Alberto Fernandez had an unexpected and undisclosed telephone conversation with one of the key men of Joe Biden's government on Wednesday.
He spoke with White House Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who keeps a low profile, but is the official of the Democratic administration in charge of the major issues on which the United States is concentrated today, because it concentrates the global agenda.
The conversation took place at 11 a.m. and as Clarín learned, it revolved exclusively around the dramatic negotiations that are still pending with the International Monetary Fund.
It occurred in the context of the now lengthy trip of Minister Sergio Massa to the United States and when there are two weeks left for the new maturity of debt for US $ 2,700 million. The IMF's communications director, Julie Kozack, said Thursday that Argentina's situation was "very complex" and "very difficult," that it was exacerbated by the severe and already historic drought that makes it difficult for fresh dollars to enter and said they were looking for "alternatives" to strengthen the agency's program with Argentina. That is, there were no definitions for what Massa is looking for.
Massa, who maintains his own tensions with Alberto Fernández for the 2023 presidential elections – the president wants there to be internal competition in the PASO and the minister wants to unify a candidate – did not participate in the call with Sullivan. His team justified that he had other meetings at that time.
Alberto Fernández and Joe Biden with their ministers in Washington on March 29. Among them is Jake Sullivan, the White House national security adviser, with whom the president spoke Wednesday.
In the presidential environment, on the other hand, they assured that in the conversation there was a "maintenance (of the agenda) to facilitate what awaits Massa." And they trusted that the United States "will support the negotiations with the IMF, here the role of Alberto Fernández is valuable."
The call between Fernández and Sullivan, who was in Argentina in 2021, was managed by the ambassador in Washington, Jorge Argüello. Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero participated in it.
In parallel, on Wednesday morning, participating in the Foreign Ministry of the X Business Forum of Mercosur, the Secretary of Industry and Productive Development, José "El Vasco" de Mendiguren, authorities of the Association of Automotive Manufacturers (ADEFA); the Association of Argentine Component Factories (AFAC) among others. And on Arenales Street between Basavilbaso and Esmeralda, the automakers showed an unprecedented sample of models from Renault, Ford, Toyota, Volkswagen, Stellantis, Mercedes Benz and Nissan.
Sources on condition of anonymity said there is "some discomfort with Massa" at the Treasury Department. Clarín could not confirm that information.
The Minister of Economy, Agriculture and Production wants the Fund to make the program with Argentina more flexible, which former Minister Martin Guzman signed at the time. It seeks that at least they send a disbursement of almost US $ 4,000 million and maximum advance the disbursements planned for this year and that reach US $ 10,640 million.
But the Fund has its conditions, to "reinforce the program" such as reducing inflation, and with includes fiscal adjustment, devaluation and strengthening reserves.
No official in Washington spoke of the president's trip to China and how it unfolded. But it is clear that expressions such as that of Deputy Máximo Kirchner who considered that the Asian power did not put "pressure" on its relationship with its partners, alluding to a criticism of the fund, and possibly the US, do not like.
This Thursday, Massa found himself in the middle of the controversy generated by the governor of Tierra del Fuego, Gustavo Melella, who sent to the Legislature a memorandum of understanding signed with China for the construction of a port, a chemical plant and a power plant. That agreement dates back to December 2022. Melella sent him to ratify just as the minister and the vice president's son were traveling through Beijing and Shanghai.
