BUENOS AIRES - President Cristina Fernandez said yesterday that keeping Argentina’s economy growing despite the global consumption slowdown is her top priority as she looks forward to what seems like a certain reelection in October.
Fernandez received just more than 50 percent of the valid votes in Sunday’s primary, leading her nearest challengers by more than 37 percentage points.
Buoyed by the results, she held her first news conference in more than a year and vowed to keep Argentina’s economy growing strong. “I’ve given my heart and soul these four years,’’ she said, thanking her supporters. “The people value the ability of leaders to respond to problems in a crisis.’’
Fernandez said her government is concerned that budget cuts being made in the United States and Europe will depress economic activity around the globe, hitting the poor the hardest. Argentina will keep spending revenues and reserves to create jobs and build a more egalitarian society, she said.
Boosted by rising commodity prices and insulated somewhat from world debt markets, the country’s GDP is growing about 6.5 percent this year.
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