Todo Concostrina – El cadáver de Gardel como maniobra de distracción

Host: Nieves Concostrina (A)
Co-host/Interviewer: Carla (B)
Date: June 26, 2024
Podcast: SER Podcast

Main Theme & Purpose

This episode delves into the fascinating political intrigue surrounding the death and repatriation of the iconic tango singer Carlos Gardel. Nieves Concostrina explores how Gardel’s corpse became a tool for political distraction in 1930s Argentina, especially during a moment of massive governmental scandal and upheaval. The discussion is rich with historic context, sharp wit, and the host’s signature irreverent take on how history unfolds.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Scene: The Debate over Gardel’s Nationality

• The episode picks up after a prior discussion about Gardel’s death and the contentious debate about his birthplace—an almost “affair of State” between Argentina and Uruguay (00:38).
  • Nieves wryly notes:

    “...esto del lugar de nacimiento de Carlos Gardel no le damos nada importancia, pero en Argentina y Uruguay es un asunto de Estado prácticamente, y algunos se les acelera el pulso a algunos, no todos.” (00:49)

2. Why 8 Months to Return Gardel’s Remains?

• The central question: Why did it take eight months to transfer Gardel’s body from Medellín (Colombia) to Buenos Aires?
  • The answer: Gardel’s corpse was used by the Argentine government as a deliberate distraction amidst a massive political corruption scandal—“el negociado de las carnes” (the great meat deal) (02:53).

    “Puede que este caso sea el ejemplo palmario de el muerto al hoyo y el vivo al bollo.” (01:41)

3. The Political Context: Corruption and British Influence

• The Argentine government at the time, led by President General Agustín Pedro Justo, was embroiled in corruption and had handed the country’s economic reins to British interests:
  • Corrupt deals with the UK:

    “Se firmó con los británicos un acuerdo leonino por el que se les vendían las buenísimas carnes argentinas a precio inferior que el que les pusiera el resto de proveedores mundiales...” (04:27)

  • British control extended to tax exemptions, the Central Bank, and transport monopolies in Buenos Aires.

4. Triggering Event: Assassination in the Senate

• In the midst of the corruption scandal, senator Lisandro de la Torre exposed these shady British agreements. While denouncing them in the Senate, an assassin—hired by the Minister of Agriculture—attempted to murder De la Torre, but killed his colleague instead (06:21).

  “...un matón, un ex policía a sueldo del ministro de Agricultura y Ganadería... Allí mismo en el Senado, le disparó Alessandro de la Torre tres tiros... pero un compañero de partido se cruzó y los tres tiros los recibió otro senador, no Lisandro.” (06:22–06:49)

• The ensuing political crisis threatened to destabilize the government.

5. Gardel as a Smokescreen

• The government, seeking to reduce public attention on the crisis, coordinated with sympathetic media to endlessly cover Gardel’s death, life, and repatriation (08:08).

  “...acordaron mantener en entretenida a la población, comenzó una campaña para desviar la atención pública del crimen del senador…” (08:17)

• The result: For nearly 8 months, news was saturated with Gardel, drawing attention away from political scandal.

6. The Epic Journey of Gardel’s Remains

• Gardel’s remains didn’t travel directly home; instead, they took an odyssey by train, mule, ship, and even included a lavish stop in New York for a five-day wake (09:43–10:45):
  • Medellín ➔ Train to La Pintada ➔ Caramanta (on mule) ➔ Supía ➔ Pereyra ➔ Buenaventura (by ship) ➔ Panama Canal ➔ New York (5-day velatorio/wake) ➔ Rio de Janeiro ➔ Montevideo ➔ Buenos Aires.

  “Yo creo que este hombre llegó a Buenos Aires con el fémur en la nuca, después de viajar en mula, en tren, en camión, en barco, a hombros, en coche...” (10:54)

7. The Buenos Aires Arrival: National Frenzy

• When Gardel’s body finally reached Buenos Aires on February 25, 1936, the reception was frenzied:

  “Ya 30.000 personas abarrotaban el puerto... hubo histeria, hubo cargas policiales a caballo... Los fanáticos empeñados en llevar el féretro a pulso... Aquello fue el delirio.” (12:05–12:21)

8. Gardel’s Lasting Legacy and Final Irony

• Gardel now rests in La Chacarita Cemetery, Buenos Aires—always depicted with a cigarette between his statue’s fingers.
• A final twist of historical irony: Uruguay requested UNESCO to recognize Gardel as World Heritage, but he was officially inscribed as “Argentine singer born in France”—to the exasperation of Uruguayans (12:52):

  “La UNESCO aceptó inscribir a Gardel a petición de Uruguay, pero lo inscribió como cantante argentino nacido en Francia, para gran cabreo de los uruguayos...” (12:59)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Political Distraction:

  “Puede que este caso sea el ejemplo palmario de el muerto al hoyo y el vivo al bollo.” —Nieves Concostrina (01:41)

• On Corruption:

  “...llevan la patria en la cartera. Los militares argentinos facilitaron una corrupción bárbara y pusieron el país en manos de capitales extranjeros.” —Nieves (04:09)

• On the Media’s Role:

  “...comenzó una campaña para desviar la atención pública del crimen del senador mediante la publicación de artículos todo relacionado con Gardel...” —Nieves (08:17)

• On Gardel’s Journey:

  “Yo creo que este hombre llegó a Buenos Aires con el fémur en la nuca, después de viajar en mula, en tren, en camión, en barco, a hombros, en coche…” —Nieves (10:54)

Important Timestamps

• 00:38: Opening of second part: nationality debate, aftermath of Gardel’s death
• 02:53: Explanation that the government delayed Gardel’s transfer for political reasons
• 04:10–05:15: Summary of the depth of British influence in 1930s Argentina
• 06:22–06:49: Assassination attempt in the Senate—turning point in the scandal
• 08:08–09:37: Deliberate press campaign to keep public focused on Gardel
• 09:43–10:54: The convoluted journey of Gardel’s body
• 12:05–12:33: Mass delirium upon arrival in Buenos Aires
• 12:52–13:20: Gardel’s UNESCO status and the final irony for Uruguay

Tone & Style

Nieves Concostrina maintains her trademark blend of biting humor, historical insight, and critique of political hypocrisy—always direct and wry, bringing a refreshingly irreverent perspective to both history and national myth-making.

Conclusion

If you missed this episode, you missed a sharply-told historical detective story—one that uses the odyssey of a beloved singer’s corpse to shine a light on the mechanisms of political distraction, media manipulation, and the peculiarities of cultural identity. Gardel was, in death as in life, a larger-than-life figure, and his posthumous journey tells us as much about 1930s Argentina as any dry textbook could.