MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Buenos Aires Palermo Agro-Fair takes off with the export levies conflict latent

Buenos Aires mayor Mauricio Macri (L) and SRA president Hugo Biolcati

Buenos Aires City Mayor Mauricio Macri inaugurated the 124th edition of the Agriculture, Livestock and Industry Fair organized by the Argentine Rural Society (SRA) that will open on Saturday in the Palermo grounds. SRA head Hugo Biolcati was also present and took the opening honours along with the city Mayor.

As usual during the ruling Kirchner couple era, there were no government officials at the opening ceremony. It was also announced that no official stands will be part of the fair. Nevertheless, many representatives of the opposition were present at the Rural Society facilities.

Only once Néstor Kirchner visited the Rural Exhibition when the current deputy was head of state. That time, Kirchner was in the company of his wife Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, who was senator for the Victory Front.

During the opening speech, Macri didn't miss the chance to refer to the wiretapping case for which the mayor has been prosecuted, “I'm leading a battle against those who attack the institutions”, and added, “Argentina is in front of a great opportunity, we should leave discrepancies aside and take the country to the next level. We must abandon the welfare culture that only brings partial solutions in the short-term, and get back to a strong working culture.”

Once more, the City mayor charged against the Kirchner couple as he referred to the so called spy-gate as a case mounted by the national government.

On his part, SRA head Hugo Biolcati tried to downplay the bad relation that the farming sector and the government have been going through since the confrontations over the export tax duties blew up in March of 2008 “Argentina and the farming sector have always been together and shared a strong relation.”

More than 4,000 animals are expected to enter the show grounds of Palermo while 450 stands will take part of Argentina’s most important traditional agriculture-farming fair.