Dead Presidents

Have you ever wondered what its like living in a nation’s capital when a national icon dies? Well I found out last week when the former president of Argentina, and current First Gentleman (husband of current President Cristina Kirchner) Nestor Kirchner, died suddenly of a heart attack at age 60.

It is simply amazing how fast people will change their opinions of a man, after he dies. While not being George Bush, this man had plenty of people who did not like him. And his current wife, in her role as president has an even larger set of detractors than he did. However these two are kind of viewed as a package deal. He was her main adviser, and they were planning to switch back and forth as president each election. With him slated to run again next year.

Either way those plans now are not possible. In the week since he died, the country has pulled together to mourn him. Within hours, the Peronista machine (Followers of Peron…Evita’s Husband) has already placed posters glorifying the dead president all of the city. Political graffiti baring his name appeared almost instantly across the entire city. As you can see from these pictures and the video, people gathered in large numbers for the chance to see the president laying in state at the Casa Rosada the presidential palace in the heart of the city, despite the rain and cold weather.

Its a shame that i didn’t take out my camera when i first walked through this plaza early in the morning when it was filled. I managed to take a few shots later after i had finished with service. Enjoy the pics, and watch the videos.

A woman crying her eyes out as she watched the video monitors set up in the plaza showing the people as they walked by the casket, and the president and her family.

This is the kind of graffiti that showed up over night across the entire city