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WORLD NEWS Friday 4 december 2020

Buenos Aires’ cafe culture fighing to survive amid pandemic

By ALMUDENA CALATRAVA try has confirmed more
Associated Press than 1.4 million novel coro-
BUENOS AIRES (AP) — Just navirus cases and about
nine months ago, a line 39,000 deaths.
would form each day out- Argentina’s economy is ex-
side Buenos Aires’ bustling pected to contract by 12%
Cafe Tortoni, people trying this year due to the pan-
to get in to drink a cortado demic and the prolonged
coffee in the Argentine recession gripping the
Belle Epoque halls once country.
frequented by writers and Pablo Durán, a member of
artists such as Jorge Luis the Commission of Cafes
Borges, Carlos Gardel and Notables, said managers
Federico García Lorca. and owners have turned
Now a few diners sit at ta- to their savings and gone
bles set up on the sidewalk into debt to preserve their
in front of the iconic cafe businesses. What they fear
founded in 1858, and a now is the expected end
handful more sit at socially in January of federal aid
distanced tables attended they have been receiving
by two waiters carrying dis- to pay part of the salaries
infectant sprays on trays. of their employees.
The usual roar of laughter, “You have to adjust. It’s a
debate and lively conver- Statues of Argentine writer Adolfo Bioy Casares, right, and Jorge Luis Borges, sit at a table at La war economy,” said Mar-
sation is eerily missing. Biela restaurant in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2020. Associated Press tín Paesch, a manager of
“This year has been very the historic El Federal bar,
hard. ... Before the café gling to survive what their bring people,’ and right basement. Spanish poet which has served as a set-
was always full, you had to owners say is the worst crisis now there are no people García Llorca visited the ting in classic Argentine
wait to get in,” said Nicolas in their history, caused by anywhere,” Prado said, re- Tortoni during his stays in movies. “People’s incomes
Prado, one of the manag- the coronavirus pandemic ferring to the tourists, resi- Buenos Aires. have fallen dramatically,
ers of Cafe Tortoni, located and lockdown measures dents and office workers In order to overcome the and their enjoyment of lei-
in the center the Argentine on top of a deep, years- who frequented the estab- pandemic, some cafe no- sure has decreased.”
capital, which is known for long recession. lishment. table owners are trying to Pandemic measures have
its European flair. At least four of the city’s The Tortoni still preserves draw customers with out- forced El Federal to re-
Buenos Aires has long had more than 70 officially its stained-glass ceiling, door tables and distanc- duce its previous capacity
a thriving cafe scene and recognized “cafes nota- wooden walls and marble- ing authorized by officials. of 80 customers to 15, and
its many historic cafes/bars bles” have already closed topped tables where peo- Other cafes are delivering Paesch said that Novem-
— officially recognized as since a quarantine was ple used to play dominoes. meals and even trying to ber’s revenue was 85% less
“cafes notables” for their announced on March 20 Its salons held tango shows. sell mugs or souvenirs on- than in the same month last
contribution to the capi- and others are hanging by Singer and songwriting Car- line. year.
tal’s culture — are meet- a thread after months of los Gardel — the most im- But their hopes are being Engineer Ernesto Frías re-
ing points and tourist draws revenues near zero. Over- portant figure in the history dashed by the reality that cently returned to El Feder-
with their century-old ar- all, about 2,000 bars, res- of tango — had a table very few tourists are arriv- al for the first time in months.
chitecture and nostalgia- taurants and cafés have permanently reserved near ing in Argentina, which has “I like working here,” said
soaked decor. Passing closed in Argentina’s capi- a window. Argentine writ- been hard hit by the pan- Frías, 61, as he pecked at
through their doors can tal since the lockdown. ers and novelists such as demic and has imposed his computer’s keyboard
feel like stepping back in “There is a saying in the Borges and Julio Cortázar tough lockdown measures. while admiring the decor of
time. But they are strug- business that goes: ‘People held literary meetings in its The South American coun- the old wooden bar.q
Puerto Rico to lock down Sundays, close marinas for holidays

By DÁNICA COTO Only gas stations, pharma- a total lockdown, but she
Associated Press cies, grocery stores and did not approve other rec-
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) hardware stores will be al- ommendations from inde-
— Puerto Rico’s governor lowed to open on Sundays, pendent health experts, in-
on Thursday announced though restaurants can of- cluding opening beaches
stricter measures to fight fer delivery or carry-out. In under certain requirements
COVID-19, including a lock- addition, alcohol sales will and closing commercial
down on Sundays and the be banned from Saturdays businesses and allowing
closure of all marinas as the at 5 a.m. until Mondays at them only to sell online.
U.S. territory grapples with 5 a.m. The island of 3.2 million
an increase in cases and The new measures run from people has more than
deaths. Dec. 7 to Jan. 7, the height 52,000 confirmed cases,
Gov. Wanda Vázquez also of the island’s holiday and more than 41,600 probable
tightened an ongoing cur- tourism season. Beaches ones and more than 1,150
few, with businesses now also will remain closed ex- deaths. In this May 21, 2020 file photo, a Puerto Rican flag flies on an
ordered closed at 8:30 p.m. cept to those doing exer- More than 100 people are empty beach at Ocean Park, in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
and no one allowed on cise. connected to an artificial Associated Press
streets from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. The governor warned that respirator, the highest num-
except for essential workers if the number of cases ber since the pandemic number of deaths, with at “This is not acceptable for
and those delivering food and deaths keep increas- began. November also was least one major hospital at any government that val-
until 11 p.m. ing, she would implement the month with the highest capacity. ues life,” she said.q