Argentina’s Kirchner, hospitalized, cancels G20 trip

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – Argentina’s President Christina Kirchner has cancelled her trip to Australia for a G20 summit as she remained hospitalized Thursday, November 6, for a fourth day with an intestinal infection, the government said.

Kirchner, 61, had been scheduled to travel next week for the meeting in Brisbane, but instead the Latin American country will be represented by Economy Minister Axel Kicillof and Foreign minister Hector Timerman, officials said.

The presidential medical unit did not specify when Kirchner would be released from the hospital, but noted her doctors have recommended an additional 10 days of rest once home.

The Argentine leader was hospitalized Sunday night with fever and stomach pains that were diagnosed as an infection or inflammation in the sigmoid colon in the lower intestines.

This is the third time in less than a year that Kirchner, who is in her last year in office, has been sidelined by health issues.

She had resumed her normal work schedule October 21 after resting for 48 hours on doctors orders due to pharyngitis, an inflammation at the back of the throat.

In July, Kirchner also had to rest for two days due to sore throat and laryngitis. Her recovery time then had to be extended to a week and she cancelled her work schedule and a trip to Paraguay.

A little over a year ago, the president underwent surgery for an intracranial hematoma, or bleeding in the brain. She was then off work for six weeks.

In early 2012, she underwent surgery to remove her thyroid after being misdiagnosed with cancer.

Kirchner’s husband — and predecessor as president — Nestor Kirchner died in 2010 of heart failure aged 60. – Rappler.com