Buenos Aires – In this land of wide rivers and fertile pampas, where the soil is rich but the soul often feels weary, a question lingers in the air. Why is Argentina’s justice system swift to call for the arrest of Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, while the criminals in our own streets remain untouched? It’s a question that echoes through homes and hearts, as Argentinians wonder why their cries for safety go unanswered. We are a people yearning for more—justice, not as a far-off ideal, but as a force that protects, heals, and strengthens our nation.
Yet, as swift as the call for international justice may be, the everyday injustices here at home remain, leaving us to ask, “Where is our justice?” Our streets are not free of crime, our leaders not free of corruption, and the weight of it all rests heavy on the shoulders of ordinary citizens.
Australia and Argentina: Two Nations, Two Different Futures
In many conversations, they say we must look to Australia. A nation born from convicts, built in a harsh, arid land with neither the riches of Argentina’s fertile plains nor the natural abundance of rivers and valleys. Australia, a land of hard work and strict laws, stands in stark contrast to the chaos and confusion of our own systems.
In that dry continent, work is a sacred duty. Children as young as 15 are taught not only how to work, but why it matters. In schools, they learn the dangers of addiction—alcoholism, drugs, gambling, and bullying. There, even in the face of high alcohol consumption, the law is respected, and safety is nearly guaranteed. Corruption? Inflation? These are words they barely know, while we in Argentina are too familiar with their sting.
Australia’s taxes are few, and everyone pays their fair share. Effort is rewarded, and in return, life thrives. But this success comes not from ease. In Australia, one must work hard—40 hours a week, no exceptions. There are no shortcuts, no “planeros” waiting for a handout. And if you fail to work, hunger waits on your doorstep. They do not spend their days distracted by football matches or idle scrolling through phones. They build. They create. They work.
What Argentina Must Change to Rise
Here, in Argentina, there is so much we need to do. We have millions of homes to build, thousands of kilometers of roads to pave, and a future to reclaim. But to rise to the level of countries like Australia, we must first change how we work, how we live, and how we govern.
Three Categories of Corruption: Untouchable in Argentina
But how can we expect progress when corruption wraps itself around us like a vine? In Argentina, there are not just categories for taxpayers, but also for those who evade justice altogether. Three groups stand untouchable in our land:
- Kirchnerist leaders, who hide their fortunes under the names of others.
- Judges, who seem to live above the law.
- Certain “professionals” who operate in the shadows, untouched by regulation or scrutiny.
This is not justice. This is a system that protects the powerful, while the rest of us remain vulnerable. And in the shadow of these truths, we must ask, what does social justice truly mean if it doesn’t apply to all?
Political Struggles and Empty Promises: Where Do We Go from Here?
In the political arena, the Union Cívica Radical (UCR) battles its own internal wars. Gastón Manes recently responded to claims that his party broke their own rules, and while political figures exchange accusations, everyday Argentinians are left behind, forgotten in the struggle for power.
Meanwhile, Manes reminds us of past victories, recalling the 2021 election, when radical voices brought change to Buenos Aires. Yet these victories feel distant now, like whispers from another era, as the country’s future remains uncertain.
Argentina’s Lost Legacy: A Nation Fading from Greatness
There was a time when Argentina’s flag sailed proudly across the seas. Our ships, under the banner of Empresa Líneas Marítimas Argentinas, brought work to our people and wealth to our shores. Our oil was our own, our industries thrived, and we stood strong on the world stage. But today, those days feel like memories, lost in the haze of a country that has given away its resources, its power, and, perhaps, its hope.
Where did we go wrong? What has become of the nation our ancestors fought to build?
The Road Ahead: Finding Hope in Argentina’s Heart
Yet, even in this darkness, there is a spark of hope. We are Argentina. We have always been more than our leaders, more than our corruption, more than our mistakes. The heart of this nation beats strong, even now, even as we search for justice, for dignity, for a way forward.
The path ahead is not easy, and change will not come quickly. But within each of us, there is a fire. It is the fire that built this country, and it is the fire that will rebuild it once more. We must work, yes. But more than that, we must believe—in justice, in truth, in the Argentina we can become.
And in that belief, we find our future.
