The political truce expected after the victory of the “select” at the Football World Cup has long fired.
by Flora Genne (Buenos Aires, correspondent)
The center of Buenos Aires and its adjacent motorways, speckled with blue and white overflowing with five million supporters (astronomical figure, in a country of 47 million people); fans extending the party and singing with a loud tank; Players triumphantly raising their trophy aboard an imperial bus: the reception of world football champions in their country, Tuesday, December 20, delivered an impressive number of images making up the mosaic of this historic event. But one is missing one: the players on the balcony of Casa Rosada, the presidential palace. They were invited. But they did not go there.
Still in Qatar, for lack of confirmation, the national media wondered: would players go to the headquarters of the executive? The question remained unanswered all day on Tuesday, superimposed on the great confusion around the route of the bus on which Argentines were massaged which, for some, had made the trip from the neighboring provinces, thanks to a day holiday decreed in extremis the day before by the government.
During the day, the arrival of players at Casa Rosada was announced to the conditional by certain media, pushing thousands of supporters to wait for them on the Plaza de Mayo, the place that adjoins the palace. Argentine president Alberto Fernandez (center left), also hoped for them. In vain. The bus had to give up his full journey, depriving the meeting so desired by the head of state and the millions of people gathered in a compact crowd on his way to the presidential palace. The vehicle could not make a safe passage. Two men even managed to throw themselves into the bus from a bridge over the highway, which would have caused the decision To deflect the course.
“Break with the inheritance of Maradona”
Finally, the champions have never even reached Casa Rosada, without anyone knowing the reasons or even the officials of such a decision – the team captain? The players ? The Argentinian football association (AFA)? The accusations of poor organization have shot. “We are not allowed to salute all the people gathered with the obelisk [the rallying point of fans], the same security organizations that escorted us do not let us move forward”, complained on Twitter the president of the AFA , Claudio Tapia, known as “Chiqui”.
no our dejan llegar a saludar a toda the gente that estaba en el obelisco, los mismos organizations of seguridad that our… https://t.co/dt9y6vxtbo
This failed meeting is a first: never a championed or finalist football team had refused a meeting with the executive, whatever its political edge. In 1986, after their victory – the first won in a democracy, the previous one having taken place in the middle of the military dictatorship, in 1978 -, the champions, Diego Maradona in mind, went to Casa Rosada. “Diego” even tends the Cup to the President, Raul Alfonsin (center left), who kisses him. The champions jubilant to the balcony of the presidential palace, just like in 1990 , Maradona still on the front line, when they miss the coronation of a walk. President Carlos Menem (right) is displayed, radiant, with vice-champions. In 2014, while Argentina returned from Brazil beaten by Germany in the final, another formula is found: President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (Center left) receives players at the headquarters of the Argentine Football Association .
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