Brazilian media takes on Argentine president

With less than a week until Argentina's presidential election, the Brazilian media is taking a hard look at Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

Publications have criticized her for using historical figures such as Juan and Eva Peron, for appealing to sentimentalism and for using the state media for her campaign, reports the Buenos Aires Herald.

Kirchner holds a commanding lead going into Sunday's elections. She has rebounded from a disastrous beginning to her term, when her approval ratings plummeted and her party suffered a humiliating defeat in midterm elections.

Analysts attribute her resurgence to the booming economy, social welfare programs, a weak opposition and the death of her husband a year ago.

But not everyone thinks those policies are for the best.

A column titled "Manipulating Peron" in Folha de Sao Paulo accuses her using Evita and Peron for self promotion.

She is looking to print her name in history as an icon loved by its people. To achieve that she is emulating the most popular symbols of the country: Juan Domingo Perón and his wife of mythological proportions Eva Peron.

Brazilian magazine Veja said she was using widowhood to her advantage. Her husband and predecessor as president, Nestor Kirchner, died last year.

Her dead husband is her best electoral asset.

O Globo wrote that she relies on the votes of the poor.

Matanza has become an illustration of what happens in other neighborhoods of the regions, over 65% of the population voted on CFK on the last primaries … “Social programs eat up over US$ 36 billions a year (..). Since the Kirchners stepped into power, retirement benefits have increased over 361%.

Read more: Cristina turns it around