Page 12 - aruba-today-20190424

A12 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 24 april 2019
Argentines return to Europe to escape economic uncertainty

By LUIS ANDRES HENAO Migration Directorate.
Associated Press "Of the last six presidents,
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina four of them were first-gen-
(AP) — Tomas Ruiz em- eration sons of immigrants,"
braced his father one last Garcia noted. "Their fathers
time at the Buenos Aires came to Argentina with a
airport before he boarded cardboard suitcase, and
a plane in search of a new they saw that their children
life in Ireland. His sister re- in a short amount of time
cently did the same when became presidents of the
she moved to Spain. nation. That hardly hap-
Like many other young Ar- pens anywhere else in the
gentines, the siblings hold world."
European passports by de- By the 20th century, a
scent, and they are return- strong workforce along with
ing to the home countries export earnings from agri-
of their grandparents — far cultural products and beef
from Argentina's sizzling had helped turn Argentina
inflation, high unemploy- into one of the wealthiest
ment and sharp currency countries in the world.
depreciation. Argentines were also
"My country's situation among "the most Euro-
prompted me to take this Tomas Ruiz pushes his suitcase as he is accompanied by his father Pablo at the International Air- peanized and educated
port Ministro Pistarini before boarding a plane to Ireland, in Ezeiza, Argentina, Thursday, April 4,
decision," Ruiz said as he 2019. people in Latin America,"
finished packing his bags Associated Press Gabriela Nouzeilles and
for his trip to Dublin sur- Graciela Montaldo write in
rounded by photos of his value to the U.S. dollar fol- tics available on how many fessionals — who are eye- their anthology "The Argen-
family and friends on the lowing a run on the local Argentines have moved ing a Plan B, which is that tina Reader: History, Cul-
wall. "It was a constant frus- currency, causing the gov- to Europe. Argentina's im- if the crisis deepens, one of ture and Politics."
tration to live constantly on ernment to seek a record migration directorate said the options would be to go "Their literacy rate (about
the edge, barely making it $56 billion bailout loan with it is nearly impossible to abroad." 90 percent) was the high-
to the end of the month." the International Monetary keep track of the number Servide said Randstad Ar- est by far. Until 1945, the
Ruiz studied gastronomy Fund to try to come out of because Argentines leav- gentina carries out about country boasted the high-
and was employed as a the recession. ing the country don't have 160 daily interviews for sur- est per capita income on
cafe manager in Argenti- "As a result of the economic to provide information on veys. One of the questions the continent, the most
na's capital. But even when crisis and the devaluation, their destination or how they ask is whether if given extensive urbanization, the
he worked extra shifts, he more young professionals long they'll stay. the chance, they would be largest middle class, as well
couldn't manage to save are thinking about a future But academics, research interested in living abroad. as the best newspapers,
money, and for months he in Europe," said Alejandro groups and consulting firms "About 80 percent tell you universities, and publishing
had been living with his Servide, director of profes- agree there has been a rise yes," he said. houses."
mother to save on rent. sionals and recruitment in the number of people Manuel Miglioranza, a But political mismanage-
Outside his room, family process outsourcing at Ar- leaving, especially among 26-year-old lawyer, is mov- ment and lower prices for
members left him and his gentina's branch of Rand- young, educated Argen- ing next month to Tou- agricultural products that
sister farewell messages stad, the world's second- tines — just as there was louse, France. Although he form the country's eco-
on a chalkboard. "I love largest staffing company. during the nation's worst doesn't have dual Argen- nomic backbone have for
you and I'll miss you," his As part of the auster- crisis 17 years ago. tine-French nationality, he's decades led to cyclical
mother wrote. Others said: ity measures aimed at bal- Back then, millions were going to take French les- booms and busts.
"The best is yet to come," ancing the budget, Macri's plunged into poverty, sons and find a job through The Spanish government
and "Carpe diem," Latin for administration has laid off more than 20 percent of a temporary work permit recently launched an ini-
seize the day. thousands of government the population became allowed through a treaty tiative that allows a limited
It's not the first time Argen- workers and slashed fund- unemployed and many re- between the two nations. number of descendants
tines have sought shelter in ing for dance, science and portedly went hungry in a "The economic situation in of Spaniards living in Ar-
Europe in times of econom- other programs. Hundreds country that is one world's Argentina is not helping. gentina without a Spanish
ic uncertainty. Hundreds recently protested out- biggest producers of beef, You can't progress unless passport to seek a special
of thousands emigrated side the headquarters of soy and wheat. you work for the state or three-month work visa.
to the old continent to es- the National Scientific and "When Argentina goes you have dollars," he said. Once they find a job, they
cape hyperinflation in the Technical Research Coun- through these profound "I know many people who can request Spanish na-
early 1990s and an eco- cil, Argentina's main agen- crises, people search for are leaving." tionality and bring their
nomic meltdown in 2001 cy for science and technol- options, and just like it hap- Millions of Europeans flood- families. There were 76,328
and 2002. ogy. pened in 2001-2002 when ed into Argentina in the Argentines officially regis-
Now, Argentines are los- "The science sector is suf- nearly 800,000 Argentines 19th century to escape war tered by mid-2018 in Spain.
ing purchasing power to a fering because these bud- went abroad, today we're and poverty back home, "There are many, many
nearly 50% annual inflation get cuts ordered by Macri living through perhaps the which has been a source Argentines living here.
rate — one of the world's endanger the continuity initial phase," said Ariel of pride for the country. We're like pigeons — ev-
worst. Many have also of scientific activity," said Gonzalez, executive sec- "Argentina gave peace to erywhere," quipped Paz
protests President Mauri- Alberto Kornblihtt, a mo- retary of the Center for In- those who were escaping Pucheu, an Argentine now
cio Macri's decision to cut lecular biologist. "This is un- ternational Studies at the war, freedom to those es- living in Spain.
subsidies, leading to a spike doubtedly contributing to Catholic University of Ar- caping religious persecu- The 25-year-old radio and
in the costs of utilities and a brain drain that we've gentina. tion, and bread and work television announcer went
public transportation. suffered at other times (of "That means that there's to those escaping hunger," to Barcelona in 2017 when
Last year, the Argentine crisis) in our country." a sector of society — the said Horacio Garcia, direc- "things got really compli-
peso lost more than half its There are no official statis- middle and high class pro- tor of Argentina's National cated" in Argentina.q