Argentine leader mourns 'the companion of my life'

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez came close to tears in her first televised comments since the death last week of her husband and closest adviser, Nestor Kirchner.

Mr Kirchner, 60, himself a former president, was Argentina's most powerful politician and a leading contender for next year's presidential election.

Dressed in black and close to tears, Ms Fernandez thanked supporters who queued for hours to catch a glimpse of Mr Kirchner's coffin during a two-day wake and vowed to respect her late husband's legacy.

"I've heard people say this is the most difficult moment of my life. But really it's something different. It's the most painful moment of my life," she said at the end of her televised address on Monday.

"It's the loss of the companion of my life, of fights, of ideals … a part of me has gone with him," she said, her voice breaking.