MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine central bank president contracts wife and son; blames lobbies for releasing the news

Vanoli said the 'news' was the result of 'attacks' from those 'more than evident sectors' who want to see “the US dollar at 20 Argentine Pesos”

Argentina's central bank president Alejandro Vanoli strongly defended the recent contracting of his wife and son in the bank, arguing they are 'well trained' for the jobs and blamed local speculative financial groups of being behind the news which was published in the Buenos Aires media.

 Gabriela Gelardi and Facundo Vanoli Long “are well skilled with solid backgrounds who resigned to their former jobs to collaborate with the 'financial education' department, which is one of the main objectives of the bank's policies” said an official communiqué signed by Vanoli.

Apparently the son of Vanoli, Facundo is a cinema student.

Vanoli later argued that the 'news' was the result of 'attacks' from those 'more than evident sectors' which have been responsible for the run on the exchange rate and “wanted the US dollar at 20 Argentine Pesos”, and are also furious because “we have ordered the disclosure of the central bank's minutes from the time of the dictatorship”.

“The only reply to the attacks are results. More reserves, a lower illegal exchange rate, with futures lower and the bank making money and with reserves” twitted the banks' president.

The news broke out because the Buenos Aires daily La Nacion published that there had been a 'massive contracting of staff' at the bank, which was 'categorically denied' (2.658 personnel compared to 2.666 on December 2013), and pointing out that any contracts are to fill vacancies, be it because of retirement, resignations or the need to address specific functions.

The release then supports the contracting of Vanoli's wife and son, and attributes any objections to those lobbies interested in devaluing the Argentine Peso and/or concerned about the release of banks' documents from the time of the dictatorship (1976/1983).-

“This kind of false and ill intended publications only attempt to delegitimize the role of the State in the execution of a monetary policy that contributes to boost growth and employment, which is the opposite of what the establishment and its spokespersons are interested in: destabilization strategies and adjustment policies”.

The official exchange rate for the US dollar in Argentina closed on Thursday at 8.90 Pesos, while the so called 'blue' in the parallel market, 12.80 Pesos.