Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, the Argentine mayor who wants open schools in the midst of the coronavirus

Graduated in Economics, Racing fanatic, father of three daughters and husband. Thus define himself the head of government of the City of Buenos Aires, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, who today calls attention for suing the State Argentinian and having achieved its purpose: that the schools remain open and that the order of President Alberto Fernández to close them is rejected.

What he is looking for, he says, is for classes to resume as soon as possible in the Argentine capital.

“Boys have to go to school. We cannot remain in choosing between education and health. The challenge is to seek a comprehensive coexistence”.

Those were the words of Rodriguez Larreta when it was learned that an appeals chamber in the city had agreed with him. Thanks to his claim, what was sentenced by the president’s management was annulled Alberto Fernández to stop contagion: from today, schoolchildren could return to classrooms.

“If the health situation worsens, we already have planned how the school modality will be for each of the epidemiological stages”, He added.

Of course, the court’s ruling has been much disputed – in fact, Rodriguez Larreta He took the case to the Supreme Court last week, although it has not ruled. Not only the Minister of Justice Manuel Soria has raised his voice to complain, but also the teachers, who announced a strike.

With all this in mind, it is worth remembering who he is Rodriguez Larreta and what would be their possible motivations.

THE MAN WHO OPPOSED

He was born in 1965 and is married to the event organizer, Bárbara Diez. His undergraduate degree was followed by the University of Buenos Aires, an institution from which he graduated with a degree in Economics in 1998, and then made the leap to Harvard University, where he followed a master’s degree in Business Administration.

As an active member of Argentine politics, he was linked to the former president Mauricio Macri. Together they founded the “Commitment to Change party in 2003, which was renamed Republican Proposal (PRO) In 2005”.

As PRO campaign manager, Macri became a Buenos Aires deputy, later the head of government of the City of Buenos Aires, a position he held in the 2011 elections.

During those last two periods of Macri, Rodríguez Larreta was Chief of the Cabinet of Ministers. So until, in 2015 and with 53% of the votes, it became head of government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires.

Mauricio Macri, María Eugenia Vidal and Horacio Rodríguez Larreta: the then president and those who, according to what was said in 2017, would be his successors in power. (Photo: AFP).

From there, and at least in recent times, he has faced the central government. But “Clarín” notes that, although there were already political confrontations, “the level of confrontation between the president and the head of the Buenos Aires government had never gone so far”.

“It was after Alberto Fernández confessed that he had not consulted Rodríguez Larreta – yes, Governor Axel Kicillof – to define the suspension of face-to-face classes and more restrictions due to infections”, Writes the medium.

And add:

“Larreta took the glove, and crossed it: “A way of working was broken, it is unintelligible that the president does not dialogue.” And he challenged the president to meet face to face”.

There, says “Clarín”, the bickering began.

Indeed, they got to meet, but Fernández did not give his arm to twist and, in a press conference, said that “her ex-friend had been ‘unfair’, ‘ungrateful’ and had told ‘lies’.

Rodríguez Larreta counterattacked, maintaining that he would do everything possible so that classes will resume on Monday.

“The justice decided that in the City, within the framework of autonomy, the presence of the classes should be maintained“, He said after knowing the ruling

President Alberto Fernández (center), the governor of the province of Buenos Aires Axel Kicillof (right) and the Head of Government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, at the presidential residence in Olivos. (AFP). (ESTEBAN COLLAZO /)

THE BROKEN BRIDGES

The confrontation between Rodríguez Larreta and Fernández, however, would respond not only to lack of tact and ego issues. “Clarín” notes that we must not lose sight of the fact that, behind both, they are Cristina Kirchner and Mauricio Macri.

According to the medium, there would be something like a “offensive”Against those who consider themselves“the enemy to defeat“, With a view to who could become the”main competitor in 2023”.

The situation seemed to get out of control when Rodríguez Larreta and Fernández began to have a certain closeness – “Clarín” notes that the former used to continually attend the Pink House-, which was punished by cutting government funds.

To this was added the extreme polarization between the ruling party and the opposition.

“The restrictions, the permanent criticisms of the Buenos Aires management […], the face-to-face classes acted as a trigger for a bond only sustained by the need for both jurisdictions to interact”Writes the newspaper.

And add:

“Given the fait accompli, it is likely that Rodríguez Larreta’s with Alberto was one of the few bridges that remained to agree on something”..