[OstiaAntica]

I was in Buenos Aires a couple years ago and was talking to some U.S. oilmen. They said Argentina was unbelievably corrupt and that it was easier to do business in Egypt.

BA is beautiful but tragic, there are massive shanties surrounding a city designed after Paris and built 100 years ago, when Argentina was among the wealthiest nations in the world.

If you don't think politics matters, study Argentina and the way their elites, inspired by the statist Peronista ideology, have ransacked the nation and its people.

[mrleinad]

I'd also recommend you to read Eduardo Galeano, his book "Open veins of Latin America", although written in the 70's, is an eye opener to understand why the region is in its current state. I agree that corruption here in Argentina is everywhere. But not all the money has gone to the elites. Most of that money that was stolen to people went to North American companies.

[redthrowaway]

That was my impression of BA as well. A city with the potential for so much wealth, and clearly a history of wealth and trade, that has been entirely squandered. It's a fantastic city to visit, but I'd hate to live there.