It is estimated that Minister Sergio Massa will not be part of the game because it is a technical mission on this occasion. Instead, the Secretary of Economic Policy, Gabriel Rubinstein, would travel to the capital of the United States; the director of INDEC, Marco Lavagna, and the vice president of the Central Bank, Lisandro Cleri, while the minister and the president of the Central Bank (BCRA), Miguel Pesce, would go to Washington at another stage, when the agreement is already defined.
These officials will continue with the technical discussions with the staff of the Fund, seeking to move forward with a reformulation of the extended facilities program, due to the strong impact that the drought had on the accumulation of reserves, one of the central goals of the agreement signed in 2020.
The negotiations between officials of the Palace of Finance and the Monetary Fund had been carried out virtually and Massa confirmed them this week, when exposing at an act held at the Ford company.
Massa’s mention of the agreement with the IMF
“We talked (with the IMF) about imports, the trade balance and the strengthening of reserves, and somehow the damage that the drought has caused us in exports this year appeared”the official maintained.
And he added: “On Monday we had several meetings with the IMF and they know that Argentina has an anchor that the previous government left and conditions development.”
At Ford, Massa highlighted: “Each project that adds value, that generates reserves, makes us stronger as a Nation. The path of Argentina is to sell work to the world, so as not to depend on anyone, so as not to have to borrow and walk as beggars, but simply to assert our strength”.
Initially, Massa was scheduled to travel to the United States this week, but it was the minister who postponed it to face the “last mile discussion” with the IMF, according to the words he himself used on a recent trip to China.
Nowthe trip will take place next week, just when the Economy must face maturities of some US$2.7 billion before the Monetary Fund.
Next week also has a key political flavor, since on Saturday the 24th the closing of candidates for the August primary elections takes place and, up to now, it is unknown if Massa will be a candidate for the ruling party.
Source: Ambito
