Cristina characterized the vulture funds as “terrorists” and accused them of destabilization
Post date : 09.25.2014 2:02 pm
La Nacion
September 25, 2014
By Silvia Pisani
NEW YORK.- It was a confirmation of what had been anticipated. In a tough speech, President Cristina Kirchner denounced the “economic terrorism” of the vulture funds, which, with the “complicity” of the American judicial system, are “harassing” the economy and “seeking to destabilize” it.
She did so in her speech for the seventh consecutive year on the floor, in that moment, half-empty- of the United Nations (UN). There, the President said that “not only those who place bombs are terrorists” but also “those who destabilize the economy of countries and cause hunger, misery and poverty from the sin of speculation.”
As she usually does in her speeches, she spoke of many things. But above all, she focused on questioning Judge Thomas Griesa – “If you’re so sure of your judgment, why not apply it” she challenged – and, beyond the realm of the vultures, the American government for its foreign policy, the yardstick by which it measures what terrorism is and how “quickly” it changes its mind
“Last year they criticized us for talking with Iran and now Secretary of State John Kerry sits down to chat with them,” she chided.
But it was the issue of vulture funds that took up the most time in her 35-minute speech, which, unlike other times, didn’t garner much applause and those who did, above all, were from the stage for Argentine guests, occupied by members of her large delegation.
After the meeting and during subsequent dialogue with journalists, including LA NACION, she had a new reproach for the commercial attache of the United States, Kevin Sullivan, for his statements in favor of Argentina overcoming “the default “. Quite simply, he was ordered “to shut up.”
“What Argentina has is not a default. Default is when a country does not want to pay, and that’s not the case with Argentina. What is happening is that a judge prevented us from doing so, so if that judge overhead is from your country, have the decency to keep quiet,” she demanded.
The presence of the President in this city coincided with the convening by the judge of another hearing and the possibility that a fine will be applied to Argentina of US$50,000 per day for not honoring the rulings of the judge, as well as the threat of a declaration of contempt.
The news was not known when she spoke before the United Nations. But after, in the conversation she had in her suite on the 54th floor of the Mandarin hotel, she insisted that this could not come about. “A country cannot be declare in contempt,” she said. She did say she doesn’t believe in the conjectures according to which the judge reacts to the criticisms she formulates towards him. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe he has such speedy reactions. Given his personal characteristics, he should have a briskness of movements that, for many reasons, he doesn’t have,” she quipped.
The president spent part of her message repeating the history of Argentina’s debt, saying that “from 2003 to date, we have paid more than 190 billion dollars on the debt defaulted on in 2001.”
And then, in an attempt to divide responsibilities, she said that “when it you owe 160 percent of GDP, the blame is not only with the debtor, but also with the creditors.”
The one fact she welcomed in the end was how the UN has decided to “take the bull by the horns” with the drafting of a new regulatory framework on defaulted debt, with the proposal approved on September 9, promoted by Argentina.
While she made a strong appeal to the convention to be completed, at the latest by next September, yesterday there was no clear indication of the future of this appeal.
Beyond the vehemence of the President, the issue of the vultures was not picked up by any of the presidents who spoke yesterday, including Latin America’s Michelle Bachelet of Chile and Dilma Rousseff of Brazil.
While the issue of the vultures was a well-versed number, the President used her 35-minute speech to reiterate the paradox of the “leading cases” her government must “confront” in a triple sense: the vultures, the Malvinas, and the terrorist attacks on the Israeli embassy.
Also, to raise the tone of rebuke towards President Barack Obama, who she then saw face to face in the Security Council, she questioned aspects of his counter-terrorism policy. “We need less war hawks and more doves of peace,” she said.
She then reminded the Assembly that she was coming from speaking with Pope Francis -a “fellow compatriot of high leadership not only religious, but also moral” – and added him to the assault on the funds that won lawsuits against Argentina, in a condemnation of the causes of poverty and in favor of peace.
The President last night went back to Bueno Aires, where she will arrive in the morning. Before leaving she told LA NACION that during the four days she was here, she had no time to hold bilateral meetings with any other of the 193 presidents who attended. “I had a very busy schedule and I had to rest,” she said.
View Article: Cristina calificó a los fondos buitre de “terroristas” y los acusó de desestabilizar