The Peronist government of Ricardo Quintela justified the unusual decision by the "joy of the people"
In the same statement, the Peronist government deepened its argument: “The joy of our people deserves to be celebrated” and added: “Football is part of our identity, our popular culture, and those feelings that find us embracing each other beyond any differences.”
Although it was clarified that the holiday does not imply a total interruption of services, as minimal shifts will be maintained to ensure essential services, the measure still impacts the overall functioning of the public administration and the education system.
The announcement also included a direct reference to the performance of the team led by Lionel Scaloni and the prominence of the Argentine captain. “Today we celebrate a sporting victory that fills us with pride and reminds us of the strength a people has when they dream, strive, and work together,” they noted, highlighting Messi's hat-trick as the peak of the day.
Beyond the sporting result, the decision of the government led by Ricardo Quintela generated strong criticism for suspending activities in the state sector due to a victory in the first match of the Argentine team in the World Cup.
The Peronist government of La Rioja declared an unusual holiday for the provincial public administration and educational institutions following the victory of the Argentine national team against Algeria, a measure that quickly generated strong criticism.
The decision was communicated via social media just minutes after the match, which took place at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City and ended with a 3-0 victory for La Scaloneta, with all goals scored by Lionel Messi.
“The joy of our people deserves to be celebrated,” expressed the government of Ricardo Quintela in the official message, in which he announced the “holiday for the Provincial Public Administration.” The measure is in effect during the morning and also applies to state-run educational institutions, leaving the entire province without education.
According to their explanation, the goal is to allow workers to share what they defined as “a moment of collective happiness that unites the entire country.” However, the provision raised questions for paralyzing almost all state activity for a football match.
