Argentina’s president’s government is broken; Five ministers resign

He introduced five ministers Argentine President Alberto Fernandez resigns, Who still has to decide whether to accept them next An unexpected electoral defeat The ruling party struggled three days ago in the legislative primaries, which led to a political crisis within its center-left coalition.

Interior Minister , wado peter, He was the first to tender his resignation. Soon after, the portfolio holders, Martin Soria, followed him. Science, Roberto Salvarezza; Environment, Juan Cabandié; Culture, Tristan Bauer, who is considered close to Vice President Christina Kirchner.

The president, who met at Government House with senior officials, has not yet announced his decision.

Listening to his words on Sunday night as he raised the need to explain the judgment expressed by the Argentine people, I considered that the best way to cooperate in this task was by placing my resignation at his disposal,” wrote de Pedro in the letter introducing Fernandez.

Sunday, In the primaries to choose For the legislative midterm candidates, the ruling Tudos Front (center-left Peronist) coalition received less than 31% of the vote nationally, revealing a broader voter disapproval of political leaders and pollsters.

The centre-right Juntos coalition, led by former President Mauricio Macri (2015-2019), received 40% of the vote nationally, winning by five points over the ruling party in Buenos Aires Province, a traditional Peronist stronghold. .

By being a mandatory vote, primaries become a kind of universal ballot. In this case, the result makes the government fear for its majority in the Senate and removes the possibility of achieving it in the House of Representatives when the partial renewal elections for Congress are held on November 14.

Poverty and the International Monetary Fund

Fernandez, without his own political power, Took in December 2019 In a formula promoted by former President Christina Kirchner (2007-2015), who is now Vice President.

In his tenure, Fernandez has had to contend both with the COVID-19 pandemic and an exacerbating economic crisis in which nearly half of the population lives in poverty.

With popularity waning, Kirchner last year criticized the Fernandez administration, exposing internal disagreements and even referring to “officers who are not working.”

Argentina had accumulated through August an inflation of more than 30%, among the highest in the world, and a poverty rate of 42%, amid a recession that has persisted since 2018.

The government should also negotiate with the International Monetary Fund an expanded facility agreement to replace the reserve signed in 2018 during the Macri government, for which it owes $44 billion.

On the same Wednesday, hours before the crisis in his government, Fernandez hinted at those negotiations and said it was necessary to “implement them, obtain them, and achieve them.”

If we have to face the payment of 19 thousand million dollars (as of 2022), the conditions will be different, not only the investment conditions for entrepreneurs but also the state’s capabilities to promote the development that we want,” referring to the draft budget for next year.

So far, negotiations with the International Monetary Fund, which divides the ruling coalition, have also been postponed to prevent final adjustment measures agreed with the fund from affecting the midterm parliamentary elections.

a The picture is accompanied by the titles Of the economy, Martin Guzman, and production, Matias Colvas, among the people most questioned by Kirchner, posted without comment from the president on his Twitter account after receiving offers of resignation from his other ministers.

imp