| Death and state funeral of Néstor Kirchner | |
|---|---|
State funeral of Néstor Kirchner at Casa Rosada. |
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| Participants | President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, various dignitaries nation and worldwide |
| Location | Casa Rosada, Buenos Aires |
| Date | October 27–29, 2010 |
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.[1] At 9:15, first aid procedures that were used to keep him alive proved insufficient.[2] His wife, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, was present with him when he died.[3] He was also expected to run for president in 2011.[4]
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.[5] On 11 September 2010, he was hospitalized due to coronary artery blockage and needed an angioplasty.[6]
For more than 24 hours, hundreds of thousands of people filed past Kirchner's body lying in state,[7] in a state funeral at the Casa Rosada attended by several Argentine personalities and eight South American leaders.[8] Starting October 29 afternoon, a massive popular procession accompanied the remains of Néstor Kirchner from Casa Rosada to the metropolitan airport,[9] and then from the airport of Río Gallegos to the cemetery.[9]
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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 Rosada presidential palace in Buenos Aires, starting on the morning of 28 October, with the attendance of Latin American leaders.[8]
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.[10][11] 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.[12]
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 [13] 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.[7][14] Starting October 29 afternoon, a massive popular procession accompanied the rests of Néstor Kirchner from Casa Rosada to the metropolitan airport.,[9] 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.[9]
The entire political spectrum[15][16][17][18] and even institutions often at odds with his political persona [19] 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.[20][21][22][23]
Estela Barnes de Carlotto, president of Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo said "Our country needed this man. We lost someone indispensable."[24] "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.[25] 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."[26] CGT Secretary General Hugo Moyano said "The people will recognise the continuing government effort Kirchner inaugurated in 2003."[27] 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."[4]
Argentina declared three days of national mourning.[28] All Argentinian football league games were postponed until the following week.[29]
Many leaders around the world sent condolences to his widow, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and to the rest of Argentina.
Condolences came from the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon,[30] the European Union's president of European Council Herman Van Rompuy and the president of the European Parliament Jerzy Buzek,[30] the OAS underlined his "tireless efforts and dedication towards Human Rights promotion through the hemisphere,"[31] and UNASUR, who declared three days of national mourning in all South American countries.[32]
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.[33]
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 [34] and many other offered condolences including Barack Obama of the United States,[35] Queen Elizabeth II,[36][37] Felipe Calderón of Mexico,[38] Alan García of Peru,[39] Álvaro Colom of Guatemala,[40] Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua,[41] Dmitry Medvedev of Russia, Giorgio Napolitano of Italy, Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, Aníbal Cavaco Silva of Portugal,[30] Bronisław Komorowski of Poland,[42] Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero of Spain.[43] and German Chancellor Angela Merkel [44]
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez also posted a public message saying "What pain! What a loss for Argentina and our Americas!"[29]
Mexican President Felipe Calderón said "He was an outstanding partner and a promoter of Latin American integration."[45] President of Chile Sebastián Piñera added that "his death represents a great loss for South American countries.".[46]
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."[47]
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.[30]
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.[48]
Prime Minister David Cameron sent a condolence message.[36][49] 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".[50]
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."[51] 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.[52] 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.[53]
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said "an advocate for the citizens of Argentina and a leading voice for South American integration."[54] 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.[30]
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."[55]
Despite of not being president at the time of his death, Néstor Kirchner was fully involved in the management 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.[56]
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.[56]
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.[56]
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.[56]