José Luis Espert Washington: "We are going to need more money from the Fund"

WASHINGTON.- José Luis Espert,

presidential candidate

of the Libertarian Party, completed a tour in the United States, where he presented his vision of Argentina and his plan of reforms – national and unachievable – to his detractors; indispensable for its supporters – in New York and Washington before investors, badysts and government representatives of Donald Trump and the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

"We are going to need more money from the Fund," said Espert in an interview with Argentine correspondents after a conference organized at the Woodrow Wilson Center by the Argentina project, as part of a series of talks. 39 interviews with presidential candidates and Argentine politicians before the meeting. October elections.

The economist who became a presidential candidate presented to the United States his reform agenda: free trade, a drastic reduction in public spending to reduce the tax burden – which includes mbad layoffs in the state – and a reform of the labor market. to reduce labor costs and costs. promote virgin jobs. Espert has endorsed a privatization of the pension system and a return of the AFJP, albeit with "many changes". He said he was "more identified" with Sebastián Piñeira than with

Donald Trump

o

Jair Bolsonaro

and it was very hard with

Mauricio Macri

: He said that he had failed, that it was "part of the problem of economic decline, not the solution" and that he would only vote in a possible
ballot papers with

Cristina Kirchner

because it was "the least harm".

In foreign policy, Espert believed that Argentina should move away from China and move closer to the West and the United States. When we talk about

Venezuela

, approved a military intervention with the support of the United States and an "extraction" of Nicolás Maduro, similar to that of Manuel Noriega in Panama. "Venezuela needs more concrete and extreme measures, it is a country that destabilizes the region, exports terrorism, and if that is not enough, it has genocidal attitudes towards its population, Maduro is a murderer", he stated during his lecture at the Wilson Center.

The economist dismissed the idea that his plan is naive or unachievable, without however giving much details on how he plans to carry out his reforms as soon as he arrived at Casa Rosada, although He stated that he would be "generous" with the rest of the forces. Polls put him in last place, but Espert ignored them: he said that there is a "silent majority" that can support him.

Agreement with the IMF

At the IMF, Espert met Argentinian mission chief Roberto Cardarelli and his team. Alejandro Werner, director of the Western Hemisphere, was just minutes from the start of the meeting. Espert, who called for the meeting, said that the discussions were held in "very good conditions" and that they were talking primarily about his plan and the order in which he would put in place. implement his reforms with a view to his election.

"They were all in agreement on the diagnosis of our Argentine decadence problem and on the reform proposals," said the candidate.

To the question, a spokesman for the Fund only indicated that the meeting had been "productive" and "the opportunity to hear the opinions" of Espert on the economic outlook of the company. Argentina and the official program approved by the IMF.

Espert said the next government should ask more money from the IMF if Argentina fails to improve access to financial markets. Without money from the market, the country will need "more funds from the Fund," he said, because most of the loan under the current agreement is already exhausted.

"There is 7,000 million dollars left from January 2020 to June 2021. There is very little money left and I think even to regain access to the market, we will need a little more money. Funds, "he said. "I think it would be wise to do it," he added, asking for more money.

A "floor" in the economy

For the economist, the economy "touches a floor". Doubt, he said, is whether it is a floor that will later offer a rebound or just a break in the downturn. Espert has turned to the first stage.

"If it is a floor or a break, it will depend a little bit on what is happening with inflation and the political scenario, but the economy hits a floor, I think that 's the way it works. is more a floor for cultivating something that a break, it's a discussion, is the relevance of recovery, if people perceive it when it comes to voting, "he said.

Espert rejected a possible alliance with "moderate" Peronism, although he recognized conversations. He said that he met

Eduardo Duhalde

but this has not received any concrete proposal.

"We are making a proposal from the government to change the country and reduce the decline, we do not come to participate in the detainees," said the candidate.

Knowing that in this election he is the candidate for the most radical proposals, the economist has relativized the issues relating to the feasibility of his reforms when, for example, the almost certain rejection of the unions was raised. These are not "naive" ideas, he said. "Being politically incorrect is the right thing to do to think of the good of the country," he said. "Viability will be answered by the election, in the first place, and by negotiation in Congress, I insist to say this: I think what we are doing in Argentina is unachievable," he said. launched.