The discourse around Buenos Aires’ slums rarely transcends the self-righteous polemic of the Argentine press. Such moral outrage does little to resolve an urgent question: how to provide effective low-income housing that enables dignified living conditions?
The Chinese presence in Latin America has blossomed since the 1990s, from iron mining in Peru to multi-million dollar oil deals with Argentina. The long-term considerations of the region’s best interests, as China acquires ever more of its natural wealth, is an urgent question.
The current situation is not based on bad faith or capriciousness. The reality is simply that an economically shaky country does not have the money in its coffers to pay off the scores of private investors who took advantage of the country in a weak moment.