No more books or magazines

[kurtdillard]

This is beyond stupid. What's next? Are they going to force people to go to customs at Ezieza to retrieve all international mail too?

 

[mjackson1946]

more of Christina´s s..............t

 

[AlexanderB]

While I can appreciate the theoretical upside of the Peronist self-sufficiency viewpoint, I am struggling to understand how, in practise, cutting the country off from the rest of the world one step at a time could possibly be beneficial or desirable in any kind of long-run, strategic sense.

Globalisation and global interdependence are here to stay. Pretending otherwise just puts the people of the nation at a very sizable competitive disadvantage.

 

[After5]

According to one article I found, "Although lead was phased out of printer's ink beginning in 1978, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission doesn't know when its presence actually disappeared. As a result, the agency has ruled that any book printed prior to 1985 might contain the toxic metal."

http://www.helium.com/items/1390555-childrens-books-with-lead-ink

As the article in La Nación mentions, the presence of lead in printed matter from the U.S. has been a non-issue since about the time Raúl Alfonsin was elected president of Argentina (1983, that is). This is about restricting 'la salida de divisas del país,' as Nación asserts. But it's an awfully penny-ante way to go about it, rather like a loss-making company restricting the supply of paper clips and urging office workers to make copies on both sides of the paper.

Presumably USA Box customers can still have books sent by postal airmail. At worst, if the lead detector klaxons go off at Aduana, one would only have to go downtown, rather than having to hike out to Ezeiza.

Probably the larger message from these picayune, desperate measures is that one of these days, the peso exchange rate is going to slip out of control. To paraphrase the old chestnut about Gardel, every time I go to 'the cave' to exchange dollars, 'Cada día valora mejor.'

 

[sarahpterry]

I work for a UK publisher who sells to schools here and not only does it affect us Ex-pats who want to buy from other countries but the government are essentially making it impossible for the education system to keep up with the international market. I would agree with this policy a lot more if I knew Argentina could produce the books here. However they are making this policy with no view of the future. It is not a case of schools able to buy books here, they are not available so International exams will be impossible, competition with education systems will go and students and future politicians/doctors/lawyers etc. will not have the equivalent education as those from Europe, Asia and the middle east who are not only opening up their markets but positively encouraging trade and development to push their education systems forward. Once again a ruling that is passed to quickly through the government has not been thought through and people suffer.

 

[james p]

David, remember when this regime ends there are dozens more already in line....look up in the sky!!!!don't you see the vultures starting to circle? Heart failure and lung cancer are the second and third most common cause of death in Argentina....The first is POLITICAL BACKSTABBING!!!!!!....and when the troops come marching in.........

 

[james p]

Sarah, What makes so many people think that banning book inports is such a bad idea? And other imports as a matter of fact......Why do people need to be educated! When you educate people they will turn on your injustices!!!!!!!WHO NEEDS THAT?

 

[sarahpterry]

I know James, I guess its just wishful thinking hey! bring on the illiteracy!

 

[willwright]

I know James, I guess its just wishful thinking hey! bring on the illiteracy!

Its really in the best interests of the government. A uneducated and uniformed electorate will keep voting for the current regime or similar basically forever. Why offer a really different choice and confuse people. I can see an argument forming from the government that banning books is really in the best interests of the people as it will prevent confusion. Very similar to the earlier government argument for fining people for providing inflation estimates at variance with the official numbers because they were confusing the public.

 

[JoeGillis]

I'm curious if this imported book restriction will be a problem when I bring books from the US in my luggage next month. I usually bring back around 15 books per trip. In the past, I've never had a problem. Any thoughts on this? At this point, I don't feel there will be a problem...but one never knows, of course.