- Tweeter
republish
In Argentina, center-right president Mauricio Macri, who was severely beaten by Peronist Alberto Fernández in the primary elections on Sunday (August 11th), announced economic measures to calm the markets. In doing so, Mauricio Macri tried to resume the political initiative after the fall of the Stock Exchange and the Argentine peso.
With our correspondent in Buenos Aires , Jean-Louis Buchet
" I want to apologize for what I said at Monday's press conference. I want you to know that I understand you, that I deeply respect those who voted for others. And I understand those who voted for us in 2015 and chose not to accompany us this time. After eighteen very hard months, they said I can not stand it anymore and they are angry, "said Argentinean center-right president Mauricio Macri.
With this self-criticism, he first wanted to erase the bad impression he had left when he accused Alberto Fernández and his constituents of being responsible for the reaction of the markets after the primaries. He then presented the anti-crisis plan: tax breaks for private employees, bonuses for civil servants, raising the minimum wage, social assistance for the poorest, payment deadlines for SMEs ...
Tranquilize the country and the markets
These measures will offset the renewed inflation that devaluation will bring. But they also have a political objective: to try to win back lost voters, especially the middle classes, by the October presidential election. Mauricio Macri ended by saying he was open to dialogue with the opposition and, in the late afternoon, after answering a phone call from the president, Alberto Fernández made reassuring remarks.
" We had a good exchange and it was a good way to send a message to calm the country and the markets, " said Alberto Fernández.
But it was not enough for the markets, obviously. At closing, the stock market and the peso had fallen again.
► See also : General elections in Argentina: Fernandez largely dominates the primaries