BUENOS AIRES BRIEFING February 2005

News this month

Bolting the stable door

Following a December fire at a nightclub that killed 192 people, Buenos Aires has belatedly started to enforce the fire code. Nightclubs across the city were statutorily closed until January 18th, but their reopening was further delayed when inspectors found widespread security violations, including rampant use of flammable materials, a lack of emergency exits and inadequate ventilation. The clampdown also affected numerous shops and restaurants in the city's shopping centres, as well as cinemas, a bingo parlour and a playground at a McDonald's restaurant. Fanning these flames, the Argentine Chamber of Security, a private business consortium, announced that around half the fire extinguishers in Buenos Aires would not work in case of emergency.

This renewed attention to fire safety has been led by Juan José Alvarez, a former justice minister and a close ally of Eduardo Duhalde, a former president. Mr Alvarez was appointed security chief in a bid to shore up the beleaguered city administration, which many blame for lax safety practices before the deadly blaze. But few believe that the government will make lasting changes; Mr Alvarez is not expected to remain in office once the scandal blows over. Meanwhile, his main proposal, which is to devolve control of the city's police and fire services from national to municipal authorities, has hardly tickled federal officials.

Aníbal's march

Aníbal Ibarra, mayor of Buenos Aires, announced that he will seek a binding city-wide vote on whether he should continue in his post. He said that if the city constitution prevents him from calling a referendum himself, he will lead a campaign to raise the necessary signatures from 20% of the city's residents. Some have welcomed Mr Ibarra's call, though others see it as a way to deflect attention from the Cromañón fire debacle. In the aftermath of the tragedy, court investigators have embargoed property from the leader of the city council, and are determining whether other officials failed to enforce fire-safety regulations.

Mr Ibarra's confident call for a renewed mandate followed two excellent performances in the city's legislature. Although he looked bewildered in the aftermath of the fire, he has since recovered and managed to project a strong executive image, while his opponents have floundered. But many of the victims' families have accused him of opportunism, a view reflected in a recent poll: the majority of respondents opposed the referendum and almost one-third said they would support Mr Ibarra's impeachment. But this has tainted his opponents as well. Jorge Mercado, a former supporter of Mauricio Macri, an opposition leader, has condemned Mr Macri for continuing “to speculate on people's pain”.

Code red

The city's harsh new code for minor legal infractions took effect in January, and it is already starting to alter the capital's streets. The most noticeable change came in the city's red-light districts, especially the suburbs of Palermo, famous for its scantily-clad transvestites. These streets are now largely empty. Most prostitutes have now moved to the nearby woods, as new laws forbid them from plying their trade within 200 metres of houses, schools or religious buildings. Surprisingly, some Palermo residents now worry about a surge in crime on their newly deserted streets.

The new code is also upsetting the city's itinerant vendors. They complain of being served with over 150 infraction notices, and many have had their goods confiscated. They have launched several roadblocks in protest. To defuse the row, the city council will issue 790 licenses to erect street stalls. But this has been criticised by the city's formal businesses, which contend that street-sellers are part of a larger organised-crime network that generates $250m a year.

On the bus

The city's criminals have taken advantage of residents' annual exodus to the beach by staging a series of increasingly sophisticated armed robberies on long-distance buses. These thieves board the bus as regular travellers, wait for a quiet stretch of highway, and then rob the passengers at gunpoint before escaping in support vehicles. To curtail the attacks, city authorities are studying a few new policies, including document inspection and an end to roadside stops.

The attacks have followed a rise in the number of tourist robberies in Buenos Aires. But while the number rose by 79% from January to November 2004, the overall number—887 out of 3m total visitors—remains small. And despite public concern, crime appears to be dropping across Buenos Aires province. The murder rate dropped by around 40% last year, and kidnapping fell by nearly half.

Slow improvements

The city council has finally started implementing a series of long-promised plans to spruce up the centre of Buenos Aires. The largest project, first announced in 1998, will widen the pavement and remove one lane from Corrientes Avenue, the centre of the city's theatre district and home of many of its best bookshops. The council is also installing flower beds and pedestrian walkways in the centre of Avenue 9 de Julio, which residents claim is the widest avenue in the world. While some motorists think the measures will increase journey times, the council is undeterred: in addition to these pedestrian-friendly moves, it also plans to encourage the use of public transport by making it more difficult to park in the centre.

Catch if you can

February 2005

Carnival 2005

Though Buenos Aires's carnival is not in the same league as those of Rio de Janerio or Port of Spain, in Trinidad, it has grown steadily since its nadir in the mid-1980s. This year 75,000 people will participate, including 100 murgas—groups of costumed dancers and musicians comprising the event's centrepiece. Last year's crowd numbered 800,000, and organisers expect even more people this year. The local carnival has a long history, dating from the culture of African slaves imported in the 19th century. But it suffered during the military dictatorship of 1976-83: the junta, perhaps wary of the irreverent tone and political content of the murgas' songs, banned public holidays during carnival.

With the return of democracy, carnival has flourished again. This year the city council has established a two-day holiday (at least for its own employees). On February 7th, the murgas will celebrate throughout the city; the next day they will march on Congress to demand that the holiday be extended throughout Argentina.

At neighbourhoods throughout the city. For a full timetable, call +54 (0)11 4371-9823, or visit the carnival's website.