Head of the Buenos Aires Government, Jorge Macri, announced a change in the city's food policy logic, stating that "intermediation is over" and there is no longer a need to negotiate with social organizations.
Macri explained that the new system allowed for the identification and closure of 40 phantom canteens. "We changed the logic. We stopped thinking about making deals with intermediaries and moved to direct relationships with the beneficiaries of the canteens," he said.
"I give people the right to food without intermediaries, and the canteen that works well will receive all the portions it needs to provide food with protein, vegetables, and fresh products. But not with the logic of 'I pick up the food here and take it to the province or use it for political purposes,'" he added.
Macri also noted that thanks to the new system, using a mobile application, each resident visiting a canteen confirms receipt of a portion via a QR code. This made it possible to identify canteens that were not providing services or were receiving significantly more food than they were distributing.
The head of government cited a shocking fact: today, canteens primarily serve the middle class. "Today we serve retirees and middle-class people. Because if you conduct an inspection, it's easy to gather 50 or 60 people who allegedly show up at that canteen," Macri explained.
He stated that approximately 250,000 food portions are distributed daily. Some canteens are located in urban areas and are run by parishes, social organizations, or evangelical churches. "There are people who don't like to ask for food but need it," he pointed out.
