Annabella Quiroga
04/29/2020 - 17:02
- Clarín.com
- Economy
- Economy
The $ 10,000 bond reaching 7.8 million Argentines was announced as a one-time benefit to assist the most vulnerable social sectors in the midst of the pandemic. Already with 40 days of confinement above, and without a certain date of completion of the parate, inside the government begins to debate how to continue with this . From the Executive Branch, the votes are inclined to keep the benefit for two more months. On the other hand, until this afternoon the position of the ANSES, the body in charge of the implementation of the bond, was different: to cancel it and in return to encourage some other type of aid , such as zero rate loans. The departure of Alejandro Vanoli from the conduction of the organization gives more chances to the extension of the bond.
In the last hours it emerged that from the Casa Rosada they promoted the idea of extending the bond for two more months . Behind this proposal would be the head of the Cabinet, Santiago Cafiero, seconded by the Ministers of Finance, Martín Guzmán and Productive Development, Matías Kulfas. On the sidewalk in front was Alejandro Vanoli, owner of Anses until a few minutes ago. Vanoli, questioned within the government for the delays in implementing the collection of the $ 10,000 bond, argued that this benefit would not be extended and that it be replaced by other measures.
Weeks ago, the Minister of Productive Development, Matías Kulfas, had opened the umbrella, who maintained that the benefits granted so far could be extended to May because "there is an important group of Argentines who are suffering from the crisis."
Clarín was told by one of the ministries involved in the issue that the extension of the $ 1 10,000 bond, known as Emergency Family Income (IFE), " is being analyzed ."
The intention of the now holder of the Anses went in another direction. In reference to another aid that the government ordered, yesterday he doubted that the $ 3,000 bonus received by retirees would be reissued . In journalistic statements, he maintained that in principle "another extraordinary bonus of $ 3,000 will not be paid in May for retirees and pensioners," while affirming that there will be "other instruments" to alleviate the crisis. "
Among those instruments, which according to ANSES sources could be extended to other benefits, such as the IFE, are zero-rate loans or state aid similar to that received by workers in companies that have difficulties paying their wages.
The bonus reaches 7.8 million Argentines who do not have a blank job, nor do they collect pensions. It also covers monotributistas of categories A and B and beneficiaries of the AUH.
Differences of opinion between Vanoli and the rest of the officials linked to the IFE would have been another reason that precipitated his departure from the government.
Friday will be a key day for this, since the issue could be defined in the economic cabinet meeting that would be held that day with the presence of the Chief of Staff, Santiago Cafiero, the Minister of Finance, Martín Guzmán, the Minister of Productive Development, Matías Kulfas, the vice minister Cecilia Todesca and whoever represents ANSES from now on.
On Tuesday, the Casa Rosada released a report detailing what the cost of the measures to cushion the economic effect of the quarantine would be if they were extended by May and June. If the IFE, among other benefits, such as subsidized business loans, continued until June, the total cost to the public sector would be $ 1.7 trillion, equivalent to 5.6% of GDP.
The dissemination of this report gave the guideline that the issue of the extension of the $ 10,000 bond is under analysis, to the point that the Secretary of Economic Policy already has models with calculations of how much this will represent in the public budget.
Although the bulk of the beneficiaries would have already collected the bond, those who are not banked will have to wait until June to receive it. In the schedule published by ANSES so that those who have not yet collected choose the form of payment, it is established that those who collect through the Argentine Post or through a Link network ATM but without having a debit card must wait another 40 days. For operational reasons, these payments will only be available from June 4 to July 1.