After the controversy between Javier Milei and the Book Fair for the presentation of the new work of the head of state, The President confirmed that he will hold the event to speak publicly about “Capitalism, socialism and the neoclassical trap” at the legendary Luna Park stadium in Buenos Aires. The appointment will be May 22ndten days after what was planned at the fair that takes place in La Rural.
Milei had planned to present his book on May 12 at the Book Fair, where he would be accompanied by the national deputy José Luis Espert. However, this Wednesday the president announced that he decided to change the location for the event, alleging that they encountered strong hostility towards him during negotiations with the Fair authorities.
In an interview granted to Luis Majul and Esteban Trebucq on radio The Observerthe President stated: “It makes us suspect that there is an issue of sabotaging the presentation and doing it in the Kirchnerist style, in a violent way.”
“They have threatened us that they are going to do things to us, a type of behavior that is inappropriate for the culture and we cannot expose ourselves to being blocked,” Milei added.
In this context, the Presidency confirmed that the event will take place at Luna Park on May 22.
For his part, the president of the El Libro Foundation —which is in charge of organizing the Fair—, Alejandro Vaccaro, maintained that there were no funds to pay for the security operation that the President’s visit to La Rural would entail during his opening speech at the event. Regarding this issue, the presidential spokesperson, Manuel Adorni, had clarified that the Military House was in charge of these issues, so he would not depend on the organizers of the editorial meeting.
In that sense, he took the opportunity to question the measures taken by the Government that negatively impact the cultural sector, including the closure of fundamental institutions and the elimination of cultural programs.
In this way, he expressed: “No to the closure of the National Fund for the Arts, no to the closure of the National Theater Institute, no to the scrapping of the National Film Institute (INCAA).” Beyond the organization of the president’s speech, the relationship was already tense between the organizers and the Government, due to the decision made by the national Executive not to have its own stand at the event. This was accompanied by the withdrawal of sponsorship by Banco Nación. “There is no money,” Vaccaro emphasized in this context after criticizing the action by stating that it represents a discouraging message about institutional support for culture.
About the preparations for the President’s arrival at the Book Fair, in a dialogue with InfobaeVaccaro explained: “Yesterday 25 people from the production company, the Military House and even the Presidency of the Nation were here. We agreed on everything, what the fences would be like, everything.” He even indicated that Mara Gorini, who was working on the production of the presentation of Milei’s book along with Karina Milei.
“We were clear, we wanted the president to come,” Vaccaro said. “But they must have evaluated that it was not convenient for them… you have to get those people in, they have to pay the entrance… it’s not easy,” he added and continued: “It’s a trap: it turns out that now Milei doesn’t come because we don’t want to.” …”. In this regard, he said: “Yesterday we had a Council meeting and we said that we had to ratify that we wanted the president to come” and he mocked by saying: “Because if I wasn’t going to say that we are communists, Kirchnerists, from the ERP… ”. “It is clear that they have evaluated that it does not suit them and now they say that, that we are violent, hostile, not good people like he wants,” he considered.
