The Pope receives Martín Guzmán at the Vatican to discuss the debt with the IMF

ROMA.- “Very good”, declared the Minister of Economy, Martin Guzman, leaving the Meet what he had with him today dad Francisco in the library of the Apostolic Palace, which lasted about forty minutes. “The Holy Father was very kind, as always, and at the end, in addition to the rosaries, he gave everyone Why are you scared Still don’t have faith?, the Spanish version of the book recently published by the Vatican Communication Department on the Prayer Against the Pandemic of the Pontiff of March 27, 2020 ″, he said THE NATION the Argentine Ambassador to the Holy See, María Fernanda Silva, who accompanied the delegation on its visit to the Vatican.

When meeting face to face, Guzmán briefed Francisco on debt negotiations that the country does with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and with the Paris Club, A subject of particular interest to the Pope, who organized on February 5 of last year at the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (PACS) a seminar of renowned economists from around the world which provided the framework for a crucial meeting of Guzmán with the Managing Director of the IMF, the Bulgarian Kristalina Georgieva. Then, citing one of his predecessors, Saint John Paul II, Francis in a speech gave a great impetus to his homeland:We cannot expect that the debts contracted will be paid with unbearable sacrifices ” He said, stressing that in these cases it is necessary to “find ways to reduce, delay or extinguish the debt, consistent with the fundamental right of peoples to subsistence and progress.

As announced, before being received by the Pope around 11 a.m. (6 a.m. in Argentina) at the Apostolic Palace, the minister met at the Casina Pío IV, PACS headquarters located in the Vatican gardens, with the archbishop. Argentinian Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, who is its “chancellor”, and with its president, the Italian economist Stefano Zamagni.

“Several themes emerged from the meeting in order to be able to work together between the Economy, our embassy and the PACS. We look forward to a next visit from the Minister in August or September ”, Ambassador Silva advanced, who was also part of the visit to the Sistine Chapel carried out by the delegation, made up of the Director to the IMF for Argentina and the Southern Cone, Sergio Chodos, and the Chief of Staff of the Ministry of Economics, Melina Mallamace.

Guzmán then had a meeting at the National Embassy of Italy with a dozen companies from this country based in Argentina, organized by Ambassador Roberto Carlés, who accompanied the Minister to the Vatican. Representatives from Ghella, CMC Ravenna, We Built (ex Salini-Impregilo), Eni, Pirelli, Grupo Leonardo, Ferrovie dello Stato, Fer and SACE were present.

The day will end with a bilateral meeting with his Italian counterpart, Daniele Franco, at the headquarters of the Ministry of the Economy. At this meeting, the minister – who will travel to Madrid in the evening – will continue to build a consensus on what Argentina should stabilize your economy.