rights promotion through the hemisphere," and UNASUR, who declared three days of national mourning in all South America
n countries.
A statement issued by the Union of South American Nations read: "The death of Néstor Kirchner deprives Latin America of a key leader in the building of an inclusive region [...] He was convinced of the unity of Latin American peoples. He fought all his life for profound changes in his country and Latin America, and worked from different agencies for social justice, equity, democracy and integration". It also underlines his participation in "decisive instances," such as the 2010 Colombia–Venezuela diplomatic crisis
and the 2010 Ecuador crisis
, when he promoted the issuing of the democratic clause of UNASUR.
Heads of state
Eight South American Heads of State (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
of Brazil, Sebastián Piñera
of Chile, José Mujica
of Uruguay, Juan Manuel Santos
of Colombia, Fernando Lugo
of Paraguay, Evo Morales
of Bolivia, Hugo Chávez
of Venezuela and Rafael Correa
of Ecuador) traveled to Buenos Aires and many other offered condolences including Barack Obama
of the United States, Queen Elizabeth II, Felipe Calderón
of Mexico, Alan García of Peru, Álvaro Colom
of Guatemala, Daniel Ortega
of Nicaragua, Dmitry Medvedev
of Russia, Giorgio Napolitano
of Italy, Ilham Aliyev
of Azerbaijan, Aníbal Cavaco Silva
of Portugal, Bronisław Komorowski of Poland, Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
of Spain. and German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
also posted a public message saying "What pain! What a loss for Argentina and our Americas!"
Mexican
President Felipe Calderón said "He was an outstanding partner and a promoter of Latin American integration." President of Chile
Sebastián Piñera added that "his death represents a great loss for South America
n countries.".
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega: "We recognise in Néstor Kirchner a valiant son of Latin America, committed to policies coherent with the rights and wishes of the peoples and with the exercise of full sovereignty and independence."
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said that "He was a farsighted and sage politician. As President of Argentina he made a great contribution to his country's economic and social stability [...] enhancing the international standing of Argentina. He led the way for Latin American integration in pursuit of peace", said President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia.
Other state reactions
Eight South American countries: Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia declared three days of national mourning, while Peru declared one day of national mourning.
Prime Minister David Cameron
sent a condolence message. Presidential candidate and former Chief of Staff of Brazil
, Dilma Rousseff
, expressed her grief and said "Latin America and the whole world is mourning. Kirchner was a great friend of Brazil".
A communiqué issued by the Venezuela's Ministry of Foreign Affairs read: "The glorious history of the Argentine Republic now has a Before and After Néstor Kirchner, because of the clear leadership, courage, and unyielding determination of this faithful heir of the late Juan Domingo Perón, with whom Argentina rose from the ashes by limiting neoliberal capitalism, retaking its permanent place among free and independent nations." Ecuadorian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ricardo Patiño said: "We are shocked. Néstor Kirchner was a very valuable man. He had his principles above anything else. He was passionate about politics, and he was a driving force for South American integration", said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador Ricardo Patiño. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, David Choquehuanca, added: "Bolivia lost a man committed to his country, to his people. He stood up for the poor and worked for a more participatory democracy", said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, David Choquehuanca.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "an advocate for the citizens of Argentina and a leading voice for South American integration." France's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Kouchner
said: "He was a decisive figure in Argentine history. Argentina lost a statesman who collaborated in the development of his country, its economic recovery and the growth of its international standing [...] He was one of the architects of Latin American regional integration.", said Minister of Foreign Affairs of France
, Bernard Kouchner
.
The government of China
issued a statement saying "Kirchner was a good friend of the Chinese people and greatly contributed to the development of the China-Argentina strategic partnership."
Julio de Vido
was in charge of negotiating with Hugo Moyano
, Pablo Moyano and the CGT. Moyano admited that the relation with Néstor Kirchner was easier than with Cristina. The negotiations with the many mayors of the Greater Buenos Aires
were managed by De Vido, Amado Boudou
and Florencio Randazzo
. Boudou became a confident of Cristina, but did not achieve autonomy for negotiations.
The 2011 general election
had a high number of precandidates at the time. It was considered that the voting would be divided between a candidate of the government, an opposing peronist candidate and a third one agreed by the UCR and the socialists. The Federal Peronism
considered the candidatures of Mauricio Macri
, Eduardo Duhalde
, Alberto Rodríguez Saá
, Mario Das Neves
, Felipe Solá
and Carlos Reutemann
. The UCR had Ricardo Alfonsín
, Julio Cobos
and Ernesto Sanz
. The center-left had Hermes Binner
and Pino Solanas, and Elisa Carrió
run with her own party. Most opposing candidates lost their social appeal after the death of Néstor Kirchner.
The death of Kirchner generated as well a rise in the number of hawks within the government, mainly Amado Boudou
, Juan Manuel Abal Medina
and the Cámpora
.
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
's former President
President of Argentina
The President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...
and Secretary General of UNASUR, Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Kirchner
Néstor Carlos Kirchner was an Argentine politician who served as the 54th President of Argentina from 25 May 2003 until 10 December 2007. Previously, he was Governor of Santa Cruz Province since 10 December 1991. He briefly served as Secretary General of the Union of South American Nations ...
, died of heart failure on the morning of 27 October 2010 at the Jose Formenti hospital in El Calafate
El Calafate
- Population :In the last census 6,143 permanent residents were counted . This represents a 20.1% increase compared with the 1991 census. However, due to the expansion of tourism, the population was estimated at 8,000 people in 2005.- Wildlife :...
, Santa Cruz Province
Santa Cruz Province (Argentina)
Santa Cruz is a province of Argentina, located in the southern part of the country, in Patagonia. It borders Chubut province to the north, and Chile to the west and south. To the east is the Atlantic Ocean...
at the age of 60. At 9:15, first aid
First aid
First aid is the provision of initial care for an illness or injury. It is usually performed by non-expert, but trained personnel to a sick or injured person until definitive medical treatment can be accessed. Certain self-limiting illnesses or minor injuries may not require further medical care...
procedures that were used to keep him alive proved insufficient. His wife, President
President of Argentina
The President of the Argentine Nation , usually known as the President of Argentina, is the head of state of Argentina. Under the national Constitution, the President is also the chief executive of the federal government and Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces.Through Argentine history, the...
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
Cristina Elisabet Fernández de Kirchner , commonly known as Cristina Fernández or Cristina Kirchner is the 55th and current President of Argentina and the widow of former President Néstor Kirchner. She is Argentina's first elected female president, and the second female president ever to serve...
, was present with him when he died. He was also expected to run for president in 2011
Argentine general election, 2011
Argentina held national presidential and legislative elections on 23 October 2011. Incumbent president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner secured a second term in office after the Front for Victory won just over half of the seats in the National Congress....
.
He had been subject to two coronary interventions earlier this year. On 7 February 2010, he developed problems with the common carotid artery
Common carotid artery
In human anatomy, the common carotid artery is an artery that supplies the head and neck with oxygenated blood; it divides in the neck to form the external and internal carotid arteries. - Structure :...
and needed surgery. On 11 September 2010, he was hospitalized due to coronary artery blockage and needed an angioplasty.
For more than 24 hours, hundreds of thousands of people filed past Kirchner's body lying in state, in a state funeral at the Casa Rosada
Casa Rosada
La Casa Rosada is the official seat of the executive branch of the government of Argentina, and of the offices of the President. The President normally lives at the Quinta de Olivos, a compound in Olivos, Buenos Aires Province. Its characteristic color is pink, and is considered one of the most...
attended by several Argentine personalities and eight South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n leaders. Starting October 29 afternoon, a massive popular procession accompanied the remains of Néstor Kirchner from Casa Rosada to the metropolitan airport
Aeroparque Jorge Newbery
-Accidents and incidents:*On 17 December 1969, an Austral Líneas Aéreas C-46 Commando, lost engine 1 due to fuel exhaustion shortly after take-off. The plane failed to gain height and made a crash landing in a small sport field...
, and then from the airport of Río Gallegos to the cemetery.
Funeral
His funeral was attended by his family and close friends. A state funeral was also confirmed for October 28, while a vigil was kept at the Casa RosadaCasa Rosada
La Casa Rosada is the official seat of the executive branch of the government of Argentina, and of the offices of the President. The President normally lives at the Quinta de Olivos, a compound in Olivos, Buenos Aires Province. Its characteristic color is pink, and is considered one of the most...
presidential palace in Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, starting on the morning of 28 October, with the attendance of Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
n leaders.
President Cristina Kirchner and her two children, Maximo and Florencia, also attended the funeral services. Presidents Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
, José Mujica
José Mujica
José Alberto "Pepe" Mujica Cordano is a Uruguayan politician and former guerrilla fighter, a member of the Broad Front and current President of Uruguay....
, Sebastián Piñera
Sebastián Piñera
Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique is a Chilean businessman and politician. He was elected President of Chile in January 2010, taking office in March 2010.- Education :...
, Fernando Lugo
Fernando Lugo
Fernando Armindo Lugo Méndez is the current President of Paraguay and a former Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of San Pedro.-Early life:...
, Rafael Correa
Rafael Correa
Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado born is the President of the Republic of Ecuador and was the president pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations. An economist educated in Ecuador, Belgium and the United States, he was elected President in late 2006 and took office in January 2007...
, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as...
, Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense.-Career:...
and Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
also joined her at the wake
Wake (ceremony)
A wake is a ceremony associated with death. Traditionally, a wake takes place in the house of the deceased, with the body present; however, modern wakes are often performed at a funeral home. In the United States and Canada it is synonymous with a viewing...
. Opposition party leaders and other notable people from the arts, entertainment, and professional sports also paid tribute to Kirchner's political savvy, among tens of thousands of Argentine citizens that waited in line to enter the Latin American patriots hall, where Néstor Kirchner's body stood in state.
Tens of thousands of people, in a demonstration of popular grief and support for President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, spontaneously gathered at Plaza de Mayo
Plaza de Mayo
The Plaza de Mayo is the main square in downtown Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is flanked by Hipólito Yrigoyen, Balcarce, Rivadavia and Bolívar streets....
, Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America, after São Paulo. It is located on the western shore of the estuary of the Río de la Plata, on the southeastern coast of the South American continent...
, on the night of October 27. Thousands of them spent the night in the open waiting for the state funeral to take place There were posters bearing the slogan "Nestor forever, hang in there Cristina." Mourners and supporters waved hundreds of banners and chanted slogans as they waited to file past Kirchner's body lying in state.
For more than 24 hours, hundreds of thousands of people waited in line to get into Casa Rosada
Casa Rosada
La Casa Rosada is the official seat of the executive branch of the government of Argentina, and of the offices of the President. The President normally lives at the Quinta de Olivos, a compound in Olivos, Buenos Aires Province. Its characteristic color is pink, and is considered one of the most...
. Starting October 29 afternoon, a massive popular procession accompanied the rests of Néstor Kirchner from Casa Rosada to the metropolitan airport
Aeroparque Jorge Newbery
-Accidents and incidents:*On 17 December 1969, an Austral Líneas Aéreas C-46 Commando, lost engine 1 due to fuel exhaustion shortly after take-off. The plane failed to gain height and made a crash landing in a small sport field...
., and then from the airport of Río Gallegos to the cemetery. Kirchner was buried in a private ceremony, attended only by his wife, family, and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
, who had remained with the President's family throughout the mourning period in Argentina.
Reactions
Domestic
The entire political spectrum and even institutions often at odds with his political persona expressed grief and commotion over the loss, and solidarity with President Fernández de Kirchner. People from the most diverse sectors of Argentine society manifested sorrow.Estela Barnes de Carlotto
Estela Barnes de Carlotto
Enriqueta Estela Barnes de Carlotto is an Argentine human rights activist and leader of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo.-Early life and family tragedy:...
, president of Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo
Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo
The Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo is a human rights organisation with the aim of finding the babies stolen during the era of the Argentine dictatorship known as the "Dirty War" . Its president is Estela Barnes de Carlotto....
said "Our country needed this man. We lost someone indispensable." "He was a great President, he made an excellent administration. He was one in a million fighter politician", said opposition left-wing politician Pino Solanas. His former Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers
Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers
The Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers is a political office of Argentina, created by the 1994 amendment of the Argentine Constitution. The current office holder is Aníbal Fernández.-Attributions:...
Alberto Fernández
Alberto Fernández
Alberto Ángel Fernández is an Argentine politician. He was the Chief of Cabinet of Argentina during Néstor Kirchner presidency, and part of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's. He resigned on July 23, 2008....
said "He's been the best President of Democracy. I've lost a friend, above all differences." CGT Secretary General Hugo Moyano
Hugo Moyano
Hugo Moyano is an Argentine labor leader and Secretary General of the CGT, the nation's largest trade union.-Early life and career:...
said "The people will recognise the continuing government effort Kirchner inaugurated in 2003." Emilio Persico of the Evita Movement said, "There will be a demonstration to honour Kirchner and to show Cristina that we're with her, supporting her. In these days we'll be demonstrating in the streets that we are millions who will replace Kirchner."
Argentina declared three days of national mourning. All Argentinian football league games were postponed until the following week.
International
Many leaders around the world sent condolences to his widow, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and to the rest of Argentina.Supranational bodies
Condolences came from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
, the European Union's president of European Council Herman Van Rompuy
Herman Van Rompuy
Herman Achille Van Rompuy is the first long-term and full-time President of the European Council...
and the president of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek
Jerzy Buzek
Jerzy Karol Buzek is a Polish engineer, academic lecturer and politician who was the ninth post-Cold War Prime Minister of Poland from 1997 to 2001...
, the OAS
Organization of American States
The Organization of American States is a regional international organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C., United States...
underlined his "tireless efforts and dedication towards Human Rights promotion through the hemisphere," and UNASUR, who declared three days of national mourning in all South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n countries.
A statement issued by the Union of South American Nations read: "The death of Néstor Kirchner deprives Latin America of a key leader in the building of an inclusive region [...] He was convinced of the unity of Latin American peoples. He fought all his life for profound changes in his country and Latin America, and worked from different agencies for social justice, equity, democracy and integration". It also underlines his participation in "decisive instances," such as the 2010 Colombia–Venezuela diplomatic crisis
2010 Colombia–Venezuela diplomatic crisis
The 2010 Colombia–Venezuela diplomatic crisis was a diplomatic stand-off between Colombia and Venezuela over allegations in July by Colombian President Álvaro Uribe that the Venezuelan government was actively permitting the FARC and ELN guerrillas to seek safe haven in its territory...
and the 2010 Ecuador crisis
2010 Ecuador crisis
The 2010 Ecuador crisis took place on September 30, 2010, when elements of the National Police and military forces of Ecuador blockaded highways, occupied the National Parliament, blocked the Mariscal Sucre International Airport in Quito and the José Joaquín de Olmedo International Airport in...
, when he promoted the issuing of the democratic clause of UNASUR.
Heads of state
Eight South American Heads of State (Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva
Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva , known popularly as Lula, served as the 35th President of Brazil from 2003 to 2010.A founding member of the Workers' Party , he ran for President three times unsuccessfully, first in the 1989 election. Lula achieved victory in the 2002 election, and was inaugurated as...
of Brazil, Sebastián Piñera
Sebastián Piñera
Miguel Juan Sebastián Piñera Echenique is a Chilean businessman and politician. He was elected President of Chile in January 2010, taking office in March 2010.- Education :...
of Chile, José Mujica
José Mujica
José Alberto "Pepe" Mujica Cordano is a Uruguayan politician and former guerrilla fighter, a member of the Broad Front and current President of Uruguay....
of Uruguay, Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos
Juan Manuel Santos Calderón is a Colombian politician who has been the President of Colombia since 7 August 2010. He previously served as Minister of Foreign Trade, Minister of Finance, and Minister of National Defense.-Career:...
of Colombia, Fernando Lugo
Fernando Lugo
Fernando Armindo Lugo Méndez is the current President of Paraguay and a former Roman Catholic bishop of the Diocese of San Pedro.-Early life:...
of Paraguay, Evo Morales
Evo Morales
Juan Evo Morales Ayma , popularly known as Evo , is a Bolivian politician and activist, currently serving as the 80th President of Bolivia, a position that he has held since 2006. He is also the leader of both the Movement for Socialism party and the cocalero trade union...
of Bolivia, Hugo Chávez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
of Venezuela and Rafael Correa
Rafael Correa
Rafael Vicente Correa Delgado born is the President of the Republic of Ecuador and was the president pro tempore of the Union of South American Nations. An economist educated in Ecuador, Belgium and the United States, he was elected President in late 2006 and took office in January 2007...
of Ecuador) traveled to Buenos Aires and many other offered condolences including Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
of the United States, Queen Elizabeth II, Felipe Calderón
Felipe Calderón
Felipe de Jesús Calderón Hinojosa is the current President of Mexico. He assumed office on December 1, 2006, and was elected for a single six-year term through 2012...
of Mexico, Alan García of Peru, Álvaro Colom
Álvaro Colom
Álvaro Colom Caballeros is the President of Guatemala for the 2008–2012 term and leader of the social-democratic National Unity of Hope .-Early years:...
of Guatemala, Daniel Ortega
Daniel Ortega
José Daniel Ortega Saavedra is a Nicaraguan politician and revolutionary, currently serving as the 83rd President of Nicaragua, a position that he has held since 2007. He previously served as the 79th President, between 1985 and 1990, and for much of his life, has been a leader in the Sandinista...
of Nicaragua, Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Medvedev
Dmitry Anatolyevich Medvedev is the third President of the Russian Federation.Born to a family of academics, Medvedev graduated from the Law Department of Leningrad State University in 1987. He defended his dissertation in 1990 and worked as a docent at his alma mater, now renamed to Saint...
of Russia, Giorgio Napolitano
Giorgio Napolitano
Giorgio Napolitano is an Italian politician who has been the 11th President of Italy since 2006. A long-time member of the Italian Communist Party and later the Democrats of the Left, he served as President of the Chamber of Deputies from 1992 to 1994 and as Minister of the Interior from 1996 to...
of Italy, Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Aliyev
Ilham Heydar oglu Aliyev is the President of Azerbaijan since 2003. He also functions as the Chairman of the New Azerbaijan Party and the head of the National Olympic Committee...
of Azerbaijan, Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Aníbal Cavaco Silva
Aníbal António Cavaco Silva, GCC , is the President of Portugal. He won the Portuguese presidential election on 22 January 2006 and was re-elected on 23 January 2011, for a second five-year term. Cavaco Silva was sworn in on 9 March 2006....
of Portugal, Bronisław Komorowski of Poland, Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero
José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero is a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party . He was elected for two terms as Prime Minister of Spain, in the 2004 and 2008 general elections. On 2 April 2011 he announced he will not stand for re-election in 2012...
of Spain. and German Chancellor Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel
Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a...
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
also posted a public message saying "What pain! What a loss for Argentina and our Americas!"
Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
President Felipe Calderón said "He was an outstanding partner and a promoter of Latin American integration." President of Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
Sebastián Piñera added that "his death represents a great loss for South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
n countries.".
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega: "We recognise in Néstor Kirchner a valiant son of Latin America, committed to policies coherent with the rights and wishes of the peoples and with the exercise of full sovereignty and independence."
Russian President Dmitri Medvedev said that "He was a farsighted and sage politician. As President of Argentina he made a great contribution to his country's economic and social stability [...] enhancing the international standing of Argentina. He led the way for Latin American integration in pursuit of peace", said President Dmitri Medvedev of Russia.
Other state reactions
Eight South American countries: Brasil, Chile, Colombia, Uruguay, Paraguay, Venezuela, Ecuador and Bolivia declared three days of national mourning, while Peru declared one day of national mourning.
Prime Minister David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
sent a condolence message. Presidential candidate and former Chief of Staff of Brazil
Chief of Staff of Brazil
The Chief of Staff of the Presidency of the Republic is the highest-ranking member of the Executive Office of Brazil, and a senior aide to the President.In Brazil, the Chief of Staff is a member of the president's cabinet, with the rank of Minister....
, Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Rousseff
Dilma Vana Rousseff is the 36th and current President of Brazil. She is the first woman to hold the office. Prior to that, in 2005, she was also the first woman to become Chief of Staff of Brazil, appointed by then President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva....
, expressed her grief and said "Latin America and the whole world is mourning. Kirchner was a great friend of Brazil".
A communiqué issued by the Venezuela's Ministry of Foreign Affairs read: "The glorious history of the Argentine Republic now has a Before and After Néstor Kirchner, because of the clear leadership, courage, and unyielding determination of this faithful heir of the late Juan Domingo Perón, with whom Argentina rose from the ashes by limiting neoliberal capitalism, retaking its permanent place among free and independent nations." Ecuadorian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ricardo Patiño said: "We are shocked. Néstor Kirchner was a very valuable man. He had his principles above anything else. He was passionate about politics, and he was a driving force for South American integration", said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ecuador Ricardo Patiño. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, David Choquehuanca, added: "Bolivia lost a man committed to his country, to his people. He stood up for the poor and worked for a more participatory democracy", said Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bolivia, David Choquehuanca.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "an advocate for the citizens of Argentina and a leading voice for South American integration." France's Minister of Foreign Affairs Bernard Kouchner
Bernard Kouchner
Bernard Kouchner is a French politician, diplomat, and doctor. He is co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières and Médecins du Monde...
said: "He was a decisive figure in Argentine history. Argentina lost a statesman who collaborated in the development of his country, its economic recovery and the growth of its international standing [...] He was one of the architects of Latin American regional integration.", said Minister of Foreign Affairs of France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Bernard Kouchner
Bernard Kouchner
Bernard Kouchner is a French politician, diplomat, and doctor. He is co-founder of Médecins Sans Frontières and Médecins du Monde...
.
The government of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
issued a statement saying "Kirchner was a good friend of the Chinese people and greatly contributed to the development of the China-Argentina strategic partnership."
Consequences
Despite of not being president at the time of his death, Néstor Kirchner was fully involved in the managment of the government of his wife. Moreover, he managed most things personally, instead of delegating tasks on associates or subordinates. As a consequence, his death forced a complete rearrangement of Cristina's administration: although no ministers were removed, they changed their specific tasks.Julio de Vido
Julio de Vido
Julio Miguel de Vido is an Argentine policy maker, currently the President's Minister of Planning and Public Works.-Biography:...
was in charge of negotiating with Hugo Moyano
Hugo Moyano
Hugo Moyano is an Argentine labor leader and Secretary General of the CGT, the nation's largest trade union.-Early life and career:...
, Pablo Moyano and the CGT. Moyano admited that the relation with Néstor Kirchner was easier than with Cristina. The negotiations with the many mayors of the Greater Buenos Aires
Greater Buenos Aires
Greater Buenos Aires is the generic denomination to refer to the megalopolis comprising the autonomous city of Buenos Aires and the conurbation around it, over the province of Buenos Aires—namely the adjacent 24 partidos or municipalities—which nonetheless do not constitute a single administrative...
were managed by De Vido, Amado Boudou
Amado Boudou
Amado Boudou is an Argentine businessman and government policy maker who serves as Minister of the Economy since 2009. He was elected Vice President of Argentina as running mate of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in the 2011 general election.-Early life and career:Amado Boudou was born in Mar del...
and Florencio Randazzo
Florencio Randazzo
Florencio Randazzo in an Argentine Justicialist Party politician, currently the President's Interior Minister. The Interior Ministry in Argentina serves as the President's chief political office.-Life and times:...
. Boudou became a confident of Cristina, but did not achieve autonomy for negotiations.
The 2011 general election
Argentine general election, 2011
Argentina held national presidential and legislative elections on 23 October 2011. Incumbent president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner secured a second term in office after the Front for Victory won just over half of the seats in the National Congress....
had a high number of precandidates at the time. It was considered that the voting would be divided between a candidate of the government, an opposing peronist candidate and a third one agreed by the UCR and the socialists. The Federal Peronism
Federal Peronism
Federal Peronism , or Dissident Peronism , are the informal names given to a changing alliance of Justicialist Party figures, currently identified mostly by its opposition to ruling Kirchnerism, the center-left faction that heads the national Government of Argentina and leads the Peronist...
considered the candidatures of Mauricio Macri
Mauricio Macri
Mauricio Macri is an Argentine businessman turned politician, and Head of Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires. Son of Francisco Macri, a businessman of Italian origin prominent in the industrial and construction sectors, he represented the City of Buenos Aires in the Lower House of...
, Eduardo Duhalde
Eduardo Duhalde
-External links:...
, Alberto Rodríguez Saá
Alberto Rodríguez Saá
Alberto José Rodriguez Saá is an Argentine lawyer and politician. In 2007 he was reelected as governor of San Luis Province, Argentina to serve what will be his second term lasting until 2011...
, Mario Das Neves
Mario Das Neves
Mario Das Neves is an Argentine Justicialist Party politician. He is the governor of the Argentine province of Chubut.-Biography:Das Neves was born in Avellaneda to Portuguese parents, and grew up in Santa Fe...
, Felipe Solá
Felipe Solá
Felipe Solá is an Argentine politician of the Justicialist Party and was the governor of the province of Buenos Aires until he left office in 2007....
and Carlos Reutemann
Carlos Reutemann
Carlos Alberto Reutemann , nicknamed "Lole", is an Argentine former racing driver , and later a politician in his native province of Santa Fe, for the Justicialist Party....
. The UCR had Ricardo Alfonsín
Ricardo Alfonsín
Ricardo Alfonsín is an Argentine lawyer, academic and politician prominent in the Radical Civic Union. His father, Raúl Alfonsín, was the President of Argentina from 1983 to 1989.-Life and times:...
, Julio Cobos
Julio Cobos
Julio César Cleto Cobos is an Argentine politician, currently serving as the Vice President of Argentina alongside President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. He started his political career as member of the Radical Civic Union , becoming Governor of Mendoza in 2003...
and Ernesto Sanz
Ernesto Sanz
Ernesto Sanz , is an Argentine Radical Civic Union politician. He serves in the Argentine Senate representing Mendoza Province....
. The center-left had Hermes Binner
Hermes Binner
Hermes Juan Binner is an Argentine medical doctor and a politician. He was elected Governor of Santa Fe in 2007. Binner is the first Socialist to become the governor of an Argentine province, and the first non-Justicialist to rule Santa Fe since 1983.Binner was previously a Deputy of the Civic and...
and Pino Solanas, and Elisa Carrió
Elisa Carrió
Elisa María Avelina Carrió is an Argentine politician, founder of the party initially known as Alternative for a Republic of Equals , now Civic Coalition ARI ....
run with her own party. Most opposing candidates lost their social appeal after the death of Néstor Kirchner.
The death of Kirchner generated as well a rise in the number of hawks within the government, mainly Amado Boudou
Amado Boudou
Amado Boudou is an Argentine businessman and government policy maker who serves as Minister of the Economy since 2009. He was elected Vice President of Argentina as running mate of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in the 2011 general election.-Early life and career:Amado Boudou was born in Mar del...
, Juan Manuel Abal Medina
Juan Manuel Abal Medina
Juan Manuel Abal Medina is an Argentine journalist and politician who served as Secretary General of the Peronist Movement between 1972 and 1974, and would later become a prominent lawyer in Mexico.-Early life and entry into politics:...
and the Cámpora
The Cámpora
La Cámpora is an Argentine political youth organization supporting the governments of Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. It is named after former peronist president Héctor José Cámpora...
.