US embassy cable - 05BUENOSAIRES141

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 08 BUENOS AIRES 000141 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR WHA/FO, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC, USOAS, PM, AND INR/RA 
NSC FOR TOM SHANNON, KIM BRIER, NILMINI GUNARATNE, DEL 
RENIGAR 
TREASURY FOR DAS NANCY LEE AND CHRIS KUSHLIS AND 
USCINCSO FOR POLAD 
PASS USTR FOR PETER ALLGEIER AND SUE CRONIN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2014 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, AR 
SUBJECT: ARGENTINA: KIRCHNER'S INNER CIRCLE 
 
 
Classified By: Ambassador Lino Gutierrez for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D) 
 
------------------------ 
Summary and Introduction 
------------------------ 
 
1. (C) This cable takes an in-depth look at President Nestor 
Kirchner's closest advisors.  It is based on interviews with 
the Ambassador, DCM, and other Embassy Officers who have met 
with members of Kirchner's inner circle, numerous discussions 
with Embassy contacts in the Argentine political 
establishment, as well as biographies and press articles 
written about Kirchner's key associates.  The goal is to 
provide Washington with a better understanding of the 
individuals with the most influence over President Kirchner. 
 
 
2. (C) Since coming to office in May 2003, President Kirchner 
has largely relied on a handful of individuals -- most of 
whom he brought with him from Santa Cruz province -- to help 
him make his most important decisions.  Others outside of 
this inner circle have an important role in advising Kirchner 
on specific issues, such as Minister of the Economy Roberto 
Lavagna on the debt exchange.  However, these individuals are 
not part of Kirchner's circle of trust and are not included 
in major policy discussions outside of their area of 
expertise. 
 
3. (C) Those identified by all sources as being in Kirchner's 
inner circle are his wife Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner; 
Secretary for Legal and Technical Affairs Carlos Zannini; 
 
SIPDIS 
Santa Cruz Governor Sergio Acevedo; Minister of Federal 
Planning, Public Infrastructure and Services Julio De Vido; 
Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernandez; and Secretary General of the 
Presidency Oscar Parrilli.  There are numerous other personal 
confidants of Kirchner, such as Presidential Spokesman Miguel 
Nunez, who have a long history of close friendship with 
Kirchner and may well have influence over his decision-making 
from time to time.  Post has focused this cable on those who 
Kirchner seeks daily advice from on policy decisions and 
long-term political and economic strategy. 
 
4. (C) The members of Kirchner's inner circle are very 
hard-working, loyal, and committed first to President 
Kirchner above any personal ambition.  Most have a connection 
to Patagonia and a personal relationship with Kirchner that 
stretches back years.  The majority of them are 
left-of-center politically, although Alberto Fernandez and 
Oscar Parrilli are exceptions to this rule.  Most lack a 
depth of expertise in politics beyond the provincial level 
and have been learning the ropes of international relations 
and national politics at the same time as Kirchner.  The 
primary thing that Kirchner demands from his close advisors 
is loyalty and it is their proven loyalty, rather than their 
competence, that brought them into Kirchner's inner circle. 
End Summary and Introduction. 
 
------------------------------------------- 
Cristina Kirchner: Two for the Price of One 
------------------------------------------- 
 
5. (C) Cristina is President Kirchner's most valued advisor 
on most issues, functioning as his close confidant and 
political partner for the last 30 years.  Cristina Kirchner 
has been the main person to energize and motivate her husband 
throughout his political career, especially during difficult 
times.  She also has great influence in determining who is 
and is not in the inner circle. President Kirchner has great 
respect for her political judgment.  A businessman who is 
close to President Kirchner recently told the Ambassador that 
then-Governor Kirchner originally accepted former President 
Eduardo Duhalde's offer to be Duhalde's chief of staff in 
2002.  After discussing it overnight with Cristina, who felt 
it was a bad political move, Kirchner called Duhalde back the 
next day and turned it down.  Although Kirchner frequently 
seeks his wife's political advice, long-time Kirchner 
associate Luis Corsiglia reported to POLOFF that President 
Kirchner generally does not seek her advice on economic 
issues.  He tends instead to consult with his key economic 
advisors De Vido and Lavagna on matters related to the 
economy. 
6. (C) Cristina enjoys traveling to the United States and has 
been described as having a positive view of the U.S. 
However, she has never learned English because, as she 
explained in a recent speech at Berkeley University, she "is 
part of a generation in which learning English was seen 
almost as a defect because of the  Yankees go home, 
attitude prevalent at the time."  Cristina was the main 
instigator for her husband's first trips to the United States 
(to Miami and New York), where she introduced him to her 
extensive contacts in the Democratic Party and the academic 
and think tank communities.  She also keeps in close touch 
with former President Carter and the Carter Foundation. 
 
7. (C) Cristina Kirchner has told the Ambassador that she is 
always available to meet with him and take on issues of 
importance to the U.S.  At the Ambassador's suggestion, 
Cristina met with President Carter at the Carter Center 
during a visit to Atlanta to discuss the political crisis in 
Venezuela.  As a result of her visit, Cristina played a 
proactive role in encouraging President Kirchner to press 
Venezuelan President Chavez to hold the Recall Referendum and 
to meet with members of the opposition Democratic 
Coordinating Group during his two visits in 2004 to Caracas. 
Cristina has also conditioned any potential visit to Cuba on 
being able to bring Hilda Molina back with her and meet with 
the wives of jailed dissidents. 
 
8. (C) Cristina is a force in her own right, working 
tirelessly as a senator from Santa Cruz with ambitions of 
becoming a senator from the politically most important 
province of Buenos Aires in 2005.  She is not shy about 
expressing her views in the Senate.  Her biographer Jose 
Angel Di Mauro describes her as being a poor negotiator, 
preferring instead to use a confrontational style with her 
political opponents.  She has publicly clashed with many 
political figures, including Elisa Carrio, Hilda "Chiche" 
Duhalde, and Vice President Daniel Scioli on the floor of the 
Senate.  Di Mauro reports that President Kirchner has 
frequently made use of this personality trait to let 
Christina play the role of "bad cop" in political conflicts, 
allowing President Kirchner to act more conciliatory.  She is 
said to never attend meetings of the Peronist Party (PJ) bloc 
of Senators, instead relying on her allies in the bloc Miguel 
Pichetto and Nicolas Fernandez to get the other PJ senators 
to toe the Kirchner line. 
 
9. (C) Cristina Kirchner was born in 1956 in La Plata in the 
province of Buenos Aires.  Cristina met Nestor Kirchner while 
they were both studying law at the Universidad Nacional de La 
Plata and they were married in 1975.  The Kirchners have two 
children.  Cristina was first elected as a Deputy to the 
Santa Cruz Provincial Legislature in 1989.  She was elected 
in 1995 as a National Senator for Santa Cruz, but was forced 
to leave the Senate to become a National Deputy in 1997 due 
to conflicts with the PJ bloc leadership.  In 2001 Cristina 
Kirchner was again elected to a National Senate seat for 
Santa Cruz, which she continues to hold.  She is reportedly 
very particular about her appearance, spending thousands of 
dollars every year on the latest fashion and having silicone 
injections on her face and hair extensions to make her appear 
younger. 
 
-------------------------------- 
Carlos Zannini: The Strategy Man 
-------------------------------- 
 
10. (C) Carlos Zannini, the Secretary for Legal and Technical 
Affairs, is Kirchner's most trusted official and is the main 
person that conceptualizes and plans the strategies for 
Kirchner.  Kirchner seeks Zannini's advice on every decision 
he makes.  Zannini lacks experience in international 
relations and managing national politics in Buenos Aires, so 
he is at a disadvantage when he attempts to guide Kirchner on 
foreign relations and sophisticated national political 
issues.  By most accounts, Zannini is honest by Argentine 
standards. 
 
11. (C) Since accepting his current position in May 2003, 
Zannini has taken part in all relevant meetings where 
presidential decisions are made and is one of the few 
associates that the Kirchners regularly invite to their 
Saturday coffee sessions at the Quinta de Olivos to discuss 
tactics and strategy.  Zannini reviews and signs off on every 
major piece of legislation and Kirchner Administration policy 
initiative, including providing clearance on draft texts of 
IMF agreements, which he discusses with Kirchner in meetings 
at the Casa Rosada that sometimes go to midnight.  Carlos 
Zannini is also very close to Cristina Kirchner, with whom he 
speaks with at least two or three times a day to give her 
legal and political advice, according to the leading weekly 
magazine Noticias. 
 
12. (C) Zannini plays a moderating influence on Kirchner on 
economic issues.  He shares Kirchner's obsession with 
balanced budgets and fiscal orthodoxy.  POLOFFS who have meet 
Zannini describe him as fiercely loyal to Kirchner and 
unwilling to express views of his own.  He is readily 
accessible to meetings with the Ambassador and DCM.  In 
person he is amicable and engaging.  He has a way of putting 
his visitors at ease, even when he disagrees with them.  He 
reportedly regularly works 16-hour days.  Zannini told DCM 
and POLOFF in a recent meeting that he cut his Christmas 
vacation short in Rio Gallegos in order to get back to work 
in Buenos Aires. 
 
13. (C) A well-known lawyer in Santa Cruz, Zannini served as 
a member of Kirchner's provincial cabinet when Kirchner was 
governor.  Those close to Zannini often refer to him by his 
nickname "El Chino," which is a reference to his years as a 
Maoist activist in his youth.  He spent three years in prison 
for his political activities between 1976 and 1979.  Carlos 
Zannini was born in Cordoba in 1954, but moved to Santa Cruz 
in 1984 on the advice of friends.  In 1995 Zannini was 
elected as a Provincial Congressman, serving after his 
reelection in 1999 as the President of the PJ bloc.  He 
resigned his seat in 2001 to accept a position on the 
Provincial Supreme Court and with Kirchner's help he became 
the president of the Court only 20 days later.  He is married 
to a fellow lawyer, who works as a Cabinet Advisor in the 
Provincial Government of Santa Cruz, and with whom he has 
four children. 
 
------------------------------------- 
Sergio Acevedo: Kirchner's Rear Guard 
------------------------------------- 
 
14. (C) Sergio Acevedo, the Governor of Santa Cruz and former 
head of the intelligence service SIDE, acts as a 
trouble-shooter for the Kirchners and protects their 
interests in their home province.  The Kirchners chose 
Acevedo to be the one to publicly defend Cristina when she 
and Hilda "Chiche" Duhalde clashed early in 2004 in a 
fractious, Peronist Party convention.  President Kirchner 
also sent Acevedo, together with Alberto Fernandez, to the 
Ambassador's residence in May 2004 to get a clarification 
when some of A/S Noriega's comments were misconstrued in the 
Argentine press.  Kirchner sent Acevedo to the U.S. last 
December to meet with senior U.S. officials ahead of Foreign 
Minister Bielsa's trip to Washington to ensure Kirchner's 
message of pragmatism and desiring better relations was 
properly delivered.  In his current role as governor, Sergio 
Acevedo gives Kirchner the ability to continue to control the 
politics of Santa Cruz while he focuses on national political 
issues in Buenos Aires. 
 
15. (C) Acevedo is the idealist of the inner circle and the 
only close advisor of President Kirchner who reportedly will 
tell him things that Kirchner does not want to hear.  It is 
reported that Acevedo will always give the President his 
frank opinion, but will close ranks behind him even when 
Acevedo disagrees with Kirchner's decisions.  For example, 
Acevedo has long urged the repatriation of the province's 
funds that Kirchner sent abroad in 2001, but his loyalty to 
the President prevents him from publicly challenging Kirchner 
on the issue. 
 
16. (C) Despite his left-wing antecedents, Acevedo professes 
to be pro-American.  Before Kirchner's election as President, 
Acevedo had little foreign policy experience or exposure to 
the U.S.  However, Acevedo seems to have been a driving force 
in the Kirchner administration for better ties with the 
United States.  The Embassy worked closely with him on 
counter terrorism during his time in SIDE.  Later when he 
became governor, he invited the DCM to travel to Santa Cruz 
to meet with him and his key officials and has actively 
sought U.S. investment capital to develop his province's 
hydrocarbon and mining resources. 
 
17. (C) Acevedo wants to attract U.S. investors and supports 
free trade with the United States.  He has repeatedly told 
EMBOFFS that he thinks U.S. companies come to compete 
honestly in Argentina, while he lambastes the unfair business 
practices of many European companies, especially those from 
Spain.  He has generally supported U.S. oil companies 
operating in Santa Cruz facing strong pressure from labor and 
piquetero groups.  He has indicated to EMBOFFS that he 
supports the FTAA and thinks Chile has benefited from its 
free-trade agreement with the United States.  Acevedo even 
attempted to find a way to "grandfather" Santa Cruz and the 
other Patagonian provinces into the Chile FTA.  Acevedo is 
also a strong proponent of an Open Skies Agreement allowing 
for unrestricted air routes of foreign commercial carriers to 
Santa Cruz as a way to develop tourism. 
 
18. (C) Sergio Acevedo was born in Chubut in 1956, but has 
spent almost his entire life in Santa Cruz.  He began his 
political career as mayor of the small hamlet of Pico 
Truncado in Santa Cruz in 1983, later becoming a provincial 
deputy in 1991.  He served as a national deputy for Santa 
Cruz between 1995 and 1999, returning then to be Kirchner's 
vice governor until 2001 when he again became a national 
deputy.  In May 2003 he was appointed the director of the 
national intelligence service SIDE before returning to Santa 
Cruz at Kirchner's request to run for governor in October 
2003.  After winning the elections, he assumed office in 
December 2003.  He is divorced and has three sons. 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Julio De Vido: Infrastructure and Project Czar 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
19. (C) Julio De Vido has been the main person managing 
Kirchner's public works and procurement programs for the past 
decade and a half and functions as one of his most important 
economic advisors.  He is a long-time collaborator and 
confidant of President Kirchner, dating back to Kirchner's 
first forays into politics in Rio Gallegos in the 1980s. 
President Kirchner appointed De Vido as the Minister of 
Federal Planning, Public Infrastructure and Services in May 
2003.  De Vido manages Argentina's substantial public works 
program and is jointly responsible with Minister of the 
Economy Lavagna for the renegotiation of the nation's public 
service contracts.  Minister De Vido is responsible for the 
management of over 30 billion pesos (USD 10 billion) per year 
and has under his jurisdiction five secretariats, ten under 
secretariats, eight regulatory agencies, the Yacyreta 
 
SIPDIS 
Binational Entity, the Salta Binational Entity, the Atomic 
Energy Committee, and the control of all matters related to 
government procurement. 
 
20. (C) De Vido is the member of Kirchner's inner circle most 
likely to push him to expand the role of the state in the 
economy, which he sees as providing the most opportunities 
for national and personal gain.  De Vido's influence over 
economic policy now rivals that of Minister Lavagna, who had 
unchallenged authority over economic issues during the 
Duhalde administration.  Kirchner biographers Valeria Garrone 
and Laura Rocha report that Kirchner is using De Vido's 
expanded role in the economy to blunt Lavagna's political 
ambitions by reducing Lavagna's prominence and share of the 
credit for the improving economic situation. 
 
21. (C) De Vido is described as a traditional, left-wing 
Peronist, although Senior Embassy Officers report that he has 
gone out of his way to maintain good relations with the U.S. 
De Vido has attended four "sectoral" dinners at the 
Ambassador's Residence to meet with U.S. investors.  De Vido 
has been very careful to not publicly criticize the U.S. 
When De Vido traveled to Washington, he eagerly changed his 
schedule at the Ambassador's suggestion to meet with U/S 
Larson.  De Vido has been very forthcoming in discussions 
with the Ambassador about the concerns of U.S. companies 
operating in Argentina.  He has repeatedly stated that he 
prefers the presence of U.S. companies because of their 
honesty, managerial excellence, and technological edge. 
 
22. (C) De Vido has been uniformly friendly in his contacts 
with Embassy Officers, visiting USG officials and many U.S. 
executives, but has been known to lose his temper in dealing 
with some European government officials.  In July 2003, he 
sharply told the press that if visiting French Minister of 
Economy Francis Mer was coming to talk to him only about the 
renegotiation of public service contracts for French 
companies (in this case a tariff increase for 40 percent 
Suez-owned Aguas Argentinas), he would refuse to meet with 
him.  The main reason for the different attitude toward U.S. 
and European visitors is that the U.S. public and private 
sector visitors have generally come to him in private to 
discuss common concerns, while the European visitors have 
gone to the press to advance the interests of individual 
companies. 
 
23. (C) De Vido's relationship with Kirchner is described as 
being close, but not having the same level of trust as 
Kirchner's relationship with Cristina, Zannini, or Acevedo. 
Kirchner respects De Vido's intellect and organizational 
ability, but knows that De Vido, if anyone, is the one that 
has the most dirt on him.  When Kirchner was hospitalized 
briefly in April 2004, De Vido was not on the list of those 
allowed to visit him in the emergency room, which was limited 
to his wife, Zannini, and Acevedo.  Nevertheless, De Vido is 
frequently on call to participate in visits to the provinces 
and sit in on meetings in the Casa Rosada.  He once told the 
Ambassador that he preferred to come to a dinner, rather than 
a lunch, because he never knew if he would have to cancel at 
the last minute to attend a meeting at the Casa Rosada.  De 
Vido is in constant contact with Kirchner by cell phone.  The 
Ambassador's and other visiting USG officials' meetings and 
dinners with De Vido have often been interrupted by a cell 
phone call from Kirchner.  Kirchner usually takes advantage 
of these occasions to send greetings to De Vido's hosts 
and/or guests. 
 
24. (C) Since his days in Kirchner's Santa Cruz government, 
Julio De Vido has been dogged by allegations of corruption, 
although none of these have been proven.  One of De Vido's 
main functions during his time in Kirchner's provincial 
government was managing the province's large public works 
program, Cuatrienal, which the political opposition later 
accused of corruption in its awarding of public contracts. 
De Vido is currently under investigation by Federal Judge 
Jorge Urso for irregularities with the renegotiation of a 
public service contract with Aguas Argentinas, the purchase 
of locomotives, and with the awarding of a contract to build 
a gas pipeline in the northwest part of the country.  His son 
Facundo served as his private secretary until a government 
internal security source informed Kirchner that Facundo was 
taking bribes from private companies in exchange for 
arranging appointments with his father.  Kirchner told De 
Vido to remove Facundo and Facundo is now a travel guide in 
Santa Cruz Province. 
 
25. (C) Julio De Vido was born in Buenos Aires in 1949 and 
was trained as an architect at the University of Buenos 
Aires.  He began work as a draftsman at ENTEL, the state 
telephone company, in 1974.  He later was promoted to 
supervisor, but then was exiled to manage ENTEL works in 
Patagonia by the military government in 1976.  He resigned 
from ENTEL in 1982 and moved to Rio Gallegos to work for a 
private company.  There was a Peronist Party office across 
the street from his new home where he first met Kirchner and 
established the political partnership that took him to 
national prominence.  When Kirchner became mayor of Rio 
Gallegos in 1988, he appointed De Vido to be the Director 
General of Public Works at the Santa Cruz Institute of Urban 
Development and Housing and in 1991 as the head of the 
Provincial Highway Bureau.  In 1991, Governor Kirchner 
appointed him as Minister of Economy and Public Works, and in 
1999 as Minister of Government.  De Vido was a key campaign 
organizer and the chief fund-raiser for Kirchner's 2003 
presidential campaign.  He is married and has five children. 
 
 
--------------------------------------------- - 
Alberto Fernandez: Kirchner's "Prime Minister" 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
26. (C) Cabinet Chief Alberto Fernandez is Kirchner's main 
advisor on Buenos Aires politics and on the workings of the 
national PJ party structure.  Kirchner values Alberto 
Fernandez's analysis of people, frequently seeking his advice 
on how to work with a given political figure.  Kirchner uses 
Fernandez as one of his key people to work behind the scenes 
to accomplish his national political goals.  Fernandez is 
present at all important meetings.  Fernandez is the one 
member of Kirchner's inner circle who really understands the 
workings of the PJ at a national level.  He also has an 
intricate knowledge of the workings of the Argentine 
Congress, and understands how the Buenos Aires provincial and 
city party mechanics operate and can be influenced.  As such, 
he is Kirchner's "real world" front-line political operator 
that can make things happen. 
 
27. (C) Alberto Fernandez lacks the personal history, 
connection to Patagonia, and ideological affinity with 
Kirchner that others in the inner circle have.  He was 
associated with former President Carlos Menem in the past and 
comes from a center-right political background.  He is a 
conservative on economics and is the member of the inner 
circle most likely to encourage President Kirchner to 
maintain neo-liberal economic policies. 
 
28. (C) Fernandez has become one of Kirchner's close advisors 
through his proven loyalty and tireless work over the past 
few years.  A Senior Embassy Officer compared Alberto 
Fernandez to Leon Panetta, who entered the Clinton 
administration as a hired gun, but grew to become one of 
Clinton's most trusted advisors.  Alberto Fernandez may not 
be trusted as much as other members of the inner circle, but 
Kirchner appreciates the fact the Fernandez lacks the 
presidential ambitions of other officials like Minister 
Lavagna.  Kirchner frequently calls on Fernandez to keep the 
other ministers in line.  Senior Embassy Officers describe 
Alberto Fernandez as being fairly low-key, content to operate 
in the background while the Kirchners and other advisors take 
more of the spotlight. 
 
29. (C) Alberto Fernandez was born in Buenos Aires in 1959. 
He received his law degree from the University of Buenos 
Aires in 1983.  In 1985 he became Records Director for 
Juridical Affairs at the Ministry of the Economy and was 
later promoted to Deputy Director.  In 1989 he was appointed 
as the Insurance Superintendent of the Nation.  He served as 
the Vice President of Grupo BAPRO between 1996 and 2000, 
where he was responsible for the development of companies 
associated with the Bank of the Province of Buenos Aires. 
Fernandez was also an Assistant Professor of Penal Law at the 
University of Buenos Aires Law School.  In June 2000 he 
became a legislator of the City of Buenos Aires for the PJ, 
serving in this capacity until accepting his current position 
in Kirchner's cabinet in May 2003.  He served as Kirchner's 
presidential campaign manager.  He is married, but separated 
from his wife, and has one son. 
 
------------------------------- 
Oscar Parrilli: The Door Keeper 
------------------------------- 
 
30. (C) In his current position as Secretary General of the 
Presidency (Casa Rosada Chief of Staff), Oscar Parrilli 
controls President Kirchner's schedule.  Senior Embassy 
Officers report that Kirchner does not generally seek 
Parrilli's advice on policy matters, as Kirchner does not 
have a great respect for his intellect.  However, Parrilli is 
present at almost every major policy meeting that Kirchner 
attends.  Kirchner does value Parrilli's organizational 
skills and his ability to bring harmony to the Casa Rosada 
staff.  Parrilli is the go-to person for Kirchner on key 
issues like his personal security and managing presidential 
travel, including the presidential aircraft Tango 01. 
Parrilli is also a person with whom Kirchner can vent his 
frustrations.  Parrilli does not have a connection to Santa 
Cruz, but his long history of activism in PJ politics in the 
Patagonian province of Neuquen gives him a natural affinity 
with Kirchner. 
 
31. (C) The one policy issue that Kirchner has entrusted to 
Parrilli is relations with the piqueteros.  Parrilli 
regularly meets with Raul Castells and other piquetero 
leaders to try to advance Kirchner's agenda of keeping the 
movement under control.  Kirchner has also used Parrilli to 
attempt to draw more moderate piquetero elements into 
Kirchner's Transversal political movement.  Kirchner gave 
Parrilli the piquetero issue because Kirchner recognized that 
Parrilli's mild temperament would help him manage the 
often-volatile relations between the Casa Rosada and the 
protest movement. 
 
32. (C) In meetings with Embassy officers, Parrilli is 
positive and engaging.  The Ambassador and DCM maintain close 
lines of communication with him and have the ability to make 
an appointment with Parrilli at any time to discuss any 
issue.  Senior Embassy Officers describe Parrilli as a 
centrist politically.  Parrilli is reportedly not good at 
managing his own schedule, which compounds Kirchner's natural 
tendency to be late to meetings. 
 
33. (C) Oscar Parrilli was born in 1951 in San Martin de los 
Andes in Neuquen province.  He is an attorney by training, 
receiving his law degree from the University of Buenos Aires 
in 1976.  Kirchner and Parrilli first met and became friends 
in the 1970s when both were active in Peronist politics in 
Patagonia.  Parrilli first held political office as a 
provincial PJ legislator in Neuquen in 1983, serving in this 
capacity until 1987.  In 1989 he was elected as a National 
Deputy.  He unsuccessfully ran for Neuquen governor in 1991 
and then left politics for a private law practice when his 
term as National Deputy ended in 1993.  In 1998 he joined the 
Grupo Calafate, an alternative movement of Peronist activists 
opposed to the national PJ party structure dominated by 
former President Carlos Menem.  Parrilli worked diligently on 
Kirchner's presidential bid and was appointed to his current 
position when Kirchner assumed office in May 2003.  He is 
married and has four children. 
 
------- 
Comment 
------- 
 
34. (C) Kirchner's refusal to hold cabinet meetings and 
preference for making policy decisions with a handful of key 
advisors makes understanding his inner circle of confidants 
crucial to comprehending and predicting Argentina's policy 
directions.  Each member of Kirchner's inner circle of 
advisors provides their particular expertise, but for 
Kirchner the most important thing they offer him is their 
unswerving loyalty.  All sources emphasize that ultimately, 
after taking in the advice of those important to him, 
Kirchner makes all of the decisions himself.  Kirchner has 
developed a much greater network of informal advisors than 
when he first entered office and he has numerous competent 
officials to utilize for policy advice.  However, in the end, 
the real decision-making in Argentina is made at the Saturday 
afternoon coffees at the Quinta Olivos where Kirchner and his 
wife meet with a few long-time intimates. 
 
35. (C) The political background of most of Kirchner's inner 
circle gives some of them a tendency to mistrust U.S. 
policies.  In fact, Kirchner vowed to end "carnal relations" 
with the U.S. during his 2003 campaign for the Presidency. 
Nonetheless, Kirchner and his inner circle recognize the 
importance of a positive relationship with the U.S and have 
given the Ambassador and Senior Embassy Officers an open door 
to meet with them to discuss issues.  The inner circle 
members are careful to not be seen as being too close to the 
U.S. in public, but at the same time they carefully avoid 
publicly criticizing the U.S.  The Embassy maintains a 
positive dialogue with them in private.  Post will continue 
to engage these individuals, providing an excellent 
opportunity to act as a positive influence on Kirchner and 
Argentine policy. 
 
GUTIERREZ