Lucía Quiroga, the head of the Buenos Aires city's mental health department resigned today after heavily criticizing the administration of City Mayor Mauricio Macri and accusing the latter of lack of dialogue with the members of his government.

Fourteeen months ago, Macri had announced he would close the two largest psychiatric hospitals in Buenos Aires, Borda and Moyano, located in the Constitución neighbourhood. They were to be replaced by 10 smaller institutions in different parts of the city. After strong criticism from the opposition, the government rolled back its plans to build a new City Hall building at the premises of the hospitals.

Psychiatrist Lucía Quiroga complained about the fact that the City government didn't keep its promise to build twelve other mental health centres as, after a year, only a small number of them are in the process of being created.

She also said that the measures announced by the City Hall never were discussed with her department. In an interview with a local newspaper, Quiroga said the Macri administration "did not consult her on the matter's key decisions." She added that the possible closure of the Borda and the Moyano hospitals "was not left out of the agenda," and claimed the delays in works at the institutions "aim at emptying the hospital."