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Argentina: Kirchner Handed Defeat in Congressional Elections

Jorge Gobbi — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 02:52:43 +0000

The parliamentary elections held on Sunday, June 28 across Argentina have left a negative balance for the government of President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. In the Chamber of Deputies, for example, the party's representation fell from 115 members to 94 members. In the Senate, it lost 4 representatives and was left with 31. After recognizing the defeat, Kirchner's husband, Néstor, resigned from the head of the Justicialist Party (Peronist).

Photo of voting station by Jorge Gobbi

In the province of Buenos Aires, the most heavily populated in the country, the Union PRO, an alliance between Peronist dissidents and the PRO party, came out ahead. This alliance is led by Mauricio Macri, who is the current mayor of the city of Buenos Aires, and is considered to be more right-leaning than the positions of Kirchner. In the city of Buenos Aires, the PRO party won was expected, but with a smaller margin of votes that had been predicted. The surprise came with the good showing from the center-left candidate and film director, Fernando “Pino” Solanas, a Peronist critic of the government's policies. He received 24% of the votes versus 31% from the PRO, while the Civic Coalition of Elisa Carrió finished in third place. The government's party was defeated in many of the other most heavily populated provinces, such as Córdoba, Santa Fe and Mendoza. However, it achieved victory in 12 other districts.

These elections were characterized by new ways of coverage. The most interesting was the extensive use of Twitter by many of the media outlets, as well as by users. Using the hashtag #urna2009 (ballot box 2009), there was information published from polling places and there was extensive coverage of the tabulation of votes. The hashtag was used by various media outlets, such as La Nación [es] and Perfil [es]. These two media outlets also published the updates from their journalists via CoverItLive. There were also other sites, such as Stream.Zauber [es], that tried innovative interfaces to present the information, using a combination of Twitter, Facebook, video taken from Ustream and newspaper RSS feeds.

Photo of the closure of the Kirchner campaign by Mariano Pernicone and used under a Creative Commons license: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pernicleto/3663297215/

In the blogs, there were many highlighted posts. In center-left blogs that support the government, Alejandro of La Barbaerie [es] analyzes the election's winners and losers and writes that “the most important thing is not to win, rather to make the other lose.” Diego F. of Mundo Perverso [es] also writes about the defeat as a “source of legitimacy,” but also writes that there might be some temptation to write about the things that the government did wrong, but rather the things that it did right during their administration should be what is written. Artepolítica [es] writes about what the defeat on 6/29 means for those that have been supporters of this government:

3. Nos deja el esqueleto, la base, la plataforma, de lo que debe ser un modelo económico para la indepencia económica, la sobernia política y la justicia social. Nos deja la convicción que otro país es posible.

En el 2001 nadie tenía la más puta idea de cómo reencauzar el crecimiento económico. Y donde dice “nadie” incluímos principalmente a nosotros. Hoy sabemos por dónde ir, sabemos cuales fueron los huecos, sabemos cuales fueron los errores.

4. Nos deja mejor organizados, nos deja encontrados, nos deja con un enorme futuro por delante.

3. It leaves us with the structure, the foundation, the platform, for what should be an economic model for economic independence, political sovereignty, and social justice. It leaves us with the conviction that another country is possible.

In 2001, no one had the faintest idea how to re-channel economic growth. When we say “no one,” we also principally include ourselves. Today, we know where to go, we know where were the holes, we know what were the mistakes.

4. It leaves us with better organization, it leaves us discovered, it leaves us with a grand future ahead of us.

In blogs critical of the government, Martín Varsavsky, an Argentine businessman based in Spain, analyzes the elections in his entry “Liberals vs. Socialists in Argentina [es].” In PapBlog [es], Fernando Arocena compiles a top ten of interesting links and noteworthy news. Walter Bove of FunkBlogJob [es] writes about a “crushing defeat for Kirchnerism”

Por otra parte, lamentablemente, a partir de pasado mañana van a empezar a aparecer en el tapete todos los graves problemas que tiene nuestro país, la mayoría de ellos por la imprevisión, por la falta de políticas, y la absoluta inoperancia del matrimonio gobernante. La gripe A, la desocupación, la caída de actividad económica, la inseguridad, la incertidumbre social, y fundamentalmente, como frutilla van a empezar a tomar estado público algunos casos de corrupción y de malos manejos de gobierno que por ahora se venían disimulando por parte del Gobierno K.

Unfortunately, starting the day after tomorrow, all of the serious problems in our country will start to be put on the table, the majority of the problems due to the lack of foresight, to the lack of policies and the absolute inability of the governing marriage. The AH1N1 flu, unemployment, the decrease in economic activity, the insecurity, the social uncertainty, and fundamentally, as a bonus, they will start to pursue some cases of corruption and poor government management that until now, that the K(irchner) government had been hiding.

Like previous legislative elections, many of the winners were in good positions for the elections of 2011, such as Macri and Carlos Reutemann, senator-elect in Santa Fe. Many will be watching the next moves by the Kirchner government now that it appears to be weakened in Parliament. However, they still have more than 2 more years for the completion of their term.

Latin America: The Problem of Child Labor - Part II

Juan Arellano — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 15:25:00 +0000

Child labor is a sad reality in Latin America, and often many residents throughout the region become so used to seeing working children that they don't even realize it. Who has not used the services of a shoeshine boy or a young caretaker of cars? Awareness and steps are being taken to change all of this. In observance of the World Day Against Child Labor 2009, which will be held on June 12, members of the Global Voices Latin American team helped to find related blog posts and links about this issue in their own countries for part two in this two part series.

From Venezuela, the non-profit organization Muchachos de la Calle [es] (Street Children) has been working to “develop citizens, through the teaching of artisan skills, in order to reduce the number of children and adolescents that live and/or work in the street” and shares its experience through its blog [es]. Another organization, Observatorio de Infancia y Juventud [es], is also working to “construct a social investigative organization in order to collect data that allows for the formulation and follow-up of public policies; as well as to receive complaints and provide support against the threat and violation of Human Rights of children and adolescents in Venezuela.”

The blog Periodismo Guayanés [es] writes about child workers who are the “last in line”:

el hecho de que exista un número significativo de instituciones gubernamentales y no gubernamentales de atención a los niños, así como un ordenamiento jurídico favorable en la materia, no endosa el éxito, es necesario la implementación de los sistemas y el seguimiento de los mismos. Algunos expertos coinciden en que la anulación del trabajo infantil es viable, sólo si diseñan mayores posibilidades laborales para los adultos y sus comunidades, y que las soluciones están en brindar alternativas a las familias para que “rompan el ciclo de pobreza a través de cooperativas, y la adquisición de maquinaria agrícola, por ejemplo, no se sigan estancando los sueños de los más pequeños”. “Los costos de erradicar el trabajo infantil serían de 76 mil millones de dólares y los beneficios económicos netos para 2020 serían $330 mil millones de dólares. Es decir, habría un beneficio neto para la región si se eliminara el trabajo infantil” aseguraba en 2005, María Arteta, directiva del Programa Internacional para la Erradicación del Trabajo Infantil (IPEC) de la Organización Internacional del Trabajo.

the fact that there is a significant number of governmental and nongovernmental institutions that provide services to children, as well as a favorable legal framework in this field, it does not guarantee success, it is necessary to implement the systems and to follow-up. Some experts agree that the elimination of child labor is viable, only if there are better work opportunities for adults and their communities, and that the solutions lie with providing alternatives for the families so that they can “break the cycle of poverty through cooperatives, and the acquisition of agricultural machinery, for example, so that they do not continue to stagnate the dreams of the smallest ones.” “The costs of eliminating child labor would be 76 billion dollars and the net economic benefits for the year 2020 would be $ 330 billion dollars. In other words, there would be a net benefit for the region if there was the elimination of child labor ” claimed María Arteta, director of the International Program for the Eradication of Child Labor (IPEC) of the Organization International Labor Organization. in the year 2005.

Photo by David Sasaki and used under a Creative Commons license. http://www.flickr.com/photos/oso/3602948325/

A recent post from Mexican blogger Mario Luis Fonts describes the “atrocity of child labor.” He points out that families with low incomes, shortages, a lack of sound governmental policies, and even migration as some of the causes that lead children to this situation [es]. In addition, Maricel Pérez on the blog Sinergia a.m. [es] writes a touching story of a child worker, Pablo:

Más conocido como “Pablito”, este pequeño se levanta a las 6 a.m. y alista todos sus útiles. Camina muchas cuadras y en la calle de Corregidora, esquina con Universidad, deja todos sus herramientas de trabajo; cierra los ojos, ora y le pide a Dios “que me vaya bien hoy Diosito, no quiero quedarme sin un peso esta noche”. […]

Ya se acerca la noche, y Pablito sólo recibe $20 pesos, que seguramente es muy poco para los lectores; pero él dice que “me sirve para comprar una coca y unos tacos o unas papas de paquete en la tiendita de camino a casa; lo que me sobre se lo doy a mi mamá que trabaja aquí cerca en otra esquina”

Así puede ser la situación de varios niños que trabajan en diferentes calles de las ciudades mexicanas; unos pueden sufrir más que Pablito, otros menos que él. Lo que yo pueda decir sólo es un pedazo de lo que viven los que jamás son escuchados, los que gracias a un poca cantidad de pesos son auxiliados para sobrevivir; pero muchos no nos damos cuenta de su sufrimiento, de la realidad que viven aquellos seres, una realidad que parece ser distante a la nuestra, sin embargo, habrá que darse cuenta de que hasta que no nos preocupemos por escuchar a los demás; y por romper esa indiferencia hacia los otros; la situación de nuestro México no mejorará jamás.

Better known as “Pablito,” this small child woke up at 6 a.m. and prepared all of his items. He walks many blocks and on the street Corregidora at the corner of University Street, he leaves all of his work tools, he closes his eyes, prays and asks God “that all will go well today, I don't want to end up without a peso (Mexican currency) tonight” […]

Now comes nightfall, and Pablito only earned $20 pesos (approximately 1.50 USD), surely there sounds like very little for the readers, but he says “it helps me to buy a few tacos and a Coke or a packet of potato chips at the shop on the way home, what is left over I give to my mom who works here in another nearby corner “

This may be the situation for many children who work on different streets in Mexican cities; some might suffer more than Pablito, others less than him. What I can say is only a piece of how they live, and what might never heard, which thanks to a few pesos are enough to help them survive, but many of us do not realize their suffering, of the reality in which those human beings live, a reality that appears to be so distant from our own, however, we should become aware that until we do not sorry about listening to others and break this indifference towards others; the situation in our Mexico will never improve.

The blog Un Boliviano en Argentina [es], written by Juan Vasquez, a Bolivian immigrant living in Argentina posts a cultural question that discusses the problem inherent to culture and idiosyncracy:

un tiempo atras en una conversacion con unos compañeros, discutimos por un tema puntual dentro de la colectividad, q es la del trabajo infantil. En medio de la charla una de las participantes dijo algo q me llamo muchisimo la atención….dijo: …”tenés q ver el lado cultural de la cuestión, alla en Bolvia también trabajan en las cosechas, las chacras, y los padres de esa forma les enseñan. Para ellos esa la unica forma de aprender todo lo q se refiere a la siembra y cosecha. En los talleres pasa algo similar, los chicos aprender un oficio y ayudan a sus padres”… Ese comentario me dejó mucho mas preocupado, ya q no solamente es un discurso q “naturalisa” esa forma de trabajo y explotacion sino q tambien ese mismo tema fué argumentado en el fallo de un juez argentino Oyarvide dijo q la forma de explotacion en la q los bolivianos trabajamos aqui se puede explicar como una especie de “Ayllu”.

a while ago in a conversation with some colleagues, we discussed a topic within the community, which is about child labor. Amid the talk from one of the participants, he said something that surprised me …. he said, “you have to see the cultural side of the issues, there in Bolivia they (children) work in the harvests, on the farms and that is how the parents teach them. For them, it is the only way that they can learn about sowing and havesting. In the work shops, the same thing happens, the boys learn a trade and help out their parents” … That comment left me very worried, and not only because of the rhetoric that “justifies” that type of work and exploitation, but that also the same argument was used by the Argentine judge Oyarvide, who said that type of exploitation in which the Bolivians work here can be explained like some sort of “Ayllu” (political and social units of indigenous life).

And finally from Peru, I add a post from my blog Globalizado [es] that I wrote, and contains facts and figures about child labor in Peru that estimated that 1.8 million children are currently working. There are also rough estimates that the number could grow to 2.5 million children, according to a report in the news site RPP [es].

Las causas y consecuencias de esto son muchas, y dada la crisis económica no creo que haya mejoras en la situación. El Fondo de las Naciones Unidas para la Infancia apoya a los niños sin embargo no es suficiente. Basta con recordar desde los casos de los niños esclavizados en las zonas mineras o las niñas que son víctimas de explotación sexual a los niños mendigos o los niños burrier para saber que hay mucho por hacer en este campo.

The causes and consquences of this are many, and especially due to the economic crisis, I don't think that the situation will improve. UNICEF supports children, however, it is not enough. It is enough to remember the cases of the children enslaved in the mining areas [es], the young girls who are victims of sexual exploitation [es], the child beggars [es] or the child drug mules [es] to know that there is a lot left to be done in this area.

What can be done to help alleviate this problem in Latin America and around the world?

Special thanks to Luis Carlos Díaz, Laura Vidal, Issa Villarreal, and Eduardo Ávila for their help with this post.

Latin America: The Problem of Child Labor - Part I

Juan Arellano — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:35:57 +0000

Child labor is a sad reality in Latin America, and often many residents throughout the region become so used to seeing working children that they don't even realize it. Who has not used the services of a shoeshine boy or a young caretaker of cars? Awareness campaigns and other steps are being taken to change all of this. In observance of the World Day Against Child Labor 2009, which will be held on June 12, members of the Global Voices Latin American team helped to find related blog posts and links about this issue in their own countries for part one in this two part series.

Photo by Francesca Rauchi and used under a Creative Commons license. http://www.flickr.com/photos/francesca_rauchi/2266649087/

From Guatemala, Marcial Pérez Guillermo Herrera of Haciendo Camino [es] writes about perceptions of the business sector in a report on child labor in the coffee industry, an area of production that utilizes huge amounts of this illegal labor:

El objetivo del diagnóstico es establecer un referente de conocimientos, información, causas y efectos del trabajo infantil en el sector caficultor de Guatemala, así como ofrecer insumos que orienten las estrategias de sensibilización, capacitación y divulgación sobre la problemática. Entre otros temas, el diagnóstico aborda el enfoque del sector con respecto al trabajo infantil, sus causas, el papel de la familia, la certificación y legalidad, el relevo generacional y la mano de obra, y la educación y el trabajo.

The goal of this diagnosis is to establish a benchmark of knowledge, information, causes and effects of child labor in the coffee sector in Guatemala, as well as to provide inputs geared to the strategies to increase awareness, training and disclosure about the issue. Among other issues, addresses the diagnostic approach in this sector regarding child labor, its causes, the role of the family, certification and legality, the generational workforce, education, and work.

In Ecuador, the situation is very similar, except the banana industry is changed for the coffee industry. One of that country's presidential candidates Álvaro Noboa has been a businessman in the banana industry, and has come under heavy criticism for the the use of child labor. Decio Machado of the blog Let's Change the World [es] writes about some of the findings from Noboa's industries:

En abril de 2002 Human Rights Watch emitió un reporte en el que denunciaba que “encontró que niños ecuatorianos, tan jóvenes como de ocho años, trabajando en plantaciones de banano en condiciones precarias”. Chiquita, Del Monte, Dole, La Favorita y Bonita fueron acusadas de ser provistas por plantaciones que empleaban niños como trabajadores.

Noboa, en un acto de sinvergonzonería sin igual, aseguró que no puede ser acusado de propiciar el trabajo infantil en sus haciendas bananeras, dado que el trabajo de menores en el área agrícola en general formaba parte desde hace muchos años de la cultura de la gente del campo en Ecuador. Según Noboa, los padres obligaban a trabajar a sus menores con el fin de evitar que el ocio los conduzca por el camino de la delincuencia.

In April 2002, Human Rights Watch issued a report in which it denounced that it “found Ecuadorian children, as young as eight years old, working on banana plantations in poor conditions”. Chiquita, Del Monte, Dole, La Favorita and Bonita were accused of being supplied by plantations that employed children as workers.

Noboa, in an act of unparalleled shamelessness, said that he cannot be accused of being in favor of child labor on his banana farms because it has been part of the farm culture in Ecuador for many years. According to Noboa, parents forced their children to work with the aim of avoiding idleness that is the path towards crime.

Photo by Luis Carlos Diaz and used with permission. http://www.flickr.com/photos/periodismodepaz/494114134/

The Argentine website Taringa [es] publishes a detailed report about child labor in that country [es]. In addition to a providing a large list of companies that use children in its work, it focuses on the company Telefónica Argentina, the largest telecommunications company in Spain, as one of the companies most responsible for child labor. The report includes a photograph of a child distributing telephone guides in downtown Buenos Aires. There is also a hidden camera video of the La Alameda Cooperative in the province of Mendoza that captured images of children working in rural labor [es].

The SES Foundation [es] in Buenos Aires has been working with young people and social issues. On its blog, they write about the problem of child labor in Argentina [es]:

El Trabajo infantil es un problema que crece. En la Argentina trabaja alrededor de medio millón de chicos y chicas menores de 14 años, según datos de UNICEF – Argentina. Fundación SES en convenio con el Ministerio de Educación, ha iniciado durante el mes de Mayo la sistematización de dos experiencias educativas de erradicación del trabajo infantil en las Provincias de Córdoba y Tucumán.

En Córdoba visitamos la Escuela Primaria Polo Godoy Rojo. … Es una escuela atravesada por diferentes problemáticas, pero una de ellas … son los niños y niñas que trabajan como cortadores de ladrillos o los que dejan de asistir en tiempos de la cosecha de la papa o de la vendimia, entre otras. En Tucumán visitamos la experiencia “A través de un Trabajo Interministerial, construimos un futuro distinto para los chicos de Santa Ana” que tiene como propósito favorecer el desarrollo de estrategias de inclusión, reinserción y o permanencia de los niños y las niñas que se encuentran en situación o en riesgo de trabajo en el Sistema Educativo Formal.

Child labor is a growing problem. In Argentina, approximately half a million boys and girls under of the age of 14, according to UNICEF - Argentina. In May, the SES Foundation, in an agreement with the Ministry of Education, started the systematization of two educational experiences of the eradication of child labor in the provinces of Córdoba and Tucumán.

In Córdoba, we visited the Elementary School Polo Godoy Rojo. … It is a school that is going through various problems, but one of them … are the children who work as brick cutters or those that leave for a period of time to harvest potatoes or the grape harvest, among others. In Tucumán, we visited the campaign “Through an Interministerial Project, we construct a different future for the boys and girls from Santa Ana,” which aims to promote development strategies for inclusion, reintegration and/or the retention of boys and girls that find themselves in the situation or at risk of labor in the Formal Educational System.

Part II will be published tomorrow.

Special thanks to Renata Avila, Milton Ramírez and Celeste Calvet for their help with this post.

Global Lullabies: The Arrorró Project

Juliana Rincón Parra — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 15:18:53 +0000

lullaby by Wide© Raf.f

Artist Gabriela Golder from Argentina has taken it upon herself to discover, record and collect lullabies from all over the world, and to find connections among them in the Arrorró project. Rising Voices director David Sasaki wrote about the project on the 80+1 website, where he interviewed Gabriela on camera, and got authors and editors for Global Voices involved by inspiring many to record themselves singing the lullabies they remembered from their childhood.

David Sasaki wrote:

I sat down with Golder at El Hipopotamo in the San Telmo neighborhood of Buenos Aires to learn more about what has been discovered in the 200 videos that have already been recorded, and how the project will evolve over the next two months leading up to its simultaneous live exhibition in Buenos Aires and Linz. Our conversation was in Spanish, but I have added English sub-titles to the video:

Inspired by the lullaby project, he recorded himself singing Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, a song he remembered his parents singing to him to send him to sleep:

Our own Managing Director from Trinidad and Tobago, Georgia Popplewell also joined in, with Blanket Bay:

Lova Rakotomalala sang a lullaby from Madagascar about a duck:

Thanks to Onnik Krikorian and Veronica Khokhlova who suggested it, we bring you this Russian Animation Project that illustrates lullabies from all over the world with illustrations explaining the songs lyrics. Following, an Azerbaijani lullaby about a baby dreaming about his life, and a Ukrainian one where winter lulls babies to sleep. More lullabies from different countries can be found here:

This next one is a Brazilian song meant to scare babies into sleeping, suggested by Paula Góes: Ox with a Black face, where the Ox will take away the children who are scared of the black face. On the following video, a young girl is singing it:

Another lullaby with scary lyrics and an enchanting melody is the Shimabara Lullaby, roughly translated by Hanako Tokita as:

“I am too poor and not attractive so I won't be sold…. Please go to sleep or a trafficker
will come and get you… I wonder where all the girls are now and where they were sold to… Ororonbai, Ororoanbai…”

First of all, thanks to all the authors and editors who participated with sending in their childhood lullabies and recommendations, even if we couldn´t include them in this post. Please wait for Part II!

Thumbnail image modified from Wide© Raf.f's Lullaby … Moena

Argentina: Clarín Media Group Forces Removal of Videos

Jorge Gobbi — Wed, 27 May 2009 19:20:49 +0000

The media group Clarín [es] is considered to be the most important in Argentina and whose holdings include the newspaper Clarín. In recent months, it has implemented a policy of demanding that YouTube close the accounts of any user that does not remove content produced by one of its companies, such as Channel 13 in Buenos Aires or the cable news channel TN. Recently, this policy has caused more repercussions when Clarín started to pressure for the closure of YouTube accounts belonging to bloggers, who used portions of news materials, even though they did so on a non-profit basis or for use in the creation of their own compilations.

The blog Mundo Perverso [es] recounts how Clarín was able to close his YouTube account on two occasions, and now has threatened to close a third account. For now, the account remains active, but Diego F. was forced to delete the videos in question. He writes:

Este blog no tiene fines de lucro, no hay publicidad ni uso monetario del material que se publica, el cual tiene como finalidad informar a la ciudadanía de cuestiones estrictamente políticas. Ninguna empresa privada tiene el derecho a censurar declaraciones de funcionarios públicos, y esto que está pasando debería preocuparnos a todos porque a todos nos afecta: nos están tratando de robar la voz.

This blog is not-for-profit, there are no ads or monetary use of the published material, which has the aim to inform citizens about topics that are strictly political. No private business has the right to censor statements made by public officials, and what is happening should be a concern to those that this affects: they are trying to steal our voice.

Other blogs like Registro Mundo [es] and Banya08 [es] were also sent warning e-mails instructing them to remove the videos in question.

In the next few days, a group of Argentine bloggers will release a statement condemning the policy of the closing of YouTube accounts by the request of Artear SA, the audio-visual division of the media group, and that freedom of speech and the circulation of information about public affairs are guaranteed.

Mundo Perverso [es] has compiled a long list of blogs that have expressed solidarity with him. The blog La Barbarie [es] agrees that the proceedings from the Clarín group are not justified, and that this constitutes a case of censorship, as does lawyer and law professor Gustavo Arballo of Saber Derecho [es] who writes:

Mas alla del tema hay que ponerlo en su real dimensión: es censura. Estamos acostumbrados a identificar la “censura” con algo que hace el Estado contra un gran medio. Pero la naturaleza de la censura es más amplia y en este caso estamos ante una censura de un particular grande (que abusa de su posición dominante) a un particular chico.

Going beyond the issue, it must be placed in its true dimension: it is censorship. We are used to identifying “censorship” as something that the State does against a large media institution. But the nature of censorship is much broader, and in this case we see censorship from a large entity (that abuses its dominant position) against a small one.

The two blogs point to Article 28 in the Law 11723 [es] that establishes that “general interest news can be used, transmitted or retransmitted; but when they are published in their original version it is necessary to cite the source.” This was something that was respected in the case of the videos published on YouTube and was objected to by the Clarín Group.

Paraguay: Experiences of an Immigrant in Rosario, Argentina

Eduardo Avila — Sun, 10 May 2009 10:46:41 +0000

Elizabeth Gonzalez writes about her experience as a Paraguayan immigrant in Rosario, Argentina at the blog Somos Paraguayos [es] (We Are Paraguayans). She adds that many refer to her not by name, but by the nickname “Paraguas” which is often used in a disparaging manner.

Argentina: Cleaning Up the Riachuelo

Celeste Calvet — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 18:18:46 +0000

La Matanza River, better known as El Riachuelo (The Little River) divides the Argentinean capital city Buenos Aires with the rest of the province that shares the same name. El Riachuelo runs through the Boca neighbourhood, one of the most visited by tourists, as it houses Caminito, a famous landmark in the history of Tango. Caminito offers dance and music in the street and it is a very colourful little street. Visiting Buenos Aires, one can imagine listening to an intense performance of a Tango orchestra on a summer night and finishing the evening with a romantic walk by the river. Unfortunately, in reality, this might not be a good idea. This watercourse is the most contaminated in the country, its waters receives industrial waste from the numerous factories along the riverside, especially tanneries.

Photo by FJTU and used under a Creative Commons license http://www.flickr.com/photos/fjtu/2531429872/

However, not all is lost. The ports of Buenos Aires are welcoming the Arctic Sunrise, a Greenpeace icebreaker that will be supporting the campaign [es] for the cleansing of the river. This ship is arriving from Brazil where it became involved in a similar campaign in the Amazon.

The Arctic Sunrise’s visit represents a form of pressure and a reminder to the general public that after nine months of the National Court resolution for the cleansing of the river, none of the specified steps has been taken [es]. In spite of the lack of action from the authorities and the overdue expected results, Francisco Isla Montoya, an Argentinean blogger expresses some hope in his blog La Communication no es Ingenua [es]:

Hoy los esfuerzos comienzan a dar resultado, hay nuevas generaciones, cambio social y leyes que pretenden resguardar el planeta o al menos intentarlo. Greenpeace, su rompehielos, está en Buenos Aires, esto no es inocente, es la voz de ambientalistas, ecologistas y ciudadanos conscientes de cuidar la casa.

Today we start seeing the results of the effort, there is a new generation, social change, and laws that attempt to protect the planet or at least try. Greenpeace's icebreaker is in Buenos Aires, this is not innocent, it is the voice of the environmentalists, ecologists and citizens conscious of taking care of their house.

Photo by Albริ and used under a Creative Commons license http://www.flickr.com/photos/_alby2_/318242785/

Hernán Nadal, coordinator for new technologies for Greenpeace, shares in his blog Listao [es] a video of the NGO campaign for the Riachuelo.

A week before the arrival of the Arctic Sunrise, Greenpeace opened a telephone line that allows people to give information about industrial waste in the area. According to a note on the blog Protagonistas [es], the data will be used to create a map of contamination in the river basin and would give a better sense of how many industries are responsible for the pollution.

Despite of the inefficiency of the authorities, environmentalists and other conscientious citizens may help bring about the long-awaited result for a river that could return to be what it used to: a place for families to gather, tourists to enjoy and life to blossom.

Argentina: Mi* Platform for Budding Spanish Speaking Citizen Journalists

Juliana Rincón Parra — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 00:50:25 +0000

From Argentina, the Mi * (asterisk) citizen journalism website has sprouted up, with the intention of becoming the platform for budding Spanish speaking citizen journalists to post their work and receive comments, discuss topics, receive training and share content. So far citizen journalism workshops have been given in Argentina, Ecuador and Dominican Republic, and citizens from these and other countries have been participating on the site.

The previous video shows the opinions of the people who were part of the workshop in Ecuador, and how it will change the way they work. They point out that Mi* provides an excellent platform for them to post relevant content that gets swept to the sidelines on more popular social networking sites.

You can sign up for the virtual or in person workshops on the sidebar of their site. According to Jacinto Lajas on the blog Citizen Journalism [es]:

Para ello organizan Talleres de Periodismo Ciudadano, ya celebrados en diferentes países, abiertos a todo público y destinados a generar espacios de participación directa de la ciudadanía en los medios de comunicación. Se trata de dotar a los jóvenes de las herramientas disponibles en la comunidad de Mi Asterisco para que puedan dar a conocer sus ideas, plantear problemas y compartir contenidos.

For this they organize Citizen Journalism Workshops, which have already taken place in different countries, open to all public and destined to generate spaces of direct participation for citizens in the media. It is about giving youth the tools available in the My Asterisk community so they can make their ideas known, present issues and share content.

In the following video, participants in the Ecuador workshop are asked what they think the future of newspapers is: they mentioned that going online was a definite step, that online content has made local newspapers reach international audiences and thus has a wider client base. Also that newspapers should try to compete by being more transparent about their biases and making sure information is accurately displayed.

On the Mi* site you can create a profile, upload images, videos, write posts, post events, join groups, open discussions. Some of the most popular groups are the one of “Future Journalists“, “History of the Coup d'etat“, “Colombia, Beloved Homeland” and “No to Police Force's Abuses“.

One of the videos posted on the site by a participant is this one added by Andrea Hernández on an ongoing series on the economy of people who sell stuff informally on the street. On this documentary video, created by cdimarcoa, we see the daily routine of people who make a living selling packaged food and cell phone minutes in the city of Bogotá:

Argentina: A Wall Separating Two Neighborhoods in Buenos Aires

Jorge Gobbi — Sun, 12 Apr 2009 01:57:04 +0000

The Argentinean county of San Isidro located in the northern part of Grand Buenos Aires started the construction of a wall spanning 16-blocks and measuring 3 meters in height creating a barrier with the neighboring location of San Fernando. According to the authorities in San Isidro, the reason behind the wall is to provide more security to their population, who affirm they're getting robbed by people who then run to the neighboring district.

The beginning of the construction caused several reactions of protest, and groups of neighbors of this county tore down the wall and destroyed many of the concrete blocks that were going to be used. The construction was defended by San Isidro's mayor, Gustavo Posse, after much criticism appeared in the media. Even the president of Argentina, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, talked about the subject: “The wall is an involution. I am amazed, it's a separatist measure. Instead of separating, we have to build”.

According to Econoblog [es], the request to build the wall “was made by the neighbors of La Horqueta to stop the thieves”, and that “the wall will stop the people from Villa Jardin neighborhood from crossing the streets towards the neighborhood of La Horqueta”. This location is one of the most expensive ones in San Isidro.

At Siete Crisantemos [es] they analyze the results of a survey in La Nacion newspaper, where most voters support the construction of the wall, adding:

Yo no vivo ni en San Isidro ni en San Fernando, y no puedo decir que tan insegura es esa zona en particular; pero ya con lo que es Capital Federal me doy una idea. Sin embargo me parece vergonzoso plantear como solución un muro que en realidad no terminaría de resolver nada, como tampoco lo haría la pena de muerte, pero ese ya es otro tema. Cada vez más escucho en todos lados que este tipo de soluciones son las que realmente podrían ser efectivas, y que ese sea el pensamiento de la mayoría realmente me resulta triste.

I live neither in San Isidro nor San Fernando, and I cannot say how unsafe is that particular arez, but with what happens in the Federal Capital (Buenos Aires), I have an idea. Nevertheless, I think it is embarrassing to propose a wall as a solution, which won't solve anything, just as I don't support the death penalty, which is another topic. Each time I hear that those types of solutions can be effect and that the majority of people think like that I, I get saddened.

At La Runfla [es] they state with irony that we are not talking about the West Bank in Palestine, but two localities in Buenos Aires. At Listao [es], they make fun of the mayor Posse, saying he copied his ideas from Micky Vanilla, a humor character from argentinian actor Diego Capusotto, that “makes pop music just for fun” and in this way tries to disguise the racist contents of his lyrics. Video of Micky Vanilla, with english subtitles

Finally, the Clarin newspaper blog Que Parezca un Accidente [es] reports that the neighbors opposed to the wall tore down what was left leaving behind a project that just spent important public funds, and Alex Piedo sarcastically writes:

Ahí lo tienen. Una simpática construcción, un muro cuyo único fin era mostrar al resto del mundo y sus alrededores, la capacidad y habilidad de los constructores de San Isidro, destruído, derribado, demolido inmediatamente por la desidia de aquellos que se oponen al progreso y al engrandecimiento de la Argentina toda. Un montón de dinero tirado a la basura por la mano de aquellos que se oponen al desafiante reto de la Argentina potencia.

There you have it. A nice little construction, a wall whose only goal was to show the rest of the surrounding world, the capacity and ability of the San Isidro construction workers, now it is destroyed knocked down and demolished by the carelessness of those that oppose progress and the growth of all of Argenina. A lot of money was thrown in the garbage by those who oppose the challenge of making Argentina a power.

Argentina: A Land of Immigrants and Emigrants

Celeste Calvet — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:06:23 +0000

There is a saying in Latin American that goes [es]: “Mexicans descend from the Aztecs, Peruvians from the Incas, and Argentineans from the boats.” And the Argentinean writer Jorge Luis Borges used to say that [es] “Argentineans are Europeans who were born in exile.”

The Argentina of today is a country built by immigrants mainly Europeans who escaped war and hunger in the first half of the 20th century. They left Spain, Italy, France, Wales, Germany, Russia, Poland and established homes in a rich and vast land full of possibilities. The result of this immigration was a community that longed for the motherland left behind and who did not share a common tradition.

Monument to the Immigrant in Rosario, Argentina. Taken by Pablo David Flores and used under a Creative Commons license. http://www.flickr.com/photos/pablodavidflores/534949058/

The last three decades of the century started to bring new immigrants; this time mostly from neighbouring countries but also from Korea, Japan and later, the Ukraine. Economic conditions in countries like Peru, Bolivia and Paraguay pushed their citizens to look for better life style in a country that relative to others in the region, was quickly growing.

During the 1970s, Argentina was governed by a military junta. Many intellectuals and activists were forced then to choose between exile and death. They left, extending the cultural reach to Europe. In the new century, after the political and economic crisis of 2001, many young people crowded Ezeiza, the international airport of Buenos Aires and said goodbye while dreaming of a new life elsewhere. In a circular movement, Argentineans went to Europe, returning to their grandparents’ first homeland.

However, not all immigrants experience the return to Europe in the same way: the colour of their skin, their accent, customs and ability to adapt to the new reality are elements that will determine how they will be received in a new country. The contrast between Argentineans being accepted abroad and Argentineans accepting others from abroad can at times be very evident. As a Spanish commenter on the blog Vagonettas [es] writes:

Los problemas de acceso a nuestro país de ciudadanos argentinos son mínimos, además es mal ejemplo, porque Argentina siempre ha caído y cae muy bien a todos los españoles (no lo digo porque otros no, pero siempre hay paises que caen mejor).

The problems of access to our country for Argentinean citizens are minimal, in addition to being a bad example, because Argentina had always been and is well liked by all Spanish (not because others are not, but simply that there are some countries that are more well liked than others).

At times, other Latin American immigrants experience the ups and downs of living in Argentina. The group blog Somos Paraguayos [es] collects stories from Paraguayans abroad, and its section on contributions from those living in Argentina demonstrates nostalgia for their homeland, stories of difficulties adapting, but also gratitude for the opportunities. For example Wilson Jacquet writes, “Thank you, Argentina [es]” and details how his family emigrated and where he now has completed his studies and is now married with a baby on the way.

Juan Pablo Meneses is a Chilean journalist living and working in Buenos Aires. In his blog Cronicas Argentinas [es] he dedicated a series of articles to describe the current life of immigrants like him, in the South American country. He writes:

Están los descendientes de inmigrantes que vinieron hasta la Argentina en barco que, muchas veces, recuerdan con orgullo esa argentina hecha por sus abuelos. Están los argentinos que en los últimos años se han ido del país, y que aseguran estar felices del viaje y de la no-vuelta, y recomiendan a Ezeiza como la única salida. Están los inmigrantes de los países limítrofes, la próxima primera minoría argentina, quienes se fortalecen bajo la lluvia de críticas. Están los que aseguran que Argentina sí es un país generoso, y quienes se oponen terminantemente a esa afirmación. Están casi todos.

There are those descendants of immigrants brought on the boats who remember with pride the Argentina built by their grandparents. There are those who in the last years have left the country and say are happy with the trip and say they are not coming back. They recommend Ezeiza as the only way out. There are the immigrants from neighbouring countries, the next first minority in Argentina who becomes stronger under the rain of criticism. There are those who assure that Argentina is a generous country and those who strongly oppose that statement. There are almost all of them.

The variety of experiences and origins of the new immigrants today, creates an intricate reality that is difficult to grasp for a country whose shape is in constant change. As migration increases in today’s world, Argentina will have to face soon the fact that it is, as it was, a country made by people wanting to make home in a new land. Understanding the different experiences of immigrants will help to build a nation cohesively in spite of and enriched by the cultural diversity.

Argentina: Holy Week Activities in Córdoba

Eduardo Avila — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 20:58:25 +0000

Planeta Cordósfera [es] publishes the list of Holy Week cultural activities in Córdoba, Argentina including the dramatic interpretation of the Passion.

Bolivia: Unlikely and Historic 6-1 Win Over Argentina

Eduardo Avila — Sun, 05 Apr 2009 03:07:37 +0000

With head coach Diego Maradona and his squad of superstars in town to face Bolivia in a World Cup qualifying match, it was expected to be another easy victory for Argentina ranked 6th in the world. However, it was the Bolivian team that shocked the entire continent with at the unexpected victory. It was not so much the victory that was considered to be unlikely, it was the final score of 6-1 that brought about renewed hope and faith in a team that was considered all but eliminated from the possibility of qualifying for the World Cup South Africa 2010.

Photo by Hugo Miranda and used with permission http://angelcaido666x.blogspot.com

Going into the game, many Bolivians dismissed the game as another loss by the home side. Ivan Rodriguez of Probarse es Gratis [es] was one of those people who said, “I was one of those skeptics, I admit it, I wouldn't even wager a piece of gum before the game.” During the course of the first half when Bolivia scored the first goal, heads began to turn and more people took an interest in the game. Dhampire [es] was at work during the match, but was able to catch a glimpse during his break. Soon his attention was placed squarely on the developing turn of events. Even with the halftime score 3-1 in favor of Bolivia, many like Willy Andres still expected the Argentines to come back to tie or even win the game [es].

Photo by Hugo Miranda and used with permission http://www.angelcaido666x.blogspot.com

When the final whistle sounded, few could believe the final score and celebrations began to erupt around the nation. In the days following the victory, it sparked a renewed pride in the national team. Even though there is an uphill battle to qualify for World Cup, mathematically it is still possible. Santiago Terceros of Insomniaco [es] wishes that they would play like this all the time. Some were even repentant. Gevalher on his Twitter account writes [es], “Bolivia beat Argentina 6-1, a thousand apologies to the national team for saying that they were useless.”

One blogger, Hugo Miranda of Angel Caido [es] proudly was at the game in person and captured and uploaded various videos of the game and some of the goals. It is a match that he won't forget anytime soon:

Hoy estuve ahi en el Siles junto a las 40000 personas, muchos que vinieron de Trinidad, Oruro, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Sucre, en fin de muchos partes del pais, que las entradas estaban caras.. claro que si, que la mayoria fue a ver a Messi, Tevez, Mascherano, Zanetti y demas platinados.. pues si.. pero todos los Bolivianos, en el interior sabiamos que se podia, que podiamos ganar…

Siempre he confiado en mi Seleccion, por que para los pobres la esperanza es lo unico que esta ahi, y sin eso no somos nada…….

Today I was there in (Stadium Hernando) Siles along with 40,000 people, many came from Trinidad, Oruro, Cochabamba, Santa Cruz, Sucre, and many other parts of the country, the tickets were expensive… of course, the majority came to see (Argentine players) Messi, Tevez, Mascherano, Zanetti and the rest of the stars.. but… all the Bolivians around the country knew that it could be done, that we could win…

I always had confidence in my National Team, because for the poor, hope is the only thing that is there and without that, we are nothing……

Not everyone took time off of work to go to the stadium or watch the match on television. In La Paz, Vania Balderrama of Capsula de Tiempo [es] did not want to go to the match to be disappointed, so she remained at work while her husband and children went to the stadium. However, during the course of the afternoon, she caught a glimpse of tweets from Bolivians every time there was another goal scored and that is how she found out about the historic win.

Following the match, the lopsided victory restarted the debate about playing football at such a high altitude. In the past couple of years, there has been a push to ban matches at above 2,500 meters above sea level, which would have eliminated La Paz as a possible site for matches. However, a campaign led by President Evo Morales has been defending Bolivia's right to play in La Paz, where many other South American teams, including Argentina in 2005, have won without any problem.

The victory also was even sweeter for some like Erika Pinto of Alkolica [es], who remembers the recent episodes of xenophobia during football matches in Argentina.

Finally, Gabriel Zuleta of Eufenismos [es] writes that the victory was welcome news for a country that has been experiencing a lot of internal conflict.

Bolivia supo atacar como nunca lo hace, esta vez los chicos demostraron GARRA, ENTUSIASMO, Dios quiera que esta motivacion se puede ver replicada en futuras presentaciones en el exterior y asi lograr la tan añorada y distante ilusion de participar en un MUNDIAL, otra vez… FELCIDADES BOLIVIANOS….. VIVA LA SELECCION!!!!!

Bolivia knew how to attack like never before, this time the guys showed HEART, ENTHUSIASM, God willing that this motivation can be replicated in other matches abroad and that way achieve the nostalgic and distant illusion of playing in the WORLD CUP, once more….CONGRATULATIONS BOLIVIA…. LONG LIVE THE NATIONAL TEAM!!!!!!

Special thanks to Blogs Bolivia for some of the links included in this story.

Argentina: Suggestion from Walter the Taxi Driver

Eduardo Avila — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 03:04:56 +0000

Layne Mosler of Go Where the Taxista Takes You receives a a restaurant suggestion from “Walter” a taxi driver from Buenos Aires, Argentina who had been shot while changing a tire and who had only recently returned to work.

Argentina: Xenophobia in the Football Stands

Eduardo Avila — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:52:49 +0000

Rivalries in Argentine football can become quite heated. The battles on the field often spill over into the stands, as club supporters clash with one another in various sections of the stadium. With nearly half of the 20 teams in the Argentine first division league located in the greater Buenos Aires area, it is quite easy for fans to follow their club even when playing as visitors. Even with precautions to keep fans away from one another, there are frequent clashes.

It is not always physical violence that marks the conflict between supporter groups often known as “hinchas” or “barra bravas.” Chants, songs, and signs can be directed at the opposing team and the opposing supporter groups. In some cases, these messages contain racist or xenophobic overtones, as it recently happened between a match between the club teams Independiente and Boca Juniors in Buenos Aires. Fans representing Independiente waved Paraguayan and Bolivian flags with the number 12 written on them. The number 12 has traditionally been used to symbolize the fans of Boca Juniors, which is one of the most popular clubs on the continent and boasts a large number of immigrant supporters living in Argentina. The fans used the flags and chants to mock the Boca Juniors supporters for having these large immigrant groups as part of their fan base.

Bloggers from both countries also reacted to the incident. Paraguayan Arturo Zarratea Herreros of Vida de Perros [es] would like the fans from Independiente to recall Arsenio Erico, who is the leading goal scorer of all time in the history of the Argentine league wearing the #9 shirt for the club Independiente and who also happened to be Paraguayan. Zarratea adds that the fans had honored Erico in the past and even a part of the stadium is even named after him. However, he writes:

Nadie es más ni menos por haber nacido en un país, así como nadie tiene derecho a discriminar por ese hecho. Recomiendo a los hinchas de Independiente, que portaron el domingo las banderas paraguayas, que lean la historia de su club y tomen lecciones de educación cívica para realizar estas “originales” burlas.

No one is more or less for being born in a country, just as no one has the right to discriminate for that fact. I recommend to the fans of Independiente, who held the Paraguayan flags, to read the history of their club and take lessons in civic education to (not) take part in this “original” mocking.

The incident caused an outrage by the diplomatic mission of Bolivia in Buenos Aires, which called for severe sanctions and a condemnation from the Argentine Football Association (AFA), which is something that the AFA President Julio Grondona promised to do [es]. Some fans in Bolivia and Paraguay also reacted to the incident in a very heated manner.

However, Bolivian football blogger Jaime Galarza of Once a Once [es] writes that the reaction should be measured and rational:

Hay que tener cuidado en cómo se reacciona en estos temas. Las protestas no tienen por qué seguir el camino de los intolerantes de las banderas y los cánticos ofensivos y despectivos, o sea, los anti xenofobia no deben terminar convertidos en xenófobos.

Lo de la barra brava de Independiente es lamentable, más si utilizaron símbolos oficiales que merecen respeto como las banderas de Bolivia y Paraguay. Pero no por lo ocurrido en una cancha de fútbol se tiene que ir contra un país. No se puede involucrar a “los argentinos” por un grupo de inadaptados. No caigamos en la intolerancia.

One must be careful with the reaction to these issues. The protests do not need to follow the same path of the intolerance of the flags or offensive and derogatory songs, in other words, the anti-xenophobics must not become the xenophobic.

What happened in the barra brava of Independiente is unfortunate, even more when they used official symbols that deserve respect like the Bolivian and Paraguayan flags. But what happened on the field should not be used against an entire country. One can't blame “Argentines” for the acts of a group of maladjusted. Let's not be a part of the intolerance.

Racism in football is a problem affecting many countries across the world, and Argentina is no different. Bolivian writer Edmundo Paz Soldán writes about his time spent studying International Relations at a university in Buenos Aires in the mid 1980s and his experiences attending Boca Juniors football matches where the Bolivian Milton Melgar had played on the squad [es]. He recalls a match against arch rivals River Plate, which his visiting brother also attended with him:

Salieron los equipos a la cancha, ví a Melgar y me emocioné. Siguieron los cánticos. Parecía una competencia para ver cuál hinchada era más creativa en la ofensa; un estribillo ingenioso era respondido por otro estribillo aun más creativo.

De pronto, la hinchada de River comenzó a corear: “¡Bolivianos, bolivianos, bolivianos!” La reacción de los hinchas de Boca en torno nuestro me impactó; decían cosas del tipo: “Nos jodieron estos gallinas. Y ahora, ¿cómo les respondemos?” No, no había forma. Para los hinchas de Boca, el peor insulto que se les podía decir era “bolivianos”. Por suerte, mi hermano no entendió lo que pasaba; cuando me preguntó por qué los gritos de “bolivianos”, le dije, procurando disimular mi rabia, que era la forma en que la hinchada de River reconocía el talento de Melgar.

The teams came out on the field, I saw Melgar and became excited. The songs continued. It appeared to be a competition to see which supporter group could be the most creatively offensive; a clever refrain was responded to by a more clever refrain.

Soon, the fans of River (Plate) started to sing: “Bolivians, Bolivians, Bolivians!” The reaction by the fans of Boca around me impacted me; they would say: “Those chickens (nickname for the fans of River Plate) messed with us, and now how do we respond?” No, there was no way to. For the fans of Boca, the worst insult was being called “Bolivians.” Fortunately, my brother did not understand what was happening; when he asked me why they yelling “Bolivians,” I told him, trying to hide my anger, that it was the way the River fans acknowledged Melgar's talent.

These incidents are not always limited to the fans, even the referees have been known to utilize some racist language. Paz Soldán continues in his blog post by describing the incident that took place in 2008 between the clubs Argentinos Juniors and Gimnasia y Esgrima in the northern city of Jujuy. The referee Saúl Laverni had made a bad call and the players from the local side started to protest and plead with Leverni, who told the players, “stop bothering me, Bolivians.” The president of Gimnasia Raúl Ulloa resigned and said [es], “He called us Bolivians, and after 20 years in football, is something that I won't tolerate.”

Sanctions against clubs can be monetary in nature, suspension of stadium privileges and in some cases, criminal action against the offending parties. No penalty has been announced against the club Independiente. During last weekend's match [es], the players of the club Independiente came out of the locker room with a banner with the flags of Paraguay and Bolivia next to the Independiente shield and the words, “No to the Discrimination of our Brother Countries: Bolivia and Paraguay.”

Argentina: Moving Up the Date of Congressional Elections

Jorge Gobbi — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 14:32:50 +0000

Congressional elections in Argentina had been scheduled to take place on October 25 of this year. However, unexpectedly, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner announced she would send a draft law to the Congress with the purpose of moving these elections forward to June 28. Since the government party has majority in both chambers of Congress, the proposal is expected to pass. Most of the opposition parties have come out against the decision, but others have expressed that they would not have major problems in supporting the project.

According to Página Impar [es], former president Néstor Kirchner, who happens to be the husband of the current president “was behind the decision to change the national elections date to the 28th of June, after a meeting with congressmen from his party”. The decision was made quickly, and the Chief of Government of the city of Buenos Aires, Mauricio Macri, also announced that the local elections would take place on June 28 making it a different date from the national elections. With the decision of the government, now both will happen on the same day.

According to Artepolítica [es], the reasons for this change are the international economic crisis that is expected to worsen after August; and the elections in the city of Buenos Aires (where the government expects the opposition to divide its votes among several options) and in Santa Fe, where the Peronism is looking for a single candidate.

Brujipedia [es] points out that:

Hace una semana Néstor Kirchner pensaba diferente. (…) A los gritos, Kirchner preguntó: “¿Por qué adelantan tanto las elecciones? ¿Qué le pasa a la burocracia política? ¿Tienen miedo de perder que separan las elecciones?”

One week ago Néstor Kirchner felt differently (…) Kirchner asked out loud: “Why are they moving the elections up so much? What's going on in the political bureaucracy? Are they scared to lose so they separate the elections?”

This comment refers to the decision of the government of the province of Catamarca that brought forward the elections to separate them from the nationals. Now, it's his wife's government that makes a similar decision. And in La Política al Poder [es], they state that “the official argumentation is not convincing.” The reason for the change of the election date would be that:

el gobierno lo hace por que cree que le conviene y esto es más que suficiente, asume la iniciativa, cambia el escenario y los pone a todos a correr, por que el tiempo es poco, los 225 días faltantes para la elección se redujeron a 100…

the government is doing this because they believe it's good for them and that's more than enough. They take the initiative, change the scenery forcing everyone into a race, because time is short. The next 225 days before the election are reduced to 100…

Now, the draft law of the Argentine government will go to the Congress, where it must be approved in less than two weeks if it it wants to meet the electoral datelines.