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Argentina's Kirchner recovering

October 9, 2013

Argentina's President Cristina Kirchner is recovering "without complications" in hospital after surgery, her doctors have said. The operation to remove a blood clot from the 60-year-old’s brain was a success.

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Police stand guard at the Favaloro Clinic in Buenos Aires, where Argentina President Cristina Kirchner is recovering after brain surgery. Photo: dpa
Image: picture-alliance/dpa

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner underwent surgery on Tuesday at the Favaloro Clinic in Buenos Aires after being diagnosed with a chronic subdural hematoma, resulting from a blow to the head sustained in a fall in August.

A medical report released on Wednesday said Kirchner's "spirits are very good," but declined to say when she would again be fit to again take charge of the country.

"On the first post-operative day, Kirchner is evolving favorably without complications," the report said. "Her vital signs are within the normal range."

Dr Pablo Rubino, a member of the surgical team, added that "once she's completely recovered, there won't be any problem. She'll be able to do any sort of activity."

Despite a clamouring for further details on the president's condition, Rubino declined to shed any more light on Kirchner's condition: "We can't enter into details, but the information (in the report) was absolutely faithful. The communications are absolutely accurate."

Argentina 'more important' to Kirchner

Vice President Amado Boubou remains in charge of the day-to-day affairs of the country, although has not been transferred presidential powers. He was confident Kirchner would have no trouble handling the presidency once she returned to full health.

"To Cristina, her country is more important than her own health," he said in a speech on Wednesday.

Two years into her second term, Kirchner's absence from office comes ahead of parliamentary elections on October 27, with half the seats of the lower Congress and a third of those in the Senate at stake.

ph/msh (dpa, AP, AFP)