Argentine Economy: President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner Says Argentina Is Only Country in the World to 'Reduce External Debt'

Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner defended her economic policy in a speech, saying Argentina is the only country in the world to have reduced its national debt, the BBC reports.

Fernandez's three-hour speech to Congress will be her last before she steps down later this year.

The president expressed regret over the death of state prosecutor Alberto Nisman. The cause of his death in January had mysterious circumstances.

Nisman had accused Fernandez of covering up a bomb attack on a Jewish centre in 1994.

Nisman said that Fernandez and her foreign minister allowed Iranian officials to be shielded from prosecution in the attack that killed 85 people.

Friday, a judge dismissed Nisman's allegations against Fernandez and she delivered her speech with thousands of supporters.

Fernandez spoke of the allegations against her and called them a "shame for all Argentines." Signs made by opposing lawmakers called for justice in the 1994 bombing of the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association (AMIA).

"Don't come talking to me about AMIA," Fernandez said. "Twenty-one years have passed [since the bombing] and not a single person has been convicted, not a single one sent to jail."

Correspondents say Fernandez's speech was meant to save her reputation before she leaves office in December. They also say Fernandez wanted to take focus off a massive rally that took place last month in memory of Nisman.

During Fernandez's speech, she told Argentine supporters the successes of her economic policy.

She called those who purchased Argentine debt on the cheap and then demanded full payment "vultures."

Because of a lengthy lawsuit in New York federal court last year, Argentina was forced into default.

Fernandez said the country has been successful in reducing debt left from the 2001 economic crisis.

"Argentina is the only country in the world that has reduced its external debt," she said. "Never again will governments have to take out debt to pay debt."

Fernandez's opposition criticized her comments and said she failed to mention Argentina's high inflation rate and low levels of foreign investment.