1. Relationships: Christina Fenández de Kirchner and Hugo Chávez
By: Carolyn Collantes, Kadi Grigg, Alexandra White

2. Argentina: Quick Facts
Rich in agriculture
sunflower seeds, lemons, soybeans, gapes, corn, livestock, wheat
Industries
food processing, motor vehicles, consumer durables, steel, metallurgy, petrochemicals, textiles
Labor Force by sector
agriculture: 5%
industry: 23%
services: 72%
 Unemployment rate
7.9% as rank 84
Population below poverty
30% as 2010

3. Christina Fernández de Kirchner
55th President of Argentina
1st elected female president
Positions within the government
Relationship to the USA
Maletinazo (suitcase scandal)

4. Venezuela: Quick Facts
Agricultural Goods
corn, sugar cane, rice, bananas, coffee, beef, pork, eggs, fish
Industries
petroleum, construction materials, food processing, textiles, iron ore mining, steel
Labor Force by Sector
agriculture: 13%
industry: 23%
services: 63% (1997)
Unemployment Rate
12.1 % as rank 130
Population below poverty
37.9%- yearend 2005

5. Hugo Chávez Feb. 1999:Takes office after winning election
July 2000: reelected under new constitution for 6 year term
April 2002: Abortive Coup. Chavez returns to power after 2 days
Aug. 2004:Wins recall referendum on weather he should serve the rest of his term
Dec. 2006: wins election with 63% of vote
Dec. 2007: loses constitutional referendum of a proposal to allow the president to run indefinitely 
Feb. 2009: Wins referendum that lifts term limits on elected officials
Sept. 2010: wins majority in national assembly but opposition gets 40% of seats

6. Is Hugo Chávez buying Argentina's support?
- Aug : Venezuelan-American businessman Guido Alejandro Antonini Wilson
- $790,550 in unmarked $50 bills
- Kirchner tried to convince Chavez to accept some of the political cost of the suitcase affair
- Chavez refused to take it

7. What does Chávez get in return?
- Venezuela has sold diesel to cover serious shortages of the fuel
- Venezuela has bought more than $4 billion in Argentine debt
- Chávez is bailing out a troubled Argentine dairy company.
-Agricultural know-how
- Argentine technology
- A supportive partner for ambitious regional projects like a bank, gas pipeline and gas producers' cartel
- Politically he gets a key stage from which to grandstand to the world

8. Political Gains
- Cultivated a new client state and pull Argentina into his ideological orbit
- Member of Latin America’s “Chávez bloc.”
-Ability to organize other anti-U.S. rally
- Argentines are among the most negative about U.S. leadership in the world

9. "Cristina is the woman that this country needs"
- While speaking at a ceremony in La Plata, Hugo Chávez showed his support for President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and her potential reelection in October. 
- “she is the woman this country needs in order for the ship to maintain a steady course.”

10. Cristina Kirchner and Chavez
Peronist ideals leads her to being friends with him.

11. Unity
Kirchner thinks that there should be unity within the Latin American countries
More likely to support Chavez against other world powers

12. Economy
2001 Bailout by Venezuela of Argentina and Cristina's husband leads to more loyalty.

13. Discussion Questions:
Do you think that the support of Chavez and Venezuela will hurt Cristina Kirchner in the next election?
Which person in this relationship benefits more and why?