Argentina rails against the US
Development: On 16 December Argentine cabinet chief Alberto Fernández said that the US was exploiting the Antonini Wilson case to jeopardise the 'good relations between Latin American countries'.
Significance: The case, which has erupted in the first week of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner's administration is complicating Argentine-US relations. The new government's strongly anti-US response indicates that the new government is likely to drop the pragmatic foreign policy of President Néstor Kirchner and take a more anti-US stance.
The case revolves around allegations by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that Guido Alejandro Antonini Wilson, a Venezuelan arrested while trying to smuggle US$790,000 into Buenos Aires intended the money as a campaign contribution for Cristina Fernández. She dismissed the charges as a "trashing operation."
The US has sought to minimise the hysteria, with the US State Department spokesman, Sean McCormack, emphasising that the case is a US legal matter rather than a foreign affairs issue.
Alberto Fernández said that the FBI had conjured up the case to attempt to discredit Cristina and undermine the good relationship between Venezuela and Argentina.
The virulence of the Argentine government's reaction suggests that the US allegations are likely to bring Venezuela and Argentine closer. Venezuela's foreign ministry expressing "admiration of the transparent and decent response given by President Fernández de Kirchner" to the accusations.