Editor’s note: This article was first published in July 2014, and reflects Argentina in 2014, with Cristina Fernández de Kirchner as president, the dollar-purchase restrictions and import curbs of that period, and Apple product prices and availability. Her term ended in December 2015.
In 2013 we published 14 crazy things that only happen in China (later updated to 15). This time, Business Insider has published a piece with some crazy things that only happen in Argentina. We can’t vouch for the truth or accuracy of some of these items, and Argentine readers will be the best judges of where it exaggerates or is downright wrong. You could say this is the general picture that Americans might have of the country.
For Spaniards, Argentina will always be remembered as the country that took in Marco’s mother and gave her work (a reference to the children’s cartoon Marco), and we won’t forget that easily.
1. In 2001–2002 Argentina had five presidents in two weeks
The Argentine economy had collapsed and could not meet 13.2 billion of foreign debt. After Fernando de la Rúa resigned in December 2001, Eduardo Duhalde, the last of the five, was named president in January 2002 amid street protests.
2. The frigate Libertad was seized in Ghana thanks to a hedge fund manager
Investor Paul Singer obtained permission to “hijack” the ship, which was docked in Ghana, after Argentina refused to pay 1.4 billion in sovereign debt. It remained “kidnapped” there for months, until the government finally allowed the crew to go home.
3. The president’s shopping trips and cosmetic surgery are public knowledge
President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner is known for her good looks (not always natural) and her need to “look good”. Twenty pairs of Louboutin shoes plus Louis Vuitton and Hermès bags was her shopping haul in Paris after a meeting with the President of France, where she stayed in a luxury hotel costing $1,500–$12,500 a night.
4. Argentina has the highest number of psychiatrists per capita in the world
Although nobody knows why, at least we now know which degree might be most in demand in this country.
5. It holds the record for the widest street in the world
Avenida 9 de Julio is 140 metres wide, making it the widest avenue in the world. Although the record was taken away from it some time ago and given to the Eixo Monumental in Brasília (Brazil), the issue is still being debated, since some argue that Brasília’s 250 metres are not real.
6. Ferrets on steroids were sold as poodles
These ferrets, also known as “Brazilian rats”, were injected with steroids to make them bigger and sold in Argentina for $150. And people bought them, although some got a surprise when they took them to the vet. This story was very popular in the media.
7. To show your car is for sale, just put an empty bottle on it
This idea could come in handy in countries where it is forbidden to park a car with a “For sale” sign.
8. Don’t expect a quiet, peaceful taxi ride
Although I suppose taxi drivers vary, as in any country, BI gives as an example this video, in which a taxi driver tells his stories non-stop. It’s true that some taxi drivers can be excellent psychologists.
9. Ugly people wanted good-looking Argentines to pay taxes
The BBC reported testimonies from people with less fortunate looks who complained about certain injustices. They felt that being good-looking in Argentina is a natural advantage that leaves ugly people at a disadvantage, since good-looking people get more breaks and better conditions in general. So in 2007 it became a hot topic, with people essentially demanding that the good-looking be taxed to compensate the ugly.
10. Politicians have their own beer
After the launch of the “Evita” beer, in honour of Eva Perón, came the “Montoneros” beer, in honour of the 1970s guerrillas. Cristina Kirchner didn’t want to be left out, so she now has the “Doble K” beer, in honour of herself and her late husband, Néstor Kirchner.
11. Apple products are very hard to find
They are hard to find and cost three times their US price, which has boosted sales of fake iPhones. According to Business Insider, this is not the first time the Argentine government has blocked certain products in order to boost the economy and curb inflation.
12. Argentina makes it very hard for people who want to buy dollars
With the country’s economic problems and its dreaded inflation, the government restricts currency exchange and travel to prevent capital flight. Any Argentine who wants to buy dollars to travel abroad must give their tax identification number to the tax agency (AFIP) and declare where, when and why they are travelling.
According to BI, even after long queues and several hours filling in piles of paperwork, people are often refused the exchange into dollars. That is why a black market for currency (the “blue” market) has grown, just as Bitcoin is gaining wider acceptance in the country, as the apparent solution for protecting one’s money (although the cure could turn out to be worse than the disease).
See also: 7 curious facts that explain why Germany is a great nation
Featured image: Matías Repetto Bonpland – GCBA, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.
