Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero and Ambassador Jorge Arguelo to the United States
Yesterday, the government confirmed, through presidential spokeswoman Gabriela Cerruti, that “the United States did not ask Argentina for an economic plan” to reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund.
“The United States did not ask for an economic adjustment or plan, it was political talks where it was discussed that there is strong growth in the economy and that we should continue on this path,” he said as usual. Thursday’s press conference in Casa Rosada, in response to a question about the recent visit of Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero to the Nordic country.
The official stressed that it is “a trip for dialogue, in which a number of positions were agreed upon with the United States, which recognizes the annual growth of Argentina, which has not been recorded for a long time” in the country.
He stressed that “the talks are always progressing, and we understand that the visit of Foreign Minister Cafiero was aimed at deepening relations.”
However, the US Secretary of State spoke of a “strong economic programme, with measures for growth”.
Cerruti underlined the status of relations with the United States with “President (Joe) Biden’s statements regarding self-criticism of the United States’ foreign policy toward Latin America in the past four years, when Donald Trump ruled.” . The US President said in a press conference held on the occasion of his first year at the head of the administration.
“When I was a kid, in college we were talking about ‘America’s (for America)’ backyard? It’s not America’s backyard. Everything south of the Mexico border is America’s front. “We are equal people, and we don’t dictate what happens in these countries,” Biden said.
Meanwhile, after meeting with Cafiero, US Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, stated that the United States “strongly supports negotiations with the International Monetary Fund and aspires to a quick positive solution,” according to the Argentine Foreign Ministry.
Along these lines, and always according to the official version, the Biden official also emphasized that “Argentina is a friend and partner in the hemisphere and beyond.”
Negotiating with the International Monetary Fund
On the other hand, spokeswoman Cerruti, in response to a special question about the maturity of $731 million with the IMF on January 28, said that “this will be determined by the Ministry of Economy”.
“Argentina decided to pay until an agreement is reached,” the official said, stressing later that the situation was “measured day by day.”
In this context, he stressed that if Argentina pays the IMF on the basis of the readiness agreement signed by Mauricio Macri, “there will be no social policies.”
In response to a question about the opposition’s statements, Cerruti considered that “it is not easy to reach a dialogue on the basis of the internal variables they have,” while stressing that “the agreement with the International Monetary Fund will be discussed in Congress.”
Argentina has already repaid nearly $7,800 million, in capital debt terms, from the massive $44,000 million loan taken out by former President Mauricio Macri.
