All photos attached: Wikipedia/WikiCommons
Schirrmacher, author of the book „Corruption“, visited the only monument to bribery that exists in the world. The “
El monumento a la coima“ is a
statue created in 1936 on the wall of the headquarters of the Ministry of Health, in the middle of 9 de Julio Avenue in Buenos Aires. Although it is visible to everyone, very few know of its existence.
A sculpture located on the façade of the former Ministry of Public Works of Buenos Aires (Argentina), today the Ministry of Social Development, on Avenida 9 de Julio, is known as the monument to the bribe. The work was designed by the architect Alberto Belgrano Blanco and materialized by José Hortal, at that time national director of architecture. It is a work that falls within the rationalist style popular in the 1930s. Although for many years it has gone unnoticed, in recent years its existence has come to light in connection with cases of corruption and clientelism in government contracts, both in Argentina and abroad.
The statue, frozen, made of stone, are surprisingly located in the vortexes of a building in Buenos Aires. It depicts a person carrying a box in one hand, while holding the other hand in pronation and with the palm of the hand turned, in an attitude of collecting a tip. The person is looking down, distracted or ashamed, with a hint of guilt.
The building is of rationalist style, but with art deco elements such as this sculpture. It was designed by architect Alberto Belgrano Blanco, and executed by José Hortal (then National Director of Architecture). Its construction began in 1933, and it was the first skyscraper in Buenos Aires (93 m high, 22 floors). In 1951, the first television broadcast in Argentina took place in this building, as well as Eva Duarte de Perón’s “Renunciation Speech” in the same year.
As for the sculpture, although the official version does not confirm it (since it does not appear in the project of the building, nor in the plans, nor in any file), several historians and architects believe that its creation was a spontaneous denunciation of the bribes that abounded in the concessions of public works in Argentina in the 1930s. Nowadays taken for granted that the sculpture was made by the artist Troiano Troiani.
An icon of Buenos Aires, the first skyscraper in the city, 93 meters high and 22 stories high, the Ministry of Public Works was the place chosen for the first television broadcast. In addition, it was there that Eva Perón gave her immortal “renunciation” speech. Today, the building is mainly known for the image of Eva Perón, which was installed in 2010 at the initiative of Peronist President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiBTgDF8syU
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@morganmirabal/video/7132540701488942382
https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monumento_a_la_coim
https://www.infobae.com/politica/2017/03/08/la-historia-del-desconocido-monumento-a-la-coima-unico-en-el-mundo-y-en-plena-9-de-julio/
