The IMF predicted that Argentina's average inflation would be 43.7 percent this year and that unemployment would rise to 9.9 percent. "Diario La Capitale de Mar del Plata

Average inflation in Argentina will decrease very slightly this year compared to 2018, but will reach a similarly high level of 43.7%, while unemployment will increase to 9.9% of the population.

This was projected by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its report "Perspectives of the global economy"Published Tuesday, before the start of the annual meeting to be held with the World Bank in Washington from Thursday.

The body headed by French lawyer Christine Lagarde also said that after falling by 2.5% in 2018, Argentina's gross domestic product (GDP) would in 2019 record a down 1.2% to recover only in 2020 with an expansion. 2.2%.

Although inflation remains one of the main weaknesses of the government because prices do not meet the central bank's monetary policy, the outlook for the IMF is not the most favorable.

The international credit agency said that the country had recorded an average price increase of 34.4% in 2018, although the "end-to-end" comparison is 47.6% according to the Institute Statistics and Censuses (INDEC).

In short-term forecast, the IMF indicated that Argentina's average inflation in 2019 would be at 43.7%, although it will reach December with a rise in prices lying at a already lower rate of 30.5%; and in 2020, an average of 23.2%.

In turn, he said that unemployment, which currently stands at 9.1% according to the government, will increase to 9.9% this year and will remain at this average throughout 2020, it n & # 39; 39, is not expected. a resumption of the demand for workers.

Latin America and the Caribbean will experience lower growth in 2019 and 2020 with the "substantial burden" that Venezuela represents, according to the Fund.

In the report, known as WEO for its acronym, the IMF reduced its growth forecast for the region to 1.4 percent in 2019 and 2.4 percent in 2020; Respectively 0.6 and 0.1 points lower than the updated estimates of January.

In addition, it has reduced growth forecasts for this year in Brazil and Mexico, the two largest regional economies, and predicted a 25% drop in Venezuela, which is highly volatile.

"The Venezuelan economy is expected to shrink by one quarter in 2019 and by 10% in 2020, a collapse greater than that expected in the WEO of October 2018, which would weigh heavily on projected growth. for the region and for the emerging group and developing economies over the two years, "said the Fund.

Twenty years after the arrival of Hugo Chávez, who died in 2013, Venezuela, the country with the largest proven oil reserves in the world, has been embroiled in a colossal economic crisis marked by the death of the country. hyperinflation, food and drug shortages, collapse water and electricity supply and crude oil production have halved since 2014.

While acting from Brazil and Mexico, drivers of the Latin American economy, the IMF has highlighted variations from its October EME forecasts.

"These changes reflect, in part, changes in perceptions of the conduct of policies in the new administrations of the two countries," the report says.

In Brazil, which is recovering from a strong recession between 2015 and 2016 and where ultra-right Jair Bolsonaro took over the presidency on January 1, the Fund has estimated a 1.1% increase in growth from % in 2018 to 2.1% in 2019. and 2.5% in 2020.

But for Mexico, ruled since December 1 by leftist Andres Manuel López Obrador, the IMF said the expansion would remain below 2% in 2019 and 2020, a reduction of nearly one point from percentage for the WEO. October.