The Hexing of the President

By PAUL GRAY/

These are not the best of times for Argentina's President Carlos Menem. When his wife Zulema barricaded herself and their two children within the presidential residence, he prudently left the country for a European sojourn, though not before signing a decree giving himself sole authority over who is allowed inside. When he returned home, he ousted Zulema, who then made a melodramatic scene in front of TV cameras. But these troubles pale before a new problem confronting Menem. Legions of superstitious Argentines have become convinced he is cursed with a hex. The alleged evidence: several of his Cabinet ministers have died in office, and after Menem shook the hand of a driver before a powerboat race, the driver crashed and lost an arm. The clincher came when Menem showed up on the field with the Argentine soccer team the day before its World Cup match with Cameroon. The heavily favored South American team was then humiliated, 1-0. Menem has heard the talk that he brings bad luck and is said to be worried, since he is superstitious and regularly consults a fortune teller.

With reporting by David E. Thigpen