It’s impossible to get bored in Argentina. Most of the time, this country is like a merry-go-round, a decaying carrousel endlessly turning in circles, round and round; a flea-ridden dog chasing its tail. But over the last few days, it’s been like a rollercoaster, madly flashing up and down. Only last week, Milei was almost expected to resign or fly away, De La Rúa-style, as the victim of a possible “coup d’état,” a perfect loser. Now, “with a huge help from his friend, Donald,” he has turned into a South American Superman. Is this a lucky strike or a planned strategy? I know that beggars can’t be choosers, but do we bear in mind that sooner or later we’ll have to give back the millions he’s lending us? Or is it a non-returnable gift? That’s the way we live in the pampas, one day at a time, never guessing what comes next, always adapting to the new circumstances, keeping our wonder alive, never losing our sense of awe. Up and down, up and down, bouncing on a trampoline, from desperation to elation, from utter darkness to dazzling light, always depending on the kindness of strangers (to quote Blanche Dubois in A Streetcar Named Desire). We’re obviously chronically unable to stand on our own two feet. Forever in debt. Sigh …
Buenos Aires Times, September 27, 2025