Crossfire between Nat'l Gov't, City over accident in Flores

The tragic crash between two trains from the Sarmiento line and a bus in Flores neighbourhood reactivated the crossfire between national and Buenos Aires City governments, currently over the construction of underground crossings for the Sarmiento lines.

Buenos Aires City Mayor Mauricio Macri affirmed that the “national government must show up and finish the famous underground works for the Sarmiento train line,” and asked them to “avoid the waste” of public funds. Planning Minister, Julio de Vido referred to the mayor as “paltry and arrogant” due to his statements.

De Vido also assured that “maybe for him, the Child Allowance is a waste,” and added that “Macri’s arrogant statements tarnish the great performance of his people” after the accident.

Macri remembered that it was “Judge Juan Vicente Cataldo, who ordered to stop all tunneling works the City government was conducting. There were political interests in his decision. Those works could have saved many lives; we don’t want any more fatalities. You [journalists] should go and ask him [Cataldo] why he stopped the works.”

The mayor also praised “the joint efforts and sync work of the SAME emergency service along with the City Hospitals network, and the Federal Police.”

Later, Cabinet Chief Aníbal Fernández accused Macri of “not helping the victims” of the tragic crash.

“Instead of helping and collaborating in the rescue of the victims, the only thing he does is make these statements,” Fernández told the press.

Buenos Aires City has 100 train crossings, which are potentially lethal considering that Argentina has one of the highest rates of death caused by car accidents.