Crime Beware

[HowardinBA]

There are Villas Miserias even in BA's poshest areas. Villa 31 is three blocks away from La Recoleta, across the railroad right of way - talk about being "on the wrong side of the track"...!

And in San Isidro, the infamous Villa La Cava strikes the fear of God into cab drivers and local residents alike - we all give it a wide berth.

where is Villa Cava,Sara?I,ve never heard of it...

 

[SaraSara]

It starts at Intendente Tomkinson and Rolon and extends from there towards Tigre and the Panamericana.

For the past three years Prefectura has kept guard posts at two entrances. This is NOT to keep villeros in - they were the ones who originally requested that Prefectura agents be stationed there. As a result, La Cava residents can now use the plaza on Tomkinson - when I drive by I see children riding tricycles or playing ball while their mothers socialize. Before Prefectura got there, that plaza was always deserted.

We may complain about robberies, but the worst victims of villa crime gangs are the honest people trapped there. It is hard to break free from such a place - villeros are not likely to get regular jobs, as a villa address is enough to scare potential employers away.

The lucky ones are those with shacks on the periphery - the center of the villa is the most dangerous place. My housekeeper grew up in La Cava and still has friends there, but she does not venture inside, either. She's one of the few who were able to escape: worked hard, bought a lot in Victoria and built a house with a swimming pool. Her sister still lives in La Cava and works as a piquetera. She receives her assignments a day ahead, shows up where she's ordered to, gets a sign, a banner or a drum, and is paid fifty pesos a day.

 

[HowardinBA]

ah yes,I pass there quite often,via rolon,but didn,t know the name,,thanks Sara

 

[Fabe]

My unsoliceted opinion is that in the villas , noone works. and the goverment wants it that way . They receive goverment subsidies in exchange for their vote. As of late m this goverment has coopted the poor , . A good parallel is the political machine of Tamany Hall. This will continue as long as the argentine people stick to the custom of not fighting corruption , but getting on the bandwagon of it in en effor to makea little something for themselves

 

[SaraSara]

My unsoliceted opinion is that in the villas , noone works. and the goverment wants it that way. They receive goverment subsidies in exchange for their vote.

That is true in many cases, but not all. I would say that about half of the villeros do work, mostly in menial jobs. Many work as "cartoneros" - I often see them pushing their home-made carts and getting cardboard, metal, and glass bottles out of trash bags. They are Arg.'s version of a "recycling system".

However, I agree that it is in the Kirchner's best interests to keep villeros unemployed, ignorant, and totally dependent on government handouts.

 

[bigbadwolf]

My unsoliceted opinion is that in the villas, no-one works, and the goverment wants it that way . They receive goverment subsidies in exchange for their vote. As of late this goverment has co-opted the poor. A good parallel is the political machine of Tammany Hall. This will continue as long as the Argentine people stick to the custom of not fighting corruption, but getting on the bandwagon of it in an effort to make a little something for themselves

There is a system of patronage in place. But to be fair, there aren't that many jobs around. You can find the problem discussed in books on Argentinian society and economic history. As Sara points out, many of the residents work at whatever is around. There is a systemic and long-term failure of Argentina to provide full employment. Of course, as is now becoming self-evident, this is a problem afflicting Europe, Japan, and North America as well.

 

[citygirl]

There is a systemic and long-term failure of Argentina to provide full employment. Of course, as is now becoming self-evident, this is a problem afflicting Europe, Japan, and North America as well.

Wellllllll - I'm not of the mindset is is up to the government to provide full employment However, it would certainly be beneficial if there was a support system and resources and support available for those who want to be successful and improve their economic situation.

 

[bigbadwolf]

Wellllllll - I'm not of the mindset is is up to the government to provide full employment

Nor am I saying it is the government's responsibility. When I say "Argentina" I mean the economic set-up.

 

[SaraSara]

I don't believe it is the government's responsibility to provide jobs. But it is responsible for providing a good education. Which it doesn't - public schools have been going downhill for decades.

Instead of propping up the school system, the government chooses to pay people to stay home and do nothing. This has created, and perpetuates, an impoverished class wholly dependent on government handouts. These subsidies are funneled through politically reliable chieftains who distribute them according to loyalty, not need.

When it comes to winning elections, an ignorant populace tied up by party handouts is a sure bet.

Sorry for the tirade. I shall now climb down from my soap box.

 

[sesamosinsal]

When it comes to winning elections, an ignorant populace tied up by party handouts is a sure bet.

That is the point. The politicians in Argentina benefit politically from the villas and poverty. They can come in the villa for a photo-op, make a ton of promises, hand out some money, and whatever else, and they win a vote.

If poverty is a source of political power, why would a politician seek to change anything?

A good quote from a book I recently finished reading called "La oculta: vivir y morir en una villa miseria argentina." I purchased it at El Ateneo. It's an excellent read if you know Spanish and want to get a perspective of what the villas are like from the people who inhabit them:

"No, los políticos son todos una basura, lacras humanas, eso son, de verdad. No se puede creer en ninguno, lamentablemente, en ninguno. Yo soy peronista de cuna, pero no me siento representado ni por el partido ni por nadie, no, no, en ésos no se puede creer y menos en estos barrios, donde están acostumbrados a venir a prometer cuando necesitan los votos y después nunca llega nada. Acá la gente no cree en nada, pero como hay mucha necesidad, los políticos vienen y los compran con unas chapas para el techo, o un poquito de mercadería o simplemente con diez pesos. ¿Qué querés?, la gente está muy desesperada y agarra todo lo que tiene a mano. Es lamentable, porque desde la política se pueden hacer muchas cosas positivas, pero no, no se hacen, se roban la plata, se olvidan de las personas. En la villa hay gente que ignora muchas cosas, eso se sabe, y los políticos se aprovechan de eso y también de las necesidades que hay. Vienen acá porque a otros lados no pueden ir a decir eso. En los barrios comunes hay gente que tiene un poco más de cultura y no va a ir cualquier boludo a chamuyarlos. En cambio, acá viene cualquier salame de saco y corbata y los termina chamuyando. Lo que pasa es que, en Buenos Aires, las villas miserias existen porque son necesarias para el poder político."