The World Cup in Qatar deactivates the feared 'December effect' in Argentina

December is usually a difficult month in Argentina.

The story began in 2001, with the corralito crisis.

Five presidents passed through the Casa Rosada after President Fernando de la Rúa escaped by helicopter.

The repression of the riots left 39 dead between December 19 and 20, most of them in the vicinity of the Plaza de Mayo.

Since then, governments have been preparing to survive December.

The end of the year feeds the claim among the poorest and protests grow in the streets;

unions ask for salary increases or bonuses to compensate for inflation.

2022 is especially complicated for the Government of Alberto Fernández: December will end with inflation close to 100% and with almost four out of ten Argentines below the poverty line.

The Peronist alliance in the Casa Rosada is fractured and the country's most influential politician, Cristina Kirchner, was sentenced last week to six years in prison for corruption.

But when the storm raged, the Argentine soccer team reached the World Cup final in Qatar.

In Argentina they don't talk about anything else.

The victory against Croatia on Tuesday organizes the public debate, families discuss where they will see the final match on Sunday and politicians speak softly so as not to attract attention.

The noise is so great that few found out that the president, Alberto Fernández, celebrated this Wednesday the three years of his Administration and the 39 years of the return to democracy.

He did it with an act in the gardens of the Casa Rosada, where they located 1,000 chairs that were half empty.

The call was evidence of the divisions that exist in the Casa Rosada.

There were no Kirchner ministers;

Only one of the country's 23 governors traveled to Buenos Aires;

The social movements that have positions in the Government barely participated.

In summary, Peronism was missing in its different versions, which are many.

Fernández gave a long speech and at the end promised that he will assume the direction of the campaign for the 2023 general elections.

"I guarantee that I am going to take the lead to order our political force, we are going to win together and for the good of Argentina," said Fernández, the only speaker at an event that usually takes place in Plaza de Mayo in a festive atmosphere and speakers. of all the colors.

The president did not clarify if he will go for re-election.

He has been flirting with the idea for months, although his popularity is at rock bottom.

Cristina Kirchner's decision not to be a candidate for any position, as she said after her conviction, agitated Peronism, which must now seek a significant replacement.

The name of the president does not appear at the top of the preferences.

There are other names there, such as the Minister of Economy, Sergio Massa -absent at the event this Wednesday- although his political destiny is tied to the evolution of inflation and poverty.

There is also Eduardo de Pedro, the Interior Minister who is Kirchner's eye and ears in the Cabinet.

And it is to be expected that the name of a governor appears, the traditional reservoir of Peronist candidates.

Meanwhile, everyone relies on football to maintain social peace.

If Argentina finally comes out champion there will be days and days of celebrations.

Then the Christmas and New Year holidays will come and in January the high season of the summer holidays begins.

By then the danger will have passed.

If he loses, the World Cup hangover will be less effective, but the shock of the final will be enough to get to January without too many shocks.

If that is not enough, the Government has a silver bullet ready.

There is a year-end bonus on the agenda for lower-income wage earners and another for the millions of Argentines who receive a social plan.

It will reach 4.4 million people and will serve to calm the discomfort of the homes hardest hit by the crisis.

The combination of the World Cup and extra money is the Argentine vaccine against the December effect.

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