Argentina's Peronist Party Proposes Duhalde as President

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, January 02, 2002

Argentina's Peronist Party Proposes Duhalde as President

The ruling Peronist party on Tuesday proposed at Congress that Senator Eduardo Duhalde should take over the interim presidency of Argentina through December 2003 at the start of a special congressional session.

The joint session of the bicameral Congress, originally set to start at 2:00 p.m. local time (1700 GMT) on Tuesday, was delayed as politicians failed to reach agreements on issues such as who should fill the post and whether to hold new presidential elections in March were still open for negotiating.

It was expected at the joint session of the two houses to formally accept the resignation of Adolfo Rodriguez Saa as interim president and appoint his succesor.

Earlier, Buenos Aires provincial governor Carlos Ruckauf, also from the Peronist party, said if chosen, Duhalde "will form a government of national salvation with men and women who represent other political forces".

Citing lack of political support for his week-long government, Rodriguez Saa tendered his resignation late Sunday, which was effective immediately amid the growing economic crisis in the country.

Rodriguez Saa took office on December 23 following a widespread social unrest across the recession-stricken country which finally led to the step-down of former President Fernando de la Rua last week.

The sudden resignation of Rodriguez Saa made Argentina ring the New Year in a power vacuum.

Argentine Interim President Adolfo Rodriguez Saa Resigns

Argentine Ruling Party Denies Pressuring Interim President to Quit

Chinese Embassy in Argentina Warns Chinese Emigrants to Watch out for Security