Argentina is experiencing a crisis with over 100% inflation and has taken in increasing numbers of Russians fleeing the war, mostly pregnant women, motivated by the hope of starting a new life.
Since January of last year, the South American country has already taken in more than 22,000 Russians, mostly from the middle and upper classes, according to migration data from the Argentine government. In January of this year alone, there were almost five thousand Russians. Many of these newcomers are women in the late stages of pregnancy.
Many take Ethiopian Airlines’ daily flight from Moscow, stopping in Addis Ababa and São Paulo before landing in Buenos Aires — a relatively inexpensive route at around $2,500.
According to the Buenos Aires Ministry of Health, at the Fernández Hospital, the busiest in the capital, 10% of births last year were to Russian women. This year, by midFebruary, the percentage reached 22% of all births.
At the private Finochietto Hospital, doctors delivered 50 Russian babies in December out of a total of 180 registered births, doctor Guido Manrique, head of obstetrics, told The Wall Street Journal.
Advertising attracts Russians
Russians find advertisements online promoting Argentina with promises of a better country to settle in and give birth to. agencies such as RuArgentinaThey call the country “the best place to give birth”. The company is owned by a Russian who has lived in Buenos Aires for eight years.
However, most Russians seem to have found out about Argentina through the messaging app Telegram. Runaway inflation and its troubled economic history aren’t enough to scare Russians. The groups, with more than 20,000 users, share information on immigration regulations, the cost and quality of hospitals, finding housing, and hiring nannies and translators.
For the men, fleeing to Argentina is a chance to avoid the obligatory call to fight against Ukraine. Women arriving in the country of birth are immediately granted newborn citizenship, as well as temporary residency and work permits.
Also read: “Santa Jacinda is already too late”, text published in issue 149 of Revista Oeste