MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
IMF: “foolish” for Argentine presidential candidates to abandon the program
“We are now beginning to see the program actually work,” Lagarde told reporters at the start of the IMF-World Bank spring meeting in Washington. Argentina’s economic reform program is beginning to show results, so it would “foolish” for presidential candidates to abandon the program, International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said Thursday.
South America's second economy, which has had a fractious relationship with the IMF over the years, has been trying to stabilize its economy with the help of an IMF-funded aid package, and will face presidential elections in late October.
“We are now beginning to see the program actually work,” Lagarde told reporters at the start of the IMF-World Bank spring meeting in Washington.
“Our assessment is that the Argentine economy is at the point where it is going to bottom out.”
The IMF projects Argentina’s economy will contract by 1.2% this year but will begin to grow in the second half of the year and that will be followed by an expansion of 2.2% in 2020.
“Now that so much hard work has been done, in a program where social protection has always been one of our three key priorities, it would be foolish on the part of any candidate to turn their back to the work that is underway,” Lagarde said.
Argentina originally secured a US$50 billion financing package from the IMF in June before returning to the fund to ask for more in October. The IMF granted an extra US$ 6 billion and accelerated disbursements in exchange for tougher conditions.
The government statistics bureau said the economy contracted 3.5% in the third quarter of 2018, following a 4% drop in the second quarter, and plunged 7.5% in November alone.
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Read all commentsWell said EM, and how do you think Argentina would manage with no money. You are already at the beck and call of the Chins,Why not go back to Argentina and show them how to run a country. All started with Peron and then the Kirchners putting their mitts in the tin.Let the Kirchners show how they amassed a fortune.
Apr 12th, 2019 - 05:16 pm +4And that's exactly why they will do so. Foolish behaviour is the very gist of the Argentine idiosyncrasy.
Apr 12th, 2019 - 02:19 pm +2Lagarde should start looking for her next job. I have no doubt that Brussel will receive you with open arms.
'Enrique Massot
Apr 14th, 2019 - 09:17 pm 0You must have a very distorted view of economics to propose that countries -- any country -- must rely on foreign funds to function'.
All ( proper) countries rely on foreign funds to function..... you produce something of value... sell it to someone.... and receive foreign funds in exchange.... simples...
Sadly RGs think some magic is involved in making things work.
I think 'Peronist Cargo Cult' would describe it...
from Wiki...to save you the trouble....
'A cargo cult is a belief system among members of a relatively undeveloped society in which adherents practice superstitious rituals hoping to bring modern goods supplied by a more technologically advanced society. '
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