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Adam Freedman

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Posted Wednesday, Oct. 20, 1999, at 9:00 PM ET

At 1 p.m., I met Marcelo at the Alliance Party headquarters, just around the corner from the Argentine Congress. The press office had forgotten to put me on the accredited list for the evening's rally in Rosario, and our photographer was nowhere in sight. The day was shaping up nicely.

Graciela from the press office gave me a credential anyway. "But I can't guarantee you a spot on the bus," she said.

Marcelo took me aside. "Let's get on the bus now," he said, "while the other journalists are still in the cafe." We settled into the bus and waited as the others straggled in.

The driver switched on the radio--"Tequila" was playing--and we were off. Graciela walked up and down the bus compiling a passenger list. Behind us were two German journalists; across the aisle, a correspondent for a Brazilian paper. When Marcelo said that we were from the Buenos Aires Herald, Graciela cried: "What international coverage we have today!"

"We're not an international paper," Marcelo growled under his breath.

We're used to being thought of as foreign, but the Herald is actually something of an Argentine institution. Founded 123 years ago, the paper established a unique reputation for independence, especially during the years of dictatorship. The staff takes great pride in the fact that the majority of Herald readers are Argentines rather than expatriates. Not bad for an English-language paper.

We drove four hours through the pampas, past neatly plowed fields and the big white gates of splendid estancias. Marcelo and I got to talking with the Brazilian journalist. Her name was Vanessa, and she had just moved to Buenos Aires with her husband. I experienced one of those delightful expat moments when you meet someone who knows even less than you do about the country.

Covering an election campaign, in Argentina at least, involves short bursts of activity wedged into long hours of eating, drinking, and slothfulness. The bus made two stops so that campaign officials could ply us with soda and junk food. When we finally arrived in Rosario, the press contingent gravitated to a fast-food restaurant called VIP. I sat outside, eating my "Menu No. 12" with Marcelo and Vanessa.

At length we waded into the crowd in search of interviews. The Argentine political landscape is confusing. No fewer than 10 parties are fielding presidential candidates. The Alliance itself is a coalition of the Radicals (the traditional anti-Peronist party) and various smaller groups, including the gorgeously-named Intransigent Party.

Vanessa and I interviewed a group of rebel Intransigents who were upset at the way the Alliance was being run. They had come all the way to Rosario for the sole purpose of unfurling their banner and then leaving before the speeches started.

The vice-presidential candidate, Carlos "Chacho" Alvarez, gave a rousing speech against "globalization," by which he means Americanization. Argentina opened its economy in the early '90s, attracting an unprecedented flow of American capital, bankers, and lawyers--that's what brought me down here in the first place. Today, your average Argentine will tell you that excessive U.S. influence is responsible for economic stagnation and a general moral decline. I try not to take that personally, but when Alvarez shouted, "We have to defend our cultural identity against the forces of globalization," the crowd gave a such bloodthirsty roar that I found myself thinking: "Taxi! U.S. embassy, and step on it!"

Then came the keynote speech by presidential candidate Fernando De la Rúa. After so many dictators and charismatic strongmen, Argentina seems to be craving a spell of boredom. De la Rúa rarely disappoints. A gray, somber lawyer, he is almost wantonly cautious in every utterance he makes. In his schoolmarmish way, De la Rúa promises to cut VAT, but only when people stop evading taxes. His slogan is "President Safe." Is it just me, or can you feel your pulse quickening?

Here's the thing: Argentines are eating it up. Pollsters are predicting a massive De la Rúa victory in Sunday's election.

After the speeches, there was a scramble to the press tent. Although Marcelo was ostensibly there to research a longer feature, he helped me (a lot, actually) to get the on-the-spot story filed in time for tomorrow's paper. Then we both helped Vanessa, who was having trouble with the Internet connection to Sao Paulo.

When the last reporter left the tent, the Alliance informed us that the bus to Buenos Aires wouldn't leave for another hour. In the meantime, the press was invited for--what else?--pizza and beer at a local cantina. It was getting on for midnight when we finally left.

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Posted Wednesday, Oct. 20, 1999, at 9:00 PM ET
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Adam Freedman went to Argentina as a lawyer and ended up as a columnist and Sunday editor of the Buenos Aires Herald.
COMMENTS

The Fraymaster adds:


Cristina Guzman, of Diputada de la Nacion, writes:

I have read your article on Slate concerning the Argentine political campaign, and your chronicle of the speeches in Rosario on November 20th. I was deeply shocked by some your remarks regarding the speech of the Alliance's candidate for vice-president, Mr. Carlos "Chacho" Alvarez.

You say that the "average Argentine will tell you that excessive U.S. influence is responsible for economic stagnation and a general moral decline." This is not true. I have been a national representative from one of Argentina's poorest provinces for five terms. I also lead a traditional local party that supports the Alliance, and I must say that it is rare to hear from the public that "excessive U.S. influence" is responsible for our economic and moral ailments. People in Argentina are very aware that economic and moral problems are due to dramatic failures by Menem's administration, and are not so naïve to think that what is happening in our country is because of "excessive U.S. influence."

You also say that when Alvarez made a plea for preservation of our cultural identity, "The crowd gave a such bloodthirsty roar that I found myself thinking: 'Taxi! U.S. embassy, and step on it!'" As a joke, I find this quite amusing. As an assessment of facts, I find it inaccurate. To defend our right to cultural identity is by no means a call for "Yankee go home," beyond the fact that Argentina has also attracted an unprecedented flow of investments from France, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Chile and other countries besides the U.S. Telling the American public that the Alliance or its candidates are calling to combat the U.S. or its companies seems to me as a total lack of seriousness.

The Alliance is a pluralistic coalition, made up from the common goal to stop the failures of Menem's administration to give political credibility and long-term social sustainability to market reforms. We are aware that globalization is here to stay. It is a ruthless misinterpretation to suggest that Alvarez or the Alliance is against U.S. investments. To defend the right to our own cultural identity cannot be seen as an antagonistic feature in any way.

Moreover, preservation of our cultural identity should be seen as a sign of political development, since lack of identity often leads rulers to embrace models or patterns which uncritically taken, will lead to deception. (By the way, this is what happened to President Menem, who recently stated that "our teachers have let us down.") The Alliance will foster the way to profound changes in the polity, but not by the way of idiotic nationalism, but by the way of self-aware openness, giving juridical stability and political and social sustainability to market reforms. The American public should know this, and should not be misled by the subjective impressions of an accidental journalist.


And this reader writes:

I enjoy seeing this often unnoticed part of the world in a publication I enjoy immensely. Sadly, previous mentions of Argentina in Slate have mostly included passing sneers at nazi-harbouring and Evita Perón--which I dare say is more than the country is about--and a spot-on analysis by Paul Krugman of Peronist candidate Eduardo Duhalde's appeals to the Pope for economic deliverance. I'm pleased to say that according to polls, Duhalde's big mouth and sloppy economics will cost him badly, and he may be heading for the most resounding defeat of the Peronist party ever. But I guess we'll find out on Sunday.


(10/21)

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