MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Lacalle Pou: Argentina's protectionist measures detrimental to Uruguay

Uruguayans flock to the border crossings every weekend. Photo: Presidency

Uruguayan President Luis Lacalle Pou criticized Argentina's recent economic measures saying they “do not go with the spirit of Mercosur.”

To avoid an abrupt devaluation, Argentina's Superminister Sergio Massa imposed a new tax on purchases made abroad through credit cards which has discouraged Argentines from spending money in foreign countries while boosting the US dollar against the Argentine peso, which leads Uruguayans to do their shopping across the border.

Other measures taken by Argentina include a harsher control of imports, to allegedly fight fraudulent practices that would give traders access to preferential exchange rates.

Lacalle Pou Tuesday attended the opening of a fish stockpiling plant in Villa Soriano, where 13 artisanal fishermen will work. The undertaking will boost the economy and quality of life of the local people, Lacalle said.

“We have to think about fishing more and conserving much better,” he said.

Lacalle also pointed out that the plant will give fishermen more independence in their work through its refrigerating chamber. “It is not a matter of arriving, opening the fish, removing the skin and scales, and selling it because it will rot. Now you can put up with the middleman a little longer. This is freedom,” Lacalle said.

The president also underlined that it was important to increase production while ensuring the conservation of the species. “You know it best, you are second or third-generation fishermen. You know that when there is enough, there is enough for everyone, and things are going better,” he said.