IMF is not the cause of Argentina’s poverty: “we are to blame”

Thursday, October 22nd 2009 - 08:04 UTC

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Alberto Fernandez, once a strong member of the Kirchner crew

Argentina’s former cabinet chief Alberto Fernandez said the International Momentary Fund, IMF, is not the cause of the country’s poverty. His statements come in the middle of negotiations between the administration of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and the IMF for a possible understanding which could open the way for fresh funds for Argentina.

The ex-official and close advisor to the Kirchner couple said that Argentines “tend to blame others and look for responsibilities outside the country”. He added that “we are told that Argentina’s poverty and indigence are the fault of the IMF because they were cruel with us: and no, that’s not true, we are to blame”.

“The cause of poverty in Argentina is with us, simply because we spent more than what we should and this led to borrowing”, underlined Fernandez.

During his time as one of the Kirchner couple’s most trusted officials, Fernandez supported the official line from former president Nestor Kirchner who argued that the IMF and its recipes were “behind Argentina’s shameful poverty indexes”.

Kirchner also claims that the IMF “humiliates sovereign countries such as Argentina by forcing it to adopt draconian policies which promote poverty, unemployment and have repeatedly proved wrong”.

Former president Kirchner admitted this week that Argentina is holding negotiations with the IMF which should give the country access to fresh funds and the voluntary money markets, but “never again will we be subordinated to the IMF”.

Fernandez also revealed that overseas confidence in Argentina has weakened strongly. “People have enormous doubts about Argentina” both politically and financially, and he added, “the comparison with Brazil has become inevitable”.

Categories: Politics, Argentina.

Top Comments

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Luis
Of course the IMF is not to blame for Argentina's problems. But these kind of comments came in a political shape so to ask for money to that organism, after blaming it of our economic bankrupt in that same political shape.
How many years must we suffer this kind of “parasitos” in politics?. For worse, Macri and company are more corrupts than Kirchner.
I hope next time they ask for money to the IMF, they keep records of loans, so in the future they dont have to ask the IMF how much we owe them becouse the government losed registry.
Oct 22nd, 2009 - 08:54 am 0
Bubba
Luis, you must continue to suffer until the pueblo finally gets tired of the corruption that infects all levels of Argentine goverment. The corruption, the siphoning of the country's wealth by elected and appointed officials should not be considered the cost of doing business. When Argentina stands up and convicts and takes away the illgotten gains of the politicos, then it can become the economic power it was before..
Oct 22nd, 2009 - 09:47 am 0
jorge
I wonder why appear here that kind of news about someone who is not in the government anymore. Why doesn't appear the macri's spy man??? Why doesn't appear the nonsenses carrio say??? Only appear the news about people who critized the government.
cheers
Oct 23rd, 2009 - 09:59 am 0

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