by DIEGO GANZALEZ
Principal measures of Kirchnerism (2003-2010)
* Development of a clear human rights policy. Kirchner nullified the “Due Obedience” and “Final Point” laws, known as the impunity laws. He annulled the pardons granted by the Menem administration to those responsible for acts of repression during the last military dictatorship. As Chief Executive he asked forgiveness for the state terrorism committed by the last military dictatorship.
* Renovation of the Supreme Court of Justice, addicted to the neoliberalism of the 90’s.
* Renegotiation of the foreign debt. In Dec. 2001 Argentina defaulted on its foreign debt. The legacy of years of neoliberalism left the nation with a debt of $178 billion dollars. Kirchner launched a restructuring of the debt held by private creditors, with a “haircut” of around 75%–the largest in history. On Jan. 1, 2005 he proposed a debt exchange program that, despite criticism, achieved more than 76% acceptance.
* Reorientation of international relations. He abandoned the program of “carnal relations” with United States and reinserted Argentina into Latin America. With Chávez and Lula, they buried the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) sponsored by George Bush in Mar del Plata 2005. He was the first General Secretary of the UNASUR. All the heads of state of South America attended his funeral, except Alan García of Perú.
* Regained public control of the postal service, water provision and airlines.
* State recovery of social security. He undid the terms negotiated for the Administradora de Fondos de Jubiliaciones y Pensiones (AFJP) and recovered the social security system for the State.
* Promotion of the law for media and democracy, touching the interests of the media monopolies. – Promotion of the law for equal marriage
* Universal Assignation per Child. He brought about a universal social plan that today reaches 1,927,310 homes throughout the country and covers 3,684,441 children and teens in situations of vulnerability.
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