Dujovne's reviews in Lavagna, Kicillof and Cavallo

WASHINGTON.-

Nicolás Dujovne

he has not spared any criticism of any of his direct predecessors. He accused

Axel Kicillof

to conduct a "macroeconomic homicide" by imposing the exchange rate, he blamed

Roberto Lavagna

part of the responsibility for the kirchnerist inheritance, and said that

Domingo Cavallo

this was "part of the failure" of Argentina.

As the campaign warmed up, Dujovne unloaded large ammunition for President Mauricio Macri's political rivals, defended Cambiemos' political project tooth and nail and said that the population is "valuing" the reforms of the government and the government. supports polls, despite the crisis.

Roberto Lavagna was one of his direct targets. His possible candidacy for the presidency was one of the major themes of the summer. Mr Dujovne said that part of the current problems stemmed from the management of former Minister of the Economy Eduardo Duhalde and Néstor Kirchner, and criticized the debt restructuring. from 2005, which he described as "very unsuccessful".

"Remember that Argentina had frozen rates throughout the Roberto Lavagna administration, during which the tax result deteriorated instead of improving," Dujovne said. . "To a large extent, some of the problems we had to solve also come from this direction," he added.

Speaking of Domingo Cavallo, who would work with other economists on a plan for the next president, Mr Dujovne said that there is "a generation of economists in Argentina who participated in the program. "failure" of Argentina. He was also very critical of convertibility and regretted that the country had not followed the same path of reform as other countries in the region during the 1990s.

-What do you think of Cavallo's plan?

-The Argentines have seen these magic proposals to fix the exchange rate. There is a generation of economists in Argentina who participated in the failure lived by us, the Argentineans, who interpreted that an economic program is based on the exchange rate or on the postponement of rates, or both. Look what would have happened if in the 1990s, instead of being convertible, Argentina would have done the same thing as Peru and Brazil and would have invested in building a sound currency, with an exchange rate floating, a credible central bank. We would not have had the 2001 crisis and the corralito, all of Cavallo 's legacies, which is currently preparing a program that we do not know will be similar to the previous or different. We are proposing something different, a healthy currency that floats and reduces the real volatility of the Argentine economy. Argentina and Venezuela are the two most unstable economies in Latin America. We never try to do what we try to do: to have a healthy economy, we do not believe in magic.

– What do you think about the management of Lavagna?

-I think some of the problems we face today comes from this direction. Do not forget that Argentina had frozen rates throughout the management of Roberto Lavagna. During its management, the tax result, instead of improving, has deteriorated, the improvements initially obtained have been consumed. [Jorge] Remes Lenicov, and I think that part of the problems we have encountered with our debt has been generated by a very unsuccessful restructuring, with a rejection level of 26%, atypical for a restructuring of sovereign debt and generating a central bank account. We also had to pay. To a large extent, some of the problems we have faced also come from this direction.

-Lavagna is guilty of the kirchnerist inheritance?

– I think we are talking about a populist economy, Kicillof, and what we propose, namely to clean up the economy on a solid and permanent basis.

-The economy of October, will you play for the government or against?

-I do not know. I am not a political badyst. I am convinced that we are doing the right thing, that we are doing what the money needs, namely that after decades, during which his country has escaped the structural solution of the problems, this government is confronted with. We believe that society will value it, even though we know that these years have been difficult for many Argentines. But we also know that we can not underestimate the Argentineans, who know the effort and do not want to draw all that we have done.

– If next year, he is still Finance Minister, will he ask more money from the Fund?

– No way.

-José Luis Espert said yes …

-Espert is in the countryside and can be part of his plan. We expect a primary surplus next year, we will have very, very low financial needs, we will have a very manageable financial program, we will be prefinanced and we do not intend to change the current program that we have with the Funds.

– Will they promote pension reform?

-The issue of pensions is an issue that must be addressed by the Argentine society as a whole. Pension reforms have impacted the lives of societies for decades. They exceed what a match can propose. I think it's a debate that needs to be launched throughout society. There must be a very broad consensus. This does not serve to advance without a very very broad consensus of society. I think this is a subject that needs to be discussed, but it is in no way defined if there will be legislative action next year.