The BBC returned to Buenos Aires this week for a live recording of its famed World Questions show – fulfilling a promise it made to Argentines back in March 2020, in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We promised we’d be back and here we are,” said the show’s executive producer, Charlie Taylor, with a smile as he welcomed porteños to the Teatro Picadero in downtown Buenos Aires for the eagerly awaited debate.
Expertly hosted by the broadcaster’s royal correspondent, Jonny Dymond, the show was soon underway with the selection of hand-picked panellists quickly getting into their rhythm.
The BBC’s chosen four were: Emmanuel Ferrario, first vice-president of the Legislature and deputy head of the Buenos Aires City government; Agostina Mileo, an environmental scientist and communicator better known online as ‘Scientist Barbie’; political analyst and senior vice-president at GBAO consultancy firm Ana Iparraguirre; and Delfina Rossi, economist and Banco Ciudad chair Delfina Rossi.
The topics discussed were typically diverse, ranging from questions about how to restore economic confidence and tackle inflation, to polarisation and the environment and even the recent general election in Brazil and what it means for Argentina.
But for a debate that banks on differences of opinion, there was one moment that united both audience and panel members alike. One audience member, grasping the opportunity to link both Britain and Argentina together for a moment, probed the panellists as to whether there was a ‘win-win’ solution for both sides in the disputed sovereignty row over the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands.
Unsurprisingly, this was a topic that united all four members of the panel and much of the audience – all thought support for Argentina’s claim went across party lines though many were doubtful as to whether a ‘win-win’ solution was really possible.
To find out the rest of the topics discussed and to hear the debate yourself, tune in to the BBC World Service this Saturday to catch the show.
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An edited recording of BBC World Questions – Buenos Aires will air today, Saturday, October 8, on BBC World Service Radio.
Listeners from Argentina can tune in at www.bbc.com/worldserviceradio.
From Sunday, October 9, the show can be heard at https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct3hnt.
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