Versión Español
Spanish – A few days ago, we, at the PanAm Post, warned that the conditions in streets of Buenos Aires were not suitable for another notice of extension of the quarantine, like the three previous ones by Alberto Fernández. In his recent announcement, the Argentine president said that the objectives of the health plan were being met. So the widespread lockdown had to be extended until May 10. But gradually, the recurring episodes of civil disobedience were multiplying at a faster rate than the cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) infections.
Less than a week before the official announcement, Ginés González Garcia, the country’s health minister, gave a preview of what is to come. Far from recognizing that the situation is not getting any better, the executive branch official said the government was aware of people’s fatigue and would act accordingly. The truth is that things got out of hand.
“The quarantine will continue but with different specifications,” the official said without revealing much detail. But he did say that it is time to recover a “part of the life we had before:”
“It is not massive, but some people are tired and distressed. Many want to return to some kind of activity outside their homes that will enable them to improve their livelihoods. This indeed exists, and we take it very seriously. Some days ago, when the previous decree was issued, the national government wanted to allow some recreation. The idea was to recover some part of life similar to what it was before. And that’s what we have to do.”
Even though the president had granted limited recreational permits at the national level in the previous decree, they were rejected by the mayors and governors of the most populated districts, such as Buenos Aires and Córdoba.
The liberal economist who predicted that things would return to normal on May 11
Miguel Boggiano, one of Argentina’s most prominent liberals in the media, announced on his social media that his quarantine ends on May 11. Following his comment, the economist had a hard time with the ruling party’s journalist Pablo Duggan, who called him an “anarchist” on his Radio 10 program. In Boggiano’s opinion, the government has seriously violated individual freedoms within the scope of the quarantine, which is still in force.
