Client Affairs

Argentina President Kirchner 'Unfit' - Latin American Investment Expert

Amisha Mehta Reporter London 18 February 2015

Argentina President Kirchner 'Unfit' - Latin American Investment Expert

Alquity's head of Latin American investments warns of the "toxic" nature of Argentina's Kirchner presidential rule eight months ahead of a presidential election.

As Argentina's controversial president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner faces allegations she helped conceal Iranian links to a 1994 bombing, the already unstable country is suffering a “toxic impact”, according to Alquity's head of Latin American investments, Roberto Lampl.

“The Kirchner presidential dynasty, starting with Nestor and including Cristina’s current government, has had a staggeringly toxic impact on the nation and is the main cause for the economic malaise which has plagued Argentina for 13 years. With allegations dragging her into assassinations and terrorist attacks, Cristina has once again proved she is unfit to run the country,” said Lampl in a statement.

The allegations relate to an attack on Buenos Aires' Amia Jewish centre, which killed 85 people. According to media reports, prosecutor Gerardo Pollicita has asked a federal judge to investigate the alleged cover-up. 

Pollicita inherited the case against Kirchner from Alberto Nisman, who was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head just days after filing a 289-page criminal complaint against the president. 

“Under her presidency, Argentina has suffered through high inflation and a lack of investment which has resulted in high levels of unemployment, crime, and a distorted exchange rate regime,” said Lampl.

He added he expects that a new leadership, resulting from October's presidential election, would somewhat normalise the nation's economic policy through various steps, including incentivising domestic investment and opening up the capital account.

“However, Argentine country risk is among the highest in the world and with severely depressed asset prices is an unattractive option to investors. For a nation with so many opportunities, the Kirchner legacy has ensured that Argentina remains closed to the world and barely functioning as a global industry," said Lampl.

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