The meeting was already heated, in line with the uncertainty that the dollar increase, minute by minute, introduced into the economy. until the minister sylvina batakisoIn line with the worrying sentences he has been repeating in different meetings, he has reduced his cabinet colleagues. “I don’t want to say what condition the stock is in. I prefer not to ask”surprised (and worried), because he was able to rebuild bugle Based on sources attending the conference.
According to the latest official data on the website of the Central Bank, the total reserves were less than $40,000 millionBut the liquids, which can be used now, will not reach 3,000 million.
Because of this shortage, it was decided to allow foreign tourists to sell up to $5,000 in Argentine banks at prices close to the blue from last week’s meeting, in which Batakis catapulted. Measures promoted by the head of BCRA, Miguel PesceClearly already questioned by some of his colleagues in the government.
“The best thing was to do it with a credit card, with an agreement with Visa. Now how many tourists are going to bankAnd leave with the money given to be stolen, when they can exchange it anywhere or businesses can take it for 340 pesos?”, one of the opponents explains.
There are many government officials who look at the head of the Central Bank with suspicion. The “pace principle”, which is also circulated at various meetings, is We have to wait for energy purchases to drop, with the arrival of spring, so that the festival of imports in the region is reduced. Have we arrived?
“It’s an illusion. He is selling 100, 150 sticks a day to buy energy, You can’t wait for summer to come.” Another former official of the same government says, “It’s a still look, as if nothing happened in between or around. And you can’t live with that much uncertainty.”
Endurance plan and inflation data
In an informal conversation, a few days ago, this former official was asked to diagnose the economic situation: “three weeks,” he replied when asked about the time frame to avoid the disaster. and followed: “You have to stop the bullfights. or with the dollar or devaluation, If the government doesn’t do anything, the market will be devalued.”
For experts, the gap is volatile with one official dollar at 130 pesos and many parallels above 300. “You can have a difference of 30% or 40%, no more”referred to the former official when this newspaper asked him what would be a more logical value for the dollar today in light of the current situation.
“You are going to have an inflation flash and you will have to compensate with fiscal measures for those who have less, but the current situation is volatile. When the blue dollar goes so high it’s because you already have a bullfight on the street, And you have to stop it,” he insisted.
Another coincidental diagnosis among economists (and politicians) is that The only abundant fish tank is in the countryside to search for foreign exchange and rebuild reserves., Of what remains for soybeans and other grains, it is estimated that there are about $18,000 million in silos. The only way to unlock it, today, is to improve the income of its owners, either with a differentiated dollar (close to 200 pesos?).
Will Christina tolerate this? “Look, there’s a cancer patient here, and if you have to cut off his hand to save his life, you have to cut him off. Batakis advises everything with Christina, or Kissilof, and Augusto Costa. The minister has already warned That the situation is desperate. If the people of the countryside don’t give us dollars, who will we ask? to Keynes? There are many here who are on birthdays”, an official who is following the crisis day by day.
In any case, beyond the vice president, the eyes point to Alberto Fernandez. Stories coming from Olivos always oscillate under the same logic, The President is approached with possible solutions, but he does not end up making decisions and putting them into practice. A source who spoke with the president said, “He has some events scheduled this week and there are going to be announcements.”
Another leader who had contact with the president over the weekend says: “He is emotionally beaten, but in time and space, He is aware of the current crisis. He told me that relations with Christina are better. But now you have a complicated date in front of you, the day they announce inflation (August 11). It would give 8% or more.”
Batakis did not predict 7%?, consult bugle, “I think it’s 8% or more”, According to this leader, only after that the announcement of changes in the cabinet can be made. “If it’s done earlier, inflation is revealed and people say ‘it didn’t work'”,
The one who speaks is one of those promoting the landing of Sergio Massa. there, Stories differ on Christina’s support (or not) so that leaders of the Renovating Front would come with expanded powers., “Sergio has a game, he knows the keypad. But hey, some people thought the same with the landing of Annibal (Fernandez), who was going to help with communication; or with Daniel (Cioli), Cabinet to give political volume, and it happened with little or nothing,” he added.
With regard to the editions of the last days, the official Asks media to hold on to data: “This weekend (journalist Roberto) Navarro spoke of a cabinet change and some stimulus for the sector to eliminate foreign exchange. That is Alberto’s letter. Later we will have to see if it materialises.” Alberto has a hard time hiring people . . .
