Manoel Giffoni
Press TV, Buenos Aires
Over 300,000 demonstrators packed the Argentine Congress square to support President Cristina Kirchner as she begins the final year of her administration.
The head of state attended the opening of the 133rd period of ordinary sessions of the parliament and addressed her state-of-the-union speech for the last time after 7 years in office. Argentina will hold Presidential elections in October. In her speech, the president highlighted some of the gains her government made since 2007.
During her more than 3 hours speech to the national assembly she tackled, among many others, issues like the Argentine nuclear energy program, the strategic bilateral agreements struck with China and Russia and the achievements obtained after the nationalization of the second biggest oil company of Latin America.
Nearly all her speech on international affairs was devoted to rap the role of Israel in the judicial investigations into the two terrorist attacks Argentina suffered in history.
According to political analysts, the massive public support for President Kirchner along with the major setbacks that the anti-government groups faced, undermined the chances of the opposition ahead to the presidential elections. They also pointed out that the president's ample majority in both houses of Congress will allow her to pass key pieces of legislation during 2015.
Supporters in the streets hailed the President speech which was also followed by millions on national television. Meanwhile, members of the opposition said Kirchner purposely laid aside issues like the rampant inflation and the insecurity.
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