Yes, I Cry for You, Argentina…
[Note from Steve: Allende, Borges, Garcia-Marquez, and Vargas Llosa are four great South American authors. There are many more, of course, and many of them are unfamiliar to U.S. readers, even though many of us consider Spanish our country’s second language. Here is a note from Vargas Llosa about political incompetence in Latin America and the current political nexus between Argentina and Venezuela. Any similarities of the former to our political situation in Washington D.C. might not be coincidental. The latter might be controversial.
Over the years, political winds have blown from many directions and Latin American writers reflect those shifting winds. Take what truisms you find from the following. As with all op-ed, the educated reader should question the opinions and perhaps develop his own. My review of Edward David Holzman’s book Malena—also see my webpage “Steve’s Bookshelf”—is complementary to this article in many ways. As always, your comments are welcome.
By the way, the translation is mine—don’t blame the author! My version is a free rendering of the original. Things can be lost in the translation. The original Spanish text follows. Thanks to my compadre for bringing this article to my attention.
If you like this post, support this blog: buy, read, and review some of my books. Free ebook: In particular, Angels Need Not Apply will be available as a free download on Amazon, June 14 through 18. Don’t miss this chance for some exciting summer reading.]
Yes, I Cry for You, Argentina.
Argentina, a country that was democratic when three-quarters of Europe was not, a country that was one of the most prosperous on Earth when Latin America was a starving and backwards continent.
The first country in the world that ended illiteracy wasn’t the United States or France—it was Argentina with an educational system that was an example for all the world. How could this progressive country become the impoverished, chaotic, and under-developed country of today? What happened? Who invaded it? Did it suffer through some terrible war?
No, Argentines did all this to themselves. In the last half of the twentieth century they chose the worse options.
How can we understand this? A country with cultured citizens, a privileged country, a small number of people living in an enormous territory with an abundance of natural resources. Why is it not the best country in the world? How can it not have the same quality of life as Switzerland and Sweden?
Because the Argentines didn’t want it that way. Instead they wanted to remain poor, followers of leaders and saviors spouting garbage, men and women crazed by their hatred for anyone disagreeing with their deranged ideas. They wanted to live under dictators or under the most odious forms of merchantilism. In all of this, the Argentines share responsibility.
For me, it’s horrible what has occurred in Argentina. The first time I went there, I was struck with wonder. It was a country of the middle class where there weren’t poor people in the Latin American sense of poverty. How could a couple so diabolical, manipulative, populists to the extreme, street-corrupt like the Kirchners become president and govern this country? At least one is gone now!
Let’s hope that the one that’s left cannot continue to destroy this great country, Argentina! Nevertheless, to judge by the diabolical and intimate relations with Venezuela, everything indicates that “Cristinita” will reach even more to the present leader, apprentice to the great dictator, who has financed his rule at the cost of the noble but incomprehensibly inert Venezuelan people.
What a political disgrace! What an intellectual disgrace! Argentina and Venezuela, two countries torn apart by demoniacal crazies! I ask myself: How is that possible?
Mario Vargas Llosa
Madrid, Spain
Sí, Lloro por Tí, Argentina.
Argentina, un país que era democrático cuando tres cuartas partes de Europa no lo eran, un país que era uno de los más prósperos de la Tierra cuando América Latina era un continente de hambrientos, de atrasados.
El primer país del mundo que acabó con el analfabetismo no fue Estados Unidos, no fue Francia, fue la Argentina con un sistema educativo que era un ejemplo para todo el mundo. Ese país que era un país de vanguardia ¿Como puede ser que sea el país empobrecido, caótico, subdesarrollado que es hoy? ¿Qué pasó? ¿Alguien lo invadió? ¿Estuvieron enfrascados en alguna guerra terrible?
No, los argentinos se hicieron eso ellos mismos. Los argentinos eligieron a lo largo de medio siglo las peores opciones.
¿Cómo se entiende eso? Un país con gentes cultas, absolutamente privilegiado, una minoría de habitantes en un enorme territorio que concentra todos los recursos naturales. ¿Por qué no son el primer país de la Tierra? ¿Por qué no tienen el mismo nivel de vida que Suecia, que Suiza?
Porque los argentinos no han querido. Han querido en cambio ser pobres. Seguir a “caudillos” de pacotilla, “salvadores” de porquería, locos, desquiciados por su mismo odio a todo lo que sea diferente a su locura. Han querido vivir bajo dictaduras, han querido vivir dentro del mercantilismo más espantoso. Hay en esto una responsabilidad del pueblo argentino.
Para mí es espantoso lo que ha ocurrido en Argentina. La primera vez que fui allí quedé maravillado. Un país de clases medias, donde no había pobres en el sentido latinoamericano de la pobreza. ¿Cómo pudo llegar a la presidencia una pareja tan diabólica, manipuladora, populistas en grado extremo, corruptos de calle como los Kirchner gobernando ese país?. Al menos ya uno no está!.
Esperemos que la que queda no pueda seguir hundiendo a ese otrora gran país argentino!
Sin embargo, a juzgar por sus diabólicas relaciones estrechísimas con el desquiciado, paria, bestia troglodita, de la extinta y queridísima República de Venezuela, todo parece indicar que ahora “Cristinita” se apegará aún más a ese escoria, aprendiz de dictadorzuelo, quien ya bastante le ha financiado su mandato a costa del noble pero incomprensiblemente inerte pueblo Venezolano.
¡Qué degradación política, qué degradación intelectual! Argentina y Venezuela, dos países extraordinarios vueltos pedazos por una sarta de demoníacos desquiciados!!!
Por eso me pregunto ¿Cómo es eso posible?
Mario Vargas Llosa
Madrid, España
