Argentina’s presidential debate began this Sunday with a fiery back-and-forth in which the libertarian Javier Milei confirmed that he will dollarize the economy and close the Central Bank, while his rival, the ruling party Sergio Massa, launched constant consultations about his economic proposals.
During the first axis dedicated to the economy, the candidate of Unión por la Patria (Peronism) challenged the libertarian to answer “yes or no” if he will eliminate subsidies, will dollarize the Argentine economy, end the Central Bank and privatize “rivers and seas” at the same time as the Vaca Muerta site.
Despite the fact that the leader of La Libertad Avanza treated him as a “liar” and warned him that he was not going to “condition” him with his answers and confirmed that he will remove the monetary authority.
“Think that if we had convertibility we would have an average income of 1,800 dollars and not this misery that we have today. Yes, I’m going to eliminate the Central Bank because it is what generates inflation. And I said I’m not going to touch the subsidies,” he responded, annoyed, Milei.
He added that he will not touch rate subsidies (on services such as transportation or electricity that currently allow lower prices), because it will allow “the economy to recover and when the economy recovers they will be able to pay those rates.”
For his part, Massa rhetorically asked his opponent if “he lied throughout the campaign or is lying tonight” and insisted on the question: “Are you going to dollarize the economy or not?”
To which the liberal replied: “Yes, we are going to dollarize the economy, we are going to close the Central Bank and end the cancer of inflation.”
Currently, Argentina is facing a socioeconomic crisis with year-on-year inflation of 138.3% and poverty of 40.1%, to which are added constant exchange rate attacks due to the fragility of its currency with respect to the US dollar.
Finally, he took the opportunity to include -although negatively- former president Mauricio Macri (2015-2019), who gave him his support in this second round, in his responses: “You blew up our income, with you as Minister of Eeconomy, income fell by 33%, which had already been falling under Macri.”
Massa picked up the gauntlet and recalled that countries like Zimbabwe have dollarized their economy and the Federated States of Micronesia in Oceania have eliminated their central banks.
“Argentina’s exit is with an increase in exports, with the 40,000 million dollars more that we are going to export next year, construction of work on the basis of better income and with an agreement of national unity that allows us to reduce the system of taxes including withholdings,” Massa added.
Finally, the Peronist affirmed the need to rediscuss the program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which he considered “inflationary”, as well as increase exports in order to accumulate reserves to pay the financial institution.
Massa and Milei starred in the last pre-electoral debate with a view to the runoff to be held on November 19, which will produce the next president of Argentina, who will begin his Government on December 10.
EFE
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