Why Russian women are flying to Argentina to give birth
The country offers visa-free entry and birthright citizenship
ARGENTINA HAS always been a country of immigrants. In the 19th century millions of Italians and Spaniards came to plough the country’s fields. More recently hundreds of thousands of Bolivians, Paraguayans and Venezuelans have arrived. But the latest wave is different. According to Florencia Carignano, the head of Argentina’s immigration authority, some 22,000 Russians entered Argentina last year—and an unusually high number were pregnant women, many close to term. Restaurants in Palermo, a posh area in Buenos Aires, have issued menus in Russian. The city’s Russian Orthodox church is suddenly bustling. Why are women travelling halfway around the world to give birth?
From the March 18th 2023 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from The Economist explains
What do Greenlanders think of being bought?
Donald Trump’s desire for Greenland, and a shabby visit by his son, reignite the independence debate
What would Donald Trump gain from seizing the Panama Canal?
The president-elect claims the crossing is controlled by China and rips off American consumers
Where does Santa come from?
How a miracle-working Greek bishop, Dutch folk figure and early New York icon became the ubiquitous symbol of Christmas
Who are the main rebel groups in Syria?
They were united against the country’s dictator. Now they have little in common
Is RFK junior right to say America allows more toxins than the EU?
He is, but things are slowly beginning to change
What would it cost to kill coal?
The price of shutting down coal power, and what would be gained