kisses, hugs and congratulations on the abortion before seeing the Pope

(Paris. Special delivery). “For me friend Alberto, who filled his promise to grant Argentines the right to abortion get a historic vote on 12/30/20. Congratulations. A hug. Emmanuel Macron“. By hand, in Spanish and with precision of the date, the French president wrote this dedication to his Argentinian counterpart, as part of Fernández’s visit to Paris, which ended on Thursday.

In addition to the working meeting and the press conference that followed, where Macron ratified support for Argentina in its renegotiation with the Paris Club, the two leaders and their respective partners had lunch – “the only four”, as specified in the entourage which accompanies Alberto Fernandez-.

The good harmony between the two leaders could be seen live when they said goodbye. Despite fears for the Covid, there were kisses and hugs, both of them smiling for several seconds.

When the gift exchange happened, Macron gave him the book “Una vida”, by Simone Veil, an Auschwitz survivor who has dedicated his life to fighting discrimination and intolerance, and promoting women’s rights. In the dedication he expressed precisely one of these rights.

Congratulations on the abortion come at a sensitive time, a few hours after Fernandez’s meeting with Pope Francis and when the president seeks to resolve disputes they had due to the decriminalization law.

Shortly before the start of the European tour, Clarín expressed the suspicion that there was still in an area of ​​the Vatican with the Argentine president for this matter and even there would be sought to convince the Pope not to receive him. The alleged leadership has failed and they will see each other this Thursday.

But the version caused surprise and unease in the Argentinian delegation. “First they said the president didn’t want to meet with the Pope, and after that the Vatican tried not to ask for an audience,” they complained.

Guillermo Oliveri, the secretary of worship who has known Fernández for years and who arrived in Lisbon – the first point of the tour – with the rest of the officials, tried to chase any short circuits. “Since before the enactment of the IVE Law, the President has been very clear and specific during his first visit to the Vatican. It seems to me that this is not a topic on the agenda at all“, He assured the Telam agency.

Regarding exchanges with Macron, Fernández gave him a painting. “Tinta China, original by Pablo Reinoso, year 2020, sketch of the future sculpture”, they detailed in the Argentinian delegation.