I have stayed clear of Argentine politics, largely because I
don’t understand it. Beyond the presidential elections due to take place later
this year, and knowing the names of the forerunners, politics here is a labyrinth. So why
do I bring up the subject now? Because yesterday was 25th of May, the
205th anniversary marking the movement that led to Argentina’s
independence from Spain. “But what exactly are they celebrating?” asked an
article on the bicentenary five years ago.
A good question, especially in the context of recent events
that have shaped Argentina’s society, economics, politics and its view of the
world.
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| Kirchner Culture Centre at night, courtesy of Infobae |
For Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, current President of the nation,
this will be the last time she presides over the annual commemorations. Not one
to be known for her demure stature, she is determined to go down as one of the
greats in Argentine politics and turned the focus of this year’s celebrations
to herself, unsurprisingly.
In her attempt to leave an enduring legacy, last week she
unveiled the Kirchner Cultural Centre, marking 12 years of the Kirchners’ rule
since her husband Néstor Kirchner became president in 2003. Housed in the renovated central post office
building, it certainly looks impressive. The “Blue Whale”, the heart of the
Centre which can seat up to 1,750 people, and the permanent “Nestor
Kirchner” room on the second floor are just a couple of the features.
The idea of converting the post office building into a
culture centre, originally called the Bicentenary Cultural Centre, was intended
to celebrate the bicentenary since independence. In, 2012, the government decided
to rename the Centre to the Néstor Kirchner Cultural Centre, and now just
simply the Kirchner Cultural Centre (CCCK bordering on the crass perhaps).
According to CFK, the aim of the Centre is to enable all Argentines to access culture, through
a wide, diverse and high-quality programme. Judging from the programme over the next
two weeks, there is a decent list of educational, arts and music
events, notwithstanding the iconic Eva Perón being a prominent subject of discussion.
A noble aim, I agree, and why not create a cultural centre
for future generations to enjoy? The cynic in me would say that the Centre bearing
the incumbent’s name may be remembered for all the reasons but culture. On the
other hand, if 25th of May is about celebrating independence, maybe
some independence from politics is duly welcome. Like I said, I don’t
understand Argentine politics.
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