Latest news with #Peronism
Indian Express
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Indian Express
Why Argentine club Boca Juniors's fans have invaded Miami, and why they said sorry to Messi at Club World Cup
Victoriano 'Toto' Caffarena never kicked a ball for Boca Juniors; he was from an affluent business family, but was more inclined to writing poetry and reporting crime for a local newspaper in the predominantly working class neighbourhood of La Boca in Buenos Aires. He devoted his weekends to his favourite club, Boca, travelling to wherever they played. In 1925, the club got its first invitation of a European tour and Caffarena decided to break his savings, sell some of his property to travel with the team and partly fund the club's trip, resisting stiff resistance from his family and the potential debts the trip would land him in. In the three-month trip where they played in Spain, Germany and France, he was the lone supporter in the stands, waving the Boca flag, beating the drums and hooting the whistles, apart from occasionally performing the roles of kit man, masseur and water carrier. In Germany, he even assumed the role of the team's technical director. He became such a loved figure in the team that forward Agustín Cerrotti began to call him, La Doce, or the twelfth player. A century later, the one-man 'La Doce' has become the loudest and most passionate fan-group in the world, thronging the stands wherever the team plays, filling the arena with life, music and colour. So passionate the fans are that before the Super Clasico against arch-enemies River Plate, a rivalry that divides the country as much as Peronism, that there had been public-service announcements instructing those with health problems to visit their doctor and make sure they did not run out of medicine, or avoid the game altogether. Doctors implore, through radio and television, 'to get plenty of exercise beforehand, to drink lots of water and not so much alcohol.' So hysterical are they that bursts of violence and hooliganism erupt frequently, despite an army of policemen. Their vitality has been ubiquitous in the Club World Cup, where games of Boca Juniors have run full-house, as opposed to half-empty stands for most games in a tournament where officials have sold tickets at throwaway prices to fill the seats. The blue and gold tide have washed the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, with an estimated inflow of 50,000 fans, and taken over the beaches, streets and pubs of the sunshine city. In one of the thousands of videos in circulation, a fan is heard singing: 'Leo, please forgive us.' Miami is home to the club Messi turns up for, Inter, but loyalty is unshakeable. But Messi is not their biggest icon. It is not Diego Maradona, or Carlos Tevez, two of their own either. It is Juan Roman Riquelme, the playmaker of divine imagination and intelligence, a rebel of the pitch, embodying the 'pibe' of the 'potrero' soul (the kids from the alleys). Riquelme is now the club's chairman and his face adorns a thousand furious flags waved in the stands. They have been winless in both their games, after a narrow defeat to German champions Bayern Munich (1-2) and a tough draw to Porto (2-2). Their knockout hopes are slim, but that has not deterred them from packing their bags back home. The energy of the fans left Bayern captain Harry Kane positively stunned: 'A big part of their game is to have the fans behind them, to use them as the energy and to take them into tackles and to battle.' GOOOOOOOOOL DE BOCAAAA!! Merentiel takes matters into his own hands! 💪 A dazzling run and a cold finish — it's all square at 1-1! ⚽ Watch the @FIFACWC | June 14 – July 13 | Every Game | Free | | #FIFACWC #TakeItToTheWorld #BAYBOC — DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) June 21, 2025 Monikered Los Xeneizes, or the Genoese as the club's founding members were Italian immigrants, they instil their own rhythm into the game. The passion and emotion, by a natural extension, are the soul of Argentine football too. In Qatar, Argentina's supporters defied the government's plea to not travel halfway through the globe to the Middle East as part of austerity. The government was wading through its worst phase of economic slump, inflation and unemployment were at its zenith, but that did not deny a lakh fans descending for the 2022 World Cup. Three images were omnipresent. Maradona, Messi and Pope Francis cohabited on flags, drums, banners, their face inked on human skin and their names blaring from jerseys. Several Argentina lodgings covered the facade with a poster of Maradona handing a ball to Messi, a symbolism that found a befitting climax. Another flag re-imaged Michelangelo's most-famous as well as parodied fresco on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel The Creation of Adam, in which Maradona, from the clouds reaches his index finger out to Messi. Not just the most feverish, they were the most imaginative ones too. They spilled into Doha's downtown locales Msheireb and Souq Waqif, where one night they held a memorial service for Maradona. Just as they had lashed into Times Square during the COPA last year and the Copacabana Beach promenade in Rio a decade ago. Their song, Muchachos, ahora nos volvimos a ilusionar (it's time to get excited again), set to the tune of Argentinian band La Mosca's song, became quite a hit among neutrals too. Next year, during the World Cup in the USA, Mexico and Canada, the Argentina fans would descend again to cheer for their nation, potentially the last dance of Messi, but moreover to fill the stands with flavour and life. To knock the champions off the perch, their rivals would have to first beat the twelfth man too. What Kane beheld in Miami was only a test dose.
Miami Herald
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Cristina Fernández's conviction triggers Peronist reassessment
June 19 (UPI) -- In her first public appearance since her arrest, former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner addressed supporters in a recorded message Wednesday at a rally in Buenos Aires, where crowds gathered to proclaim her innocence. "At this stage, we need to get organized to clarify what the real problem is in our country. We will come back with more wisdom, more unity, and more strength," the former president said in the recording. Fernández was sentenced to six years of house arrest for defrauding the state of an estimated $500 million. Her arrest has, for now, unified Peronist factions around her image and message of resistance. Even factions within Kirchnerist Peronism that previously opposed her have been pushed to rally behind Fernández's narrative, in which she describes herself as "banned" and "imprisoned for standing up to the powerful." But that grassroots momentum faces growing pressure from Argentina's worsening economic crisis and a divided Peronist movement still struggling to form a unified electoral strategy. The first major test will come in September's Buenos Aires elections, followed by nationwide legislative races in October, where the party will need to shift from protest to political competition. For now, no clear leader has emerged to unite the Peronist movement. Meanwhile, a more radical, left-leaning faction is gaining ground under La Cámpora, a group led by former President Fernández's son, Máximo Kirchner. Labor unions under the General Confederation of Labor, or CGT -- long aligned with Peronism -- have expressed solidarity with Fernández. The CGT has encouraged members to mobilize but left participation to individual discretion. It remains unclear whether Peronist governors will continue to follow Fernández's lead --especially in provinces where President Javier Milei and his party, La Libertad Avanza, have gained significant ground. "The ruling against Cristina comes at a moment when Peronism is fragmented, clinging to outdated narratives and struggling to connect with the public's current demands," political analyst Juan Negri said in an interview with Infobae. "People today are more worried about making ends meet than about epic stories from the past." According to polling firm Opinaia, 69% of Argentines familiar with the Supreme Court ruling said they believe the decision was fair. Just 25% see Fernández as either innocent or the target of a political setup. The court ordered all those convicted in the so-called "Vialidad case," including Fernández, to repay funds embezzled through fraudulent administration. The original ruling estimated losses to the state at about $500 million. Judicial authorities are now updating that figure and seeking to recover the funds from Fernández's assets and those of her co-defendants. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
UPI
19-06-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Cristina Fernández's conviction triggers Peronist reassessment
1 of 3 | Argentina's former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (pictured at the inauguration of Pope Francis at St Peter's Square at the Vatican in March), was sentenced to six years of house arrest for defrauding the state of an estimated $500 million. File Photo by Stefano Spaziani/UPI | License Photo June 19 (UPI) -- In her first public appearance since her arrest, former Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner addressed supporters in a recorded message Wednesday at a rally in Buenos Aires, where crowds gathered to proclaim her innocence. "At this stage, we need to get organized to clarify what the real problem is in our country. We will come back with more wisdom, more unity, and more strength," the former president said in the recording. Fernández was sentenced to six years of house arrest for defrauding the state of an estimated $500 million. Her arrest has, for now, unified Peronist factions around her image and message of resistance. Even factions within Kirchnerist Peronism that previously opposed her have been pushed to rally behind Fernández's narrative, in which she describes herself as "banned" and "imprisoned for standing up to the powerful." But that grassroots momentum faces growing pressure from Argentina's worsening economic crisis and a divided Peronist movement still struggling to form a unified electoral strategy. The first major test will come in September's Buenos Aires elections, followed by nationwide legislative races in October, where the party will need to shift from protest to political competition. For now, no clear leader has emerged to unite the Peronist movement. Meanwhile, a more radical, left-leaning faction is gaining ground under La Cámpora, a group led by former President Fernández's son, Máximo Kirchner. Labor unions under the General Confederation of Labor, or CGT -- long aligned with Peronism -- have expressed solidarity with Fernández. The CGT has encouraged members to mobilize but left participation to individual discretion. It remains unclear whether Peronist governors will continue to follow Fernández's lead --especially in provinces where President Javier Milei and his party, La Libertad Avanza, have gained significant ground. "The ruling against Cristina comes at a moment when Peronism is fragmented, clinging to outdated narratives and struggling to connect with the public's current demands," political analyst Juan Negri said in an interview with Infobae. "People today are more worried about making ends meet than about epic stories from the past." According to polling firm Opinaia, 69% of Argentines familiar with the Supreme Court ruling said they believe the decision was fair. Just 25% see Fernández as either innocent or the target of a political setup. The court ordered all those convicted in the so-called "Vialidad case," including Fernández, to repay funds embezzled through fraudulent administration. The original ruling estimated losses to the state at about $500 million. Judicial authorities are now updating that figure and seeking to recover the funds from Fernández's assets and those of her co-defendants.
Hamilton Spectator
19-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Large crowds protest in support of Argentine ex-President Fernández as she starts house arrest
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Vowing that a conviction on corruption charges and a permanent ban from public office would not end her decades-long political career, Argentina's former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner began serving a six-year sentence under house arrest as tens of thousands of her supporters rallied in the streets. Her detention marked an ignominious turn for one of the most polarizing and influential political leaders on Latin America's left who served one term as Argentina's first lady (2004-2007), two terms as its president (2007-2015) and one term as its powerful vice president (2019–2023), dominating the country's politics for the last two decades. Still today, Fernández represents the face of opposition to radical libertarian President Javier Milei . Polls suggest that she and her left-wing brand of Peronism , Argentina's nationalist populist movement championing workers' rights, retains the support of some 30% of the country. 'We will return, and, what's more, we will return with more wisdom, with more unity, with more strength,' Fernández, 72, told her ardent supporters in a speech recorded from home confinement and broadcast through loudspeakers into the streets of downtown Buenos Aires. The case in which she was first convicted in 2022 found that she defrauded the state in awarding public works contracts to a friendly businessman. She vehemently denies the charges, accusing her opponents of weaponizing the justice system against her. Before the court decision this month , she had been planning to run for a seat in the Buenos Aires provincial legislature. 'The real economic powers know this model has no future; they know it's collapsing, and that's why I'm in prison,' she said in her speech from her second-floor apartment in the southern Constitución neighborhood of the Argentine capital. The scene of huge crowds setting off flares and chanting 'We will return' underscored the sharp divisions in this South American nation that has long been shaped by Fernández, who vastly increased welfare and public employment during her tenure in a dramatic expansion of the state that left Argentina with sky-high inflation and massive deficits. 'We are all here to fight for Cristina's freedom. If they restrict her more, we will do more,' said Gloria Araya, 64, a retiree protesting on Wednesday. The economic shambles she bequeathed her successors helped vault her nemesis , political outsider Milei, to the presidency in late 2023 . Milei has succeeded in his flagship campaign promise of lowering inflation. In May Argentina's monthly inflation rate plunged below 2% for the first time in five years, the government statistics agency reported last week. But while prices have stabilized, the cost of living remains high in a country where wages are comparatively low. Investment has lagged. Many Argentines say they're still waiting to collect on the economic revival that Mieli promised would follow the pain of austerity . Some analysts say that anger over Fernández's claims of political persecution could add fuel to those economic grievances and help rally an otherwise confused opposition to Milei. 'The conviction and sentencing of Cristina is a unifying force for Peronism,' said Sebastián Mazzuca, an Argentine political scientist. 'If the opposition can link this claim that there was some injustice in her trial with concerns over income and purchasing power, they have an agenda.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
San Francisco Chronicle
19-06-2025
- Politics
- San Francisco Chronicle
Large crowds protest in support of Argentine ex-President Fernández as she starts house arrest
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) — Vowing that a conviction on corruption charges and a permanent ban from public office would not end her decades-long political career, Argentina's former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner began serving a six-year sentence under house arrest as tens of thousands of her supporters rallied in the streets. Her detention marked an ignominious turn for one of the most polarizing and influential political leaders on Latin America's left who served one term as Argentina's first lady (2004-2007), two terms as its president (2007-2015) and one term as its powerful vice president (2019–2023), dominating the country's politics for the last two decades. Still today, Fernández represents the face of opposition to radical libertarian President Javier Milei. Polls suggest that she and her left-wing brand of Peronism, Argentina's nationalist populist movement championing workers' rights, retains the support of some 30% of the country. "We will return, and, what's more, we will return with more wisdom, with more unity, with more strength,' Fernández, 72, told her ardent supporters in a speech recorded from home confinement and broadcast through loudspeakers into the streets of downtown Buenos Aires. The case in which she was first convicted in 2022 found that she defrauded the state in awarding public works contracts to a friendly businessman. She vehemently denies the charges, accusing her opponents of weaponizing the justice system against her. Before the court decision this month, she had been planning to run for a seat in the Buenos Aires provincial legislature. 'The real economic powers know this model has no future; they know it's collapsing, and that's why I'm in prison,' she said in her speech from her second-floor apartment in the southern Constitución neighborhood of the Argentine capital. The scene of huge crowds setting off flares and chanting 'We will return" underscored the sharp divisions in this South American nation that has long been shaped by Fernández, who vastly increased welfare and public employment during her tenure in a dramatic expansion of the state that left Argentina with sky-high inflation and massive deficits. 'We are all here to fight for Cristina's freedom. If they restrict her more, we will do more," said Gloria Araya, 64, a retiree protesting on Wednesday. The economic shambles she bequeathed her successors helped vault her nemesis, political outsider Milei, to the presidency in late 2023. Milei has succeeded in his flagship campaign promise of lowering inflation. In May Argentina's monthly inflation rate plunged below 2% for the first time in five years, the government statistics agency reported last week. But while prices have stabilized, the cost of living remains high in a country where wages are comparatively low. Investment has lagged. Many Argentines say they're still waiting to collect on the economic revival that Mieli promised would follow the pain of austerity. Some analysts say that anger over Fernández's claims of political persecution could add fuel to those economic grievances and help rally an otherwise confused opposition to Milei. 'The conviction and sentencing of Cristina is a unifying force for Peronism,' said Sebastián Mazzuca, an Argentine political scientist. 'If the opposition can link this claim that there was some injustice in her trial with concerns over income and purchasing power, they have an agenda."
