11-12-99 Newly inaugurated President Fernando de la Rua isn't known for amusing one-liners, a derring-do style, or a penchant for rousing oration. These days, Argentines prefer it that way. De la Rua was sworn in as Argentina's 47th president, promising four years of austere government and sober leadership following a decade of rule by Carlos Menem, the colourful leader who dominated his country like few before him.
"One era is over, and a new century is beginning," the 62-year-old former Buenos Aires mayor told a jam-packed Congress at the outset of daylong festivities. "This was not only an electoral victory but an expression of desire for profound change."
Change is what Argentines signalled they wanted when de la Rua was elected Oct. 24 with more than 48 % of the vote. But Argentines insisted they favoured moderate change, and above that, a change of style.
De la Rua, who admits he's happiest in his garden or lounging away a Sunday afternoon with family and friends over a barbecue, highlights a dramatic shift in a country renowned for charismatic leaders like Menem and his proclaimed mentor, Juan Peron. Leader of the centrist Radical party, de la Rua teamed up with the leftist Frepaso party to defeat the long-dominant Peronists. He fed off widespread sentiment that Menem's record left high unemployment and other social costs unattended.
Few people dispute Menem's accomplishments: he redirected the country's economy from a hyper-inflationary abyss, established Argentina as a player in international affairs, and brought water, gas, and telephones to every corner of the country. While those achievements made headlines, so did his personal life. Menem mingled with movie stars and underwent plastic surgery before trading in his poncho for designer suits. If there were complaints, Menem was always there with a funny quip.
"In the past I would have been moved by a strong orator, a guy with style," said Franco Campobasso, a 53-year-old construction worker. "Not any more. I need someone who gives me a sense of stability, and that's what de la Rua offers." De la Rua has promised to adhere to the economic policies instituted by Menem in the early 1990s, which resurrected the country from economic chaos. The Argentine peso will remain pegged to the dollar he said.
In his inaugural speech, de la Rua assured his administration would wage "a permanent fight against any kind of corruption." He pledged to govern "with honesty and austerity... to serve the people and not a privileged few." De la Rua admitted that lawmakers had failed to pass this year's budget in time for his inauguration. Weeks of bickering between his Alliance coalition and the Peronists, who dominant Congress, delayed the legislation's passage. He said he wanted to strengthen Argentina's public finances, and promised to bring the federal budget down this year from beyond $ 5 bn to $ 4.5 bn.
Marias Ines Torregiani, a 46-year-old worker, waited several hours in the searing sun to welcome the new president. She joined the crowd in singing songs and frantically waved a cardboard sign that read "Chau Menem, Hello De la Rua." "De la Rua has a different feel about him," she said. "I think his government will at least be one without corruption, where the judicial system might finally work, and where politicians might seem be more compassionate about everyday Argentines."