Argentina’s government defended its security strategy and criticized local football officials after a parade to celebrate the World Cup victory on Tuesday ended with players including Lionel Messi being evacuated by helicopter.
Security Minister Anibal Fernandez said it was impossible to continue with the parade given the estimated five million people that attended it and that he took the decision to evacuate the players with helicopters. Fans swarmed the double-decker, open-air bus, that were carrying the World Cup winners, with two men trying to jump from an overhanging bridge onto the vehicle, forcing the evacuation.
“It was self evident that the operation wouldn’t get to its final destination,” Fernandez told reporters on Wednesday according to a video posted on the TN website. The minister also lashed out against the head of the country’s football federation, who hinted that the national government left the team bus without adequate security.
The interruption of the celebration in Buenos Aires left millions without the chance to see their heroes, triggering a political blame-game in the football-crazed nation. While World Cup winners, including Argentina’s past two titles, tend to share the celebration with the head of state, in this case the players were reluctant to meet top officials because, as Minister Fernandez said, they didn’t want to mix sports with politics.
In a separate radio interview Wednesday, President Alberto Fernandez said he offered the iconic balcony at the presidential palace to the players in downtown Buenos Aires as a safe place to greet fans instead of a bus parade, but they were too tired, according to La Nacion. A government spokeswoman didn’t immediately respond to a request for further comment.
Argentina’s political situation is highly polarized and a picture of politicians with Messi, a local hero who is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, could have impacted political standings ahead of general elections in October. The ruling Peronist coalition has seen approval ratings decline as annual inflation accelerates to close to 100%.
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