The Minister of Economy
Luis Caputo
met this Thursday in Washington with the number two of the International Monetary Fund,
Gita Gopinath
, to analyze the progress of the economy, in a meeting that Argentine sources described as
"very good", although the expectation of funds fresh does not seem to find an echo in the body.
Gopinath is the first deputy managing director of the IMF and weeks ago she was in Buenos Aires, where she met with President Javier Milei, Economy and opposition officials and also businessmen and social actors.
She follows the Argentine case closely.
The meeting in the Fund building lasted
half an hour
.
“It was a broad conversation,”
said a source from the delegation, referring to the fact that they spoke of course about the
eighth review
that should conclude in mid-May, but also about other topics.
“We continue working to consolidate the economic plan
. “It is part of a talk that was much more constructive than it has always been in the past,” they noted.
Argentina is looking for additional funds to get out of the exchange rate trap and it is speculated that it is trying to obtain between US$ 10,000 and 15,000 million to be able to navigate the impact of this measure comfortably. Through spokesperson Julie Kozack, the Fund had already said that
it was “premature” to talk about a new program
that would contemplate more disbursements.
The delegation also considered the issue premature,
so it seems that no progress was made in that regard at the meeting. "Very few," Caputo had told
Clarín
on Wednesday about the expectations of the visit.
Shortly before the meeting, managing director Kristalina Georgieva had said in a press conference that Argentina “is moving very quickly” to adjust fiscal spending and that “inflation is falling faster than we initially expected.”
“If we look at Argentina, which has long been perceived as a laggard country from the point of view of reforms, we see that it is now moving very quickly in fiscal adjustment. The country is attracting private investment to seek better performance,” said the official.
Asked about Georgieva's statement, an official from the official delegation said briefly:
“All data.”
After the meeting, Caputo left the Fund building in an unknown direction. Wearing
a suit and sneakers
, he was talking on the phone for a while on the street while waiting for a taxi.
In the afternoon, Caputo and Chief of Staff Nicolás Posse
will go to the Treasury,
where they will see
Jay Shambaugh ,
Janet Yellen
's right-hand man
, who was in Buenos Aires in December and is closely following the Argentine case.
Washington analyzes the evolution of the Argentine economic plan. The role of the Treasury is fundamental for any negotiation or new program with the Fund, since the United States is the organization's main shareholder and its vote has more weight than any other country on the executive board.
Both will then walk a few steps towards
the White House
to meet with the new Security Advisor for Latin America, Dan Erikson, who replaced Juan González days ago.