Argentina It is a country that had to learn to move forward in the face of any adverse situation that arises. After having gone through blows and economic crises that deeply damaged the workers’ pockets, many can be heard stories of resilience and improvement.
However, not all cases end with a business coming to fruition, or with a million-dollar company that knew how to cultivate its profits in spaces that needed attention. This is the case of the former footballer José “El Chino” Pereda Maruyamawho played in Boca Juniors and had to leave his old life behind to get ahead after the Playpen.
Historical context
In 1991, Argentina implemented the Convertibility Lawwhich fixed the value of the Argentine peso to the US dollar at a rate of 1:1. This policy aimed to control the hyperinflation that had affected the country in the 1980s. Although initially successful in stabilizing the economy, over time, the lack of monetary flexibility and dependence on external financing began to generate problems.
Thus, the crisis arrived and hyperinflation of 1989. The economy had stagnated, unemployment was high and poverty was increasing. The convertibility policy, which pegged the value of the peso to the dollar, had generated significant external debt and dependence on foreign financing. In that context, on December 3, 2001, the De la Rúa government, following the plan of the then Minister of Economy Domingo Cavallo, announced the Playpen.
What was the Corralito
The corralito was an economic measure implemented in Argentina in December 2001 by the then president Fernando de la Rua and his Minister of Economy, Sunday Cavallo. This measure severely restricted the amount of money that citizens could withdraw from their bank accounts, limiting it to 250 dollars weekly. The objective was avoid a bank run and the massive outflow of capital from the financial system.
financial restrictions seriously affected the informal economycausing the closure of small businesses and an increase in unemployment. Poverty increased significantly, and many Argentines They lost a large part of their savings due to the devaluation of the peso and the conversion of deposits into pesos. Protests and social unrest intensified, leading to the fall of Fernando de la Rúa’s government in December 2001.
The story of José Pereda Maruyama
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“Chino” Pereda played in Boca Juniors between 1998 and 2001, standing out for its midfield versatility. During his career in Argentina, the Peruvian footballer won six major titles, including two Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental against Real Madrid in Japan. Despite not scoring goals in his 72 appearances, his contribution to the team was valuable and highly appreciated by Carlos Bianchi.
However, the 2001 corralito had a devastating impact on his financial life. Pereda lost a significant amount of money due to banking restrictions and the devaluation of the peso, which led him to make the difficult decision to return to Peru. There he played for Universitario de Deportes for five years and then for Cienciano, where he finally retired.
After his playing career, Pereda He worked for ten years as coordinator of minor divisions at the César Vallejo University club. Nevertheless, The pandemic left him unemployed in 2020forcing him to look for new opportunities and personal projects related to football. He assures that he is constantly looking for work, because he wants to pay for his children’s studies and ensure a better future.
Source: Ambito
