Arturo Puricelli is the new Argentinean Minister of Defense

City of Buenos Aires, December 14, 2010

Arturo Puricelli, the current auditor of the Directorate General of Military Fabrication, was appointed as new National Minister of Defense, after the creation of the security portfolio lead by Nilda Garre.

Former rival Nestor Kirchner in Santa Cruz, province of which he was governor, and current Directorate General of Military Fabrication, Puricelli has a history of ups and downs that leaves in this new position.

In 2006, he was appointed to his post by decree. At that time, Julio De Vido announced that “Military Industries will be part of a national and popular project, reflecting the policies of the region with other members of Mercosur.”

Since that moment everyone spoke of a strange political history of who will be minister. In the late 80s, he competed for control Nestor Kirchner of Santa Cruz PJ.

Soon after, the two politicians clashed again in the face of internal elections to the Governor of Santa Cruz, which the former president won.

The final rift came when Kirchner was associated with Eduardo Duhalde to begin to face Carlos Menem, to whom Puricelli was allied.