A Peronist mayor requested leave to go to the World Cup with friends: "I really need it."

The Peronist mayor of Funes, Roly Santacroce, decided to take a 17-day leave to travel to the World Cup that will be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. The local chief, who months ago was involved in a controversy following a complaint for alleged mistreatment and intimidation filed by his ex-wife, confirmed that he will temporarily step down from his duties to fulfill a tradition he has maintained with a group of friends "for decades."

Santacroce, a historic leader of the PJ who is currently politically aligned with the group of governors that includes the Santa Fe Maximiliano Pullaro, explained that he has already attended six World Cups and that he had no intention of missing the upcoming World Cup. He stated that he will travel during the first phase of the tournament to witness the matches of the Argentine National Team against Algeria, Austria, and Australia.

"I have been to six World Cups: 1998, 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2022. I am going to this one too, like all the World Cups", the mayor affirmed during a radio interview. In that same conversation, he acknowledged that every four years he makes the trip with a group of friends and that the goal is to completely disconnect from daily obligations. "I have a group of friends that every four years we forget about everything and go away for 15 or 20 days," he stated.

To formalize his departure from the country, the local chief submitted a formal leave request to the Deliberative Council of Funes, a mandatory procedure since the absence will exceed five days and also involves a trip abroad. During that period, the management of the municipality will be in the hands of the president of the local legislative body, Carlos Olmedo. Santacroce defended the decision and assured that it is a procedure he had already used during the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

In recent weeks, the mayor became involved in the dispute over the works carried out by a hotel on a collector road of the Rosario-Córdoba highway and months ago was embroiled in a judicial controversy after his then-wife filed a complaint for alleged gender violence. The filing requested the intervention of the Justice system to safeguard the psychological integrity of the complainant and her teenage children.

Despite the criticism his decision has sparked, Santacroce maintained that he needs to take those days because he works "a lot" and assured that he has not had a vacation. Meanwhile, the city of Funes will be under interim management until his return.