The Journalist and the Accountant
Hugo Machiavelli is an Argentinian investigative reporter who believes political leaders should be held accountable for their performance at public office. He has thus followed most political leaders recording their careers and their management approach to public funds. Throughout his career Machiavelli has seen Argentina rise to the challenges of modernity when for very short time spans takes the global highway only to suddenly retrench into populism. Machiavelli’s latest work is a chronicle of the corruption machinery created by the Kirchner family in Argentina which led to the end of the infrastructure modernization plan that was essential to increasing the country’s competitiveness. And while most followers of Latin American developments seldom are surprised by the presence of corruption, the truth Is that the blatancy and sophistication of the Kirchner scheme comes as a shock. Because it could have never been deployed without the support of the Argentinean society’s leadership. This leads one the believe that Argentina and Latin America are doomed to ruin . Because the triggering factor of development is the belief in rule of law . And a society whose leadership willfully participates in a corrupt organization evidently does not believe in the rule of law. Machiavelli however is optimistic about the future of Argentina By forcing prosecution, the roots of corruption will be destroyed and with it the successful political narrative of Argentinian populism. And once Argentina experiences its ‘Lava Jato” moment the country will take Brazil’s development route. Both nations would then support each other in their quest for freedom and prosperity. I simply pray that Machiavelli is right.