Contrasting foreign affairs
By Sebastián Lacunza
Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
It’s an open secret. In First World diplomatic spheres, the kind words about Mauricio Macri are overwhelmingly more generous than their impressions of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. Although the envoys from other countries tend to take a more complex view of Peronism than that prevailing in their capitals of origin — a judgement they form by virtue of being witnesses of a giddy reality — the word on CFK has been dominantly acid. This does not only reflect a displeasure with protectionist measures or an ideological distance from “leftwing populism.” Manners and keeping channels open despite differences have their value in international relationes but these were not aspects achieved (or even sought) by Kirchnerite diplomacy.
By late March Mauricio Macri will have held bilateral huddles with a sizable chunk of the leaders of the world’s richest economies, among them Barack Obama, Matteo Renzi and François Hollande. The American, it is worth pointing out, is accused of being populist, pro-Iraní and even socialist by the extremists competing for the presidential candidacy of the Republican Party while today’s Europeans range between centrist and social-democrats (highly unpopular).
Macri has already had his photo-ops with David Cameron (UK), Enrique Peña Nieto (Mexico) and Justin Trudeau (Canada). Figures like Benjamin Netanyahu (Israel), Queen Máxima (The Netherlands), Enda Kenny (Ireland) and Juan Manuel Santos (Colombia) completed the album. Coming February 27, the President will have also exchanged smiles (or even sullen gestures) with Pope Francis.
Macri’s agenda, not anchored in political or ideological axes, constrast with CFK’s, which worsened the relationship with the United States and distrust of European leaders. CFK’s allies respond to such criticism by claiming the strong political relations with South American countries, which resulted — beyond the steep decline in the last three years — in a trade exchange with high added value. Kirchnerite leaders also oppose “strategic alliances” with Beijing, Moscow ... adding, with a Peronist smile, the Vatican.
After 12 years, CFK’s allies may wonder how it is possible that Buenos Aires (one of the major world capitals, second-largest South American economy, the fifth country in number of Spanish-speaking residents) settle a project of foreign affairs out of the radar of Washington and Europe. Perhaps, it is possible to have a foreign policy in line with national interets avoiding ideologism and, above all, the personalization of relationships.
@sebalacunza