The Glory and the Grift: Argentina and its World Cups

Argentina's World Cup Madness - Again!

We speak on the eve of Argentina perhaps lifting their fourth World Cup. Just the old colonial master, Spain, standing in their way in Sunday's final. It's no exageration to say the country has been gripped by World Cup fever. Schools and businesses shut down when the national team plays and the streets are thronged with celebrating fans. Daniel, still reeling from England's defeat to the old enemy in the semi-final, and Joe, supporting the country he's lived in for more than 40 years, discuss Messi the Magician and just why Argentines are so passionate about football.

The Glory and the Grift: Argentina and its World Cups

Argentina has won the World Cup three times: in 1978 when hosting it under a brutal military government amidst some dubious dealings to reach the final, 1986 in Mexico with the help of Maradona and God and last time out in Qatar guided by Leo Messi. They've also lost a couple of finals and always go into every tournament among the firm favourites supported by some of the most passionate fans in the world. Joe and Daniel look back at previous victories, at Argentina's chances this time out and at the source of all that passion. And, talking of passion, just a few words to get us going on the death of Argentine rock legend, Indio Solari.

Rats! From Hantavirus to Hondurasgate

There are two viruses threatening Latin America and beyond. The first is Hantavirus (Andean strain) which it's thought was picked up by European tourists who boarded a Dutch cruise ship in April in the far southern Argentinian city of Ushuaia. It is usually spread from rodent to human. The fear now is that humans are passing it to one another. The World Heath Organisation is dealing with it since, like the coronavirus, it is a potentially global issue. Only Argentina, which has experience and knows more about this particular strain than any other nation, has, like the US, ducked out of the WHO, wants nothing to do with it. The Argentine president, Javier Milei, is instead reportedly dabbling in Hondurasgate - a plot involving right-wing leaders from around the world to undermine the three major remaining progressive, democratically elected governments in Latin America - Mexico, Colombia and Brazil. It's on tape. The former president of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernandez, talking about the involvement in this new plot of Trump and Milei, as well as - get this! - the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. Don't forget that Trump released JOH, as he's known, from a 45-year prison sentence in the US which he was serving for drug-related issues. Why? Maybe Hondurasgate is payback? It wouldn't be the first time the US and its allies have meddled in Latin American affairs. There was Iran Contragate? The Bay of Pigs, countless US invasions of Haiti and US support of every military military dictator from Augusto Pinochet to Alfredo Stroessner? Joe and Daniel discuss to what extent these connections were rodent to human, human to rodent, rodent to rodent or human to human with the rats simply observing.

Insecure Presidential Security

The attack last week on Donald Trump was merely the latest in a series of assassination attempts against American presidents. Joe and Daniel have covered a fair few presidential events in their time - from Bush to Obama and Chavez to Castro - and been subject to the security measures that accompany them. They compare Trump's security with that on the events they've covered. And whether, as we mark World Press Freedom Day, security is used as an excuse to keep prying journalists at bay.

Exposed! The Emperors' New Clothes

The people of Hungary have had enough of the malicious, regressive, oppresive policies of their president of sixteen years, Viktor Orban. He was one of the first of the world's anti-women, anti-abortion, anti-migrant, anti-LGBTQ+, anti pretty much anything deemed to be progressive leaders of recent times. In his wake followed Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro, Javier Milei, Jose Antonio Kast and more - leaders who undermined their countries' electoral and judicial systems to remain in power and, through foul means and fair, ensure that they and their mates keep raking in the cash. Joe and Daniel discuss what implications the Orban defeat may have on like-minded leaders in Latin America and how and why these pelotudos keep getting away with it.