La deuda externa argentina ha experimentado un crecimiento sin precedentes desde la época de la dictadura militar, sin que este endeudamiento haya generado beneficios tangibles para su población. Este fenómeno está estrechamente relacionado con el modelo extractivista que los sucesivos gobiernos han impulsado con el objetivo de obtener las divisas necesarias para cumplir con los compromisos financieros internacionales.
Expertos advierten que contraer nuevos compromisos con el Fondo Monetario Internacional (FMI) profundizaría la entrega de bienes estratégicos y perpetuaría un ciclo de extractivismo, deterioro social y pérdida de soberanía nacional.
Intereses internacionales en recursos estratégicos
El interés de potencias como Francia en Argentina se centra principalmente en oportunidades de negocio vinculadas a la aprobación de acuerdos con el FMI, particularmente en sectores relacionados con los denominados "metales críticos". Esta aproximación se alinea con un modelo económico que prioriza la mercantilización, financiarización y extranjerización de recursos naturales como el litio y el uranio, bajo el discurso de la "transición energética".
Analistas comparan este mecanismo con una forma de extorsión, similar a las recientes exigencias internacionales de compensar ayuda militar con acceso a recursos minerales. La explotación de estos recursos en territorio argentino ha generado denuncias por violaciones de derechos y falta de participación democrática, como ocurre con la extracción de litio por empresas extranjeras en territorios de comunidades indígenas.
Un legado histórico cuestionado
Los conflictos actuales tienen raíces históricas que se remontan a la época colonial, cuando se estableció un patrón de deuda que fue posteriormente profundizado por los estados independientes. Figuras históricas como el General San Martín cuestionaron la legitimidad de las deudas coloniales, aunque la historia posterior muestra la imposición continua de nuevos compromisos financieros.
Durante el siglo XIX, los intereses de potencias como Gran Bretaña consolidaron un modelo económico dependiente de la exportación de productos primarios, incrementando simultáneamente las deudas históricas con los pueblos originarios y el medio ambiente.
El punto de inflexión de la dictadura
La dictadura militar instaurada en 1976 marcó un momento decisivo al insertar a Argentina en el sistema financiero global, estableciendo una conexión directa entre especulación financiera, endeudamiento y reprimarización económica. La rápida aprobación de un crédito del FMI tras el golpe de Estado fue interpretada como una señal de respaldo para la banca internacional.
El programa económico implementado durante este período, denunciado por periodistas como Rodolfo Walsh, resultó en lo que algunos economistas denominan "miseria planificada", caracterizada por cierre de industrias y aumento del desempleo. La deuda pública aumentó exponencialmente, incluyendo operaciones cuestionadas como el endeudamiento de empresas públicas y la posterior estatización de deudas privadas.
Crisis recurrentes y nuevo ciclo de endeudamiento
Tras el colapso económico de 2001, el modelo de especulación, extracción y endeudamiento ha persistido con la incorporación de nuevos actores financieros globales. Las consecuencias incluyen devastación ambiental, incremento de la pobreza y crecimiento sostenido de la deuda pública.
Críticos del sistema señalan como particularmente grave la operación financiera de 50.000 millones de dólares durante el gobierno de Mauricio Macri y las condiciones impuestas por el FMI, que según diversos análisis, perpetúan este ciclo. Alternativas como el canje de deuda por conservación ambiental son consideradas por muchos expertos como soluciones inadecuadas.
Ante el nuevo acuerdo con el FMI, economistas prevén un escenario de menor producción local, mayor pobreza y mayor presión sobre los recursos naturales. El objetivo primordial, según estas voces críticas, parece ser la obtención de divisas para mantener el ciclo de endeudamiento, aun a costa de mayor extranjerización y ajuste económico.
Los especialistas en economía y derechos humanos advierten sobre la urgencia de revisar la política de endeudamiento nacional para evitar lo que algunos analistas describen como un "sacrificio" de activos reales y recursos naturales en beneficio de acreedores externos.
Tariff Trade War
The trade war that has marked the last decades has been a complex phenomenon, with repercussions that transcend borders and economies. At the heart of this conflict are tariffs, those tariffs that governments impose on imported goods, as a tool to protect their local industries and often as a means of putting pressure on other nations.
The term "trade war" was popularized in the context of tensions between the United States and China, but its roots run much deeper. Since the 2008 financial crisis, the world's economies have been in a state of uncertainty. Governments, in an attempt to stimulate growth, began to adopt protectionist policies. However, it was the election of Donald Trump in 2016 that ignited the spark of a large-scale conflict.
Trump, with his slogan "America First," argued that U.S. trade policies had led to deindustrialization and job losses. Thus, he began to impose tariffs on Chinese goods, arguing that China was manipulating its currency and stealing intellectual property. This was the start of a series of measures that triggered a response from Beijing, leading to an escalation of tariffs that affected thousands of products.
Global Impact
The trade war did not only affect the United States and China. Economies around the world began to feel the repercussions. The tariffs imposed on products such as steel and aluminum not only impacted exporting countries, but also increased costs for U.S. manufacturers who relied on these materials. Global supply chains, which had been optimized for decades, were disrupted, leading to an increase in prices and a decrease in competitiveness.
Financial markets also reacted volatilely. Uncertainty about the future of international trade caused fluctuations in stock markets, affecting investments and consumer confidence. Companies began to rethink their strategies, seeking to diversify their sources of supply and reduce their dependence on a single country.
The International Response
As the trade war intensified, other countries began to take sides. The European Union, Mexico and Canada, among others, responded to the U.S. tariffs with their own tariffs. This dynamic not only complicated bilateral relations, but also created an environment of mistrust and rivalry in international trade.
The World Trade Organization (WTO) became a battleground, with countries filing complaints and disputes over tariff policies. However, the WTO's ability to mediate and resolve these conflicts was limited, leading to a stalemate in negotiations and increased global tension.
The Beginning of the End
However, as the trade war progressed, signs began to emerge that this conflict might be coming to an end. The COVID-19 pandemic, which broke out in 2020, drastically altered the global economic landscape. Disruptions in supply chains and the need for international cooperation to face the health crisis led many leaders to reconsider their positions.
In this context, negotiations were held between the United States and China, resulting in the signing of "Phase One" of the trade agreement in January 2020. This agreement included commitments to purchase U.S. agricultural products by China and a commitment not to devalue its currency. Although it did not resolve all tensions, it was a step towards de-escalation.
Final Thoughts
The tariff trade war has left an indelible mark on the global economy. It has highlighted the interconnectedness of modern economies and the fragility of trade relations. As the world faces new challenges, such as climate change and health crises, the need for collaboration and mutual understanding becomes more pressing.
The beginning of the end of this trade war could be indicative of a broader shift in how nations approach trade. Cooperation could replace confrontation, and tariffs could be seen as a tool of the past in a world seeking more sustainable and equitable solutions.
Ultimately, the tariff trade war has taught us that while tensions may arise, economic interdependence is a reality that cannot be ignored. The future of international trade will depend on the ability of countries to work together, find common ground, and build a trading system that benefits all.
The ratification by the Chamber of Deputies of the Decree of Necessity and Urgency (DNU) authorizing a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a significant event in the political and economic context of Argentina. These types of decisions tend to generate intense debates, as they involve financial commitments and adjustments that can affect broad sectors of society.
Legislative support, although not a law in itself, gives important institutional validation to the economic course that the ruling party seeks to implement. This reflects, in part, the correlation of political forces in Congress and the government's ability to achieve consensus, even if it is in a tight manner.
It is crucial to remember that agreements with the IMF are often accompanied by conditionalities that may include austerity measures, structural reforms, and fiscal adjustments. These policies are often controversial, as they can have profound social and economic impacts, especially on vulnerable sectors.
The phrase "Let's not forget who they are and what they vote for" seems to point to the political responsibility of legislators and their alignment with the interests of their constituents. In a context of economic crisis and high inflation, decisions related to the IMF are often viewed with skepticism by a part of the population, which can influence the public perception of political representatives and their votes.
In summary, this fact marks a milestone in the economic policy of the current government, but it also opens a space for debate on the costs and benefits of this type of agreement, as well as on the role of legislators in making decisions that affect the future of the country.
One by one, this is how the deputies voted on the DNU in agreement with the IMF
sabrina
ajmechet
PROlisandro
almirón
LLApablo
ansaloni
LLAmarcela
antola
DPSdamián
arabia
PROalberto gustavo
arancibia rodríguez
LLAmartín
ardohain
PROmartín
arjol
UCRalberto
arrúa
IFbelén
avico
PROjorge antonio
avila
EFkarina ethel
bachey
PROnancy
ballejos
PROkarina
banfi
UCRmario
barletta
UNIDOSatilio
benedetti
UCRbeltrán
benedit
LLAbertie
benegas lynch
LLAgabriela
besana
PROemmanuel
bianchetti
PROrocío
bonacci
LLAalejandro
bongiovanni
PROgabriel
bornoroni
LLAvictoria
borrego
CC-ARIsofía
brambilla
PROgabriela
brouwer de koning
UCRpamela
calletti
IFmarcela
campagnoli
CC-ARImariano
campero
UCRsergio eduardo
capozzi
PROsoledad
carrizo
UCRpablo
cervi
UCRgabriel felipe
chumpitaz
PROgerardo
cipolini
UCRjulio
cobos
UCRfacundo
correa llano
LLAcarlos
d'alessandro
LLArodrigo
de loredo
UCRmaría florencia
de sensi
PROromina
diez
LLAagustín
domingo
IFnicolás
emma
LLAjosé luis
espert
LLAeduardo
falcone
MIDdaiana
fernández molero
PROagustín
fernández
INDcarlos alberto
fernández
IFelia marina
fernández
INDmaximiliano
ferraro
CC-ARIalida
ferreyra
LLAgermana
figueroa casas
PROalejandro
finocchiaro
PROmónica
frade
CC-ARIignacio
garcía aresca
EFcarlos
garcía
LLAricardo
garramuño
SFjosé luis
garrido
PSCmelina
giorgi
DPSsilvana
giudici
PROálvaro
gonzález
PROgerardo gustavo
gonzález
LLAcarlos
gutiérrez
EFgerardo
huesen
LLAmaría cecilia
ibañez
MIDfernando adolfo
iglesias
PROflorencia
klipauka lewtak
LLAluciano andrés
laspina
PROlilia
lemoine
LLAosvaldo
llancafilo
MPNmercedes
llano
LLAjuan manuel
lópez
CC-ARIsilvia
lospennato
PROlorena
macyszyn
LLAmartín
maquieyra
PROnadia
márquez
LLAálvaro
martínez
LLAnicolás
mayoraz
LLAgladys
medina
INDgerardo
milman
PROguillermo
montenegro
LLAfrancisco
monti
UCRfrancisco
morchio
EFjulio
moreno ovalle
LLAmaría de los ángeles
moreno
PyTlisandro
nieri
UCRjosé luis
nuñez
PROpaula
oliveto lago
CC-ARIpaula
omodeo
CREOemilia
orozco
LLApablo
outes
IFmarcela marina
pagano
LLAsantiago
pauli
LLAjosé luis
peluc
LLAluis albino
picat
UCRmiguel ángel
pichetto
EFnancy viviana
picón martínez
PyTcarolina
píparo
LLAjuan carlos
polini
DPSmaría celeste
ponce
LLAfabio josé
quetglas
UCRmanuel
quintar
LLAmarilú
quiroz
PROverónica
razzini
PROroxana
reyes
UCRcristian a.
ritondo
PROjorge
rizzotti
DPSlaura
rodríguez machado
PROana clara
romero
PROyamila
ruíz
IFjavier
sánchez wrba
PROroberto antonio
sánchez
UCRjuliana
santillán juárez brahim
LLAdiego
santilli
PROsantiago
santurio
LLAnatalia silvina
sarapura
UCRmaría
sotolano
PROalejandra
torres
EFanibal
tortoriello
PROjosé federico
tournier
UCRcésar
treffinger
LLAdaniel
vancsik
IFpatricia
vásquez
PROyolanda
vega
IFpamela fernanda
verasay
UCRmaría eugenia
vidal
PROlorena
villaverde
LLAmartín
yeza
PROoscar
zago
MIDcarlos raúl
zapata
LLAInflation rose to 2.4% in February and accumulated 66.9% in twelve months
Prices rose above January's 2.2%. The increases in tariffs and food and beverages were the ones that had the most impact.
The cost of living was 2.4% in February, up from 2.2% in January, and in twelve months they accumulated a 66.9% increase.
The division with the highest increase in the month was Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels (3.7%), due to increases in Housing rent and related expenses and Electricity, gas and other fuels.
It was followed by Food and non-alcoholic beverages (3.2%), mainly due to increases in Meat and derivatives.
The division that registered the highest incidence in all regions was Food and non-alcoholic beverages (3.2%), due to the increases in Meat and derivatives.
Thus, the great driver for the acceleration of the consumer price index (CPI) was the meat item.
The two divisions that registered the lowest variations in February 2025 were Household Equipment and Maintenance (1.0%) and Clothing and Footwear (0.4%).
At the category level, core CPI (2.9%) led the increase, followed by Regulated (2.3%), while Seasonal prices registered a decrease of 0.8%.
INDEC detailed the monthly variations in each region of Argentina.
Patagonia was the one that registered the highest number: 3.2%.
Cuyo (2.7%), Northwest (2.6%) and the Pampas Region (2.5%) were also above the national total.
Below that level were Greater Buenos Aires (2.2%) and the Northeast (1.9%).
The nationwide data is known two days after February inflation in the City registered a sharp drop. It was 2.1%.
In that case, the decline was largely explained by a seasonal factor, the 4.8% drop in tourism-related services, and despite the sharp increase in meat prices.
Thus, it accumulates in the first two months of the year a rise of 5.3% and a year-on-year trajectory of 79.4%, according to the Buenos Aires Institute of Statistics and Censuses.
The BCRA's latest Market Expectations Survey (REM) had forecast retail inflation of 2.3% in February and 2.2% in March.
The report published every month by the Central Bank, which in this case compiled the forecasts of 39 Argentine and foreign consultants, thus broke a trend of downward projections that began with the administration of Javier Milei.
For the first time during the current government, the REM registered a projection of higher inflation for the immediate future.
Desperate search for Liam Gael Flores Soraire, a 3-year-old boy who disappeared in Ballesteros Sud
Authorities and community mobilized to find the minor, whose whereabouts have been unknown since Saturday.
Ballesteros Sud, Córdoba – The disappearance of Liam Gael Flores Soraire, a 3-year-old boy, has shocked the town of Ballesteros Sud. Since Saturday, February 22, the authorities and neighbors have been working tirelessly to find him. The minor was last seen in a rural property where he lives with his family, on the outskirts of the town.
What is known so far?
Liam lives in a rural area inhabited by several families of Bolivian origin who work in a brick cutter. According to the Public Prosecutor's Office (MPF), the boy was last seen on Saturday afternoon, dressed in blue shorts, barefoot and bare-chested. She is approximately 90 centimeters tall, has a brown complexion and short black hair.
The authorities do not rule out any hypothesis and are working on multiple lines of investigation to clarify what happened. Prosecutor Isabel Reyna, in charge of the case, has requested the collaboration of the community to find the minor.
Intensified search operation
The operation to find Liam's whereabouts includes a wide deployment of security forces and technological resources. Bell Ville Volunteer Firefighters, members of the Union Department, agents of the Department of High Risk Units (Duar) and the Rural Patrol participate. In addition, 57 firefighters from regional 2 have joined, who carry out rakes in mountain areas, open fields, irrigation canals and rural roads.
To expand the search in hard-to-reach areas, authorities are using drones and sniffer dogs. Security Minister Juan Pablo Quinteros and Deputy Police Chief Antonio Urquiza personally oversee the operations.
How to collaborate
Authorities are urgently calling on the community to provide any information that may help locate Liam. The data can be communicated through the following channels:
The dissemination of information is crucial. Any detail, no matter how small it may seem, could be key to finding the child.
Two major U.S. investment banks, Morgan Stanley and Bank of America, published reports on Argentina's macroeconomic scenario and its outlook for the financial market in 2025. Both agreed on the importance of the country reaching a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to advance in a gradual process of eliminating the exchange rate clamp.
Morgan Stanley Outlook
The Morgan Stanley report warned that Argentina' s current account showed signs of deterioration in the second half of 2024. However, he noted that a surplus in the financial account could make up for this shortfall. The IMF projected an initial disbursement of USD 5 billion by the IMF in 2025, as part of a program that could reach USD 20 billion, subject to compliance with fiscal and monetary conditions.
According to the analysis, the elimination of exchange restrictions will be progressive and will depend on the accumulation of international reserves. Morgan Stanley estimated that Argentina's central bank (BCRA) could increase its net reserves by USD 7 billion during the year, which would provide room for further flexibility in foreign exchange market access.
Bank of America Analysis
For its part, Bank of America highlighted that the Argentine government's fiscal adjustment strategy made it possible to reduce country risk and improve access to external financing. The bank agreed with the expectation of an agreement with the IMF in the first half of 2025, specifically before April. In addition, it projected that initial disbursements could range between USD 5,000 and USD 10,000 million, which would strengthen the BCRA's position.
Accumulation of reserves and exit strategy from the clamps
Morgan Stanley analyzed in detail the relationship between exchange rate policy and reserve accumulation. According to its projections, the country's financial account could generate a surplus of USD 9,800 million in 2025, driven by disbursements from multilateral organizations, corporate financing and purchases of foreign currency by the private sector.
In this scenario, the exit from the exchange clamp would take place in a staggered manner. The entity projected that the Government would advance in the normalization of the payment of imports and in the flexibility of access to the financial dollar. However, it would maintain restrictions on the purchase of foreign currency by individuals and companies until reserves reach an adequate level.
Agreement with the IMF and access to international credit
Bank of America stressed that the success of the economic program underway will depend on the government's ability to negotiate a new agreement with the IMF. This agreement would allow debt payments to be refinanced and fiscal sustainability to be improved.
Morgan Stanley also emphasized that the relationship with the IMF is decisive for the evolution of country risk. If the government manages to advance in a new program with credible fiscal and monetary targets, sovereign bonds could continue their upward trend, improving financing conditions.
However, the Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo, referred to the market speculation about the agreement with the IMF. On his X account (formerly Twitter), he ironized: "Nothing that is being said about the agreement with the Fund is correct. It's hard to miss everything, but they're succeeding!".
Risks and challenges for the economic program
Both banks identified several risks that could affect Argentina's economic and financial stability in 2025. Among the main factors of uncertainty were:
Voracious fire in Epuyén (Chubut).
A fierce forest fire in Epuyén, where hundreds of people had to be evacuated and several houses were destroyed. High temperatures and wind gusts of up to 70 km/h made containment work difficult.
The evacuation of hundreds of people and the destruction of several homes. High temperatures and strong winds have hampered firefighters' efforts to contain the fire. Among the evacuees is Mayor José Contreras, who also had to leave his home due to the advance of the fire.
Amnesty International's Harsh Report on Anti-Picketing Protocol: "Dissent at Risk"
Amnesty International (AI) presented a report on Thursday in which it denounced the "disproportionate" use of force by the government of Javier Milei in response to the demonstrations. According to the organization, the federal security forces followed a repressive pattern based on the "anti-picket protocol" promoted by Minister Patricia Bullrich.
What Amnesty International's report says
According to AI, the report on the repression of social protest yielded alarming figures: during 15 demonstrations, 1,155 people were injured, many of them seriously injured. Of these, 33 were hit in the head or face by rubber bullets, which caused severe damage to their vision. In addition, 50 journalists were injured while covering the protests.
In total, 73 people were "criminalized" for participating in the demonstrations. The report details that documented repressive practices include the abusive use of tear gas, rubber bullets, water trucks, batons and batons, and arbitrary detentions. "In emblematic cases, children were even affected by repressive violence," the organization's text said.
Paola García Rey, deputy director of Amnesty International, explained that the report reveals a clear restriction on the exercise of freedom of expression "in the streets" and a "shrinking of civic space."
Regarding the data that support the report, García Rey pointed out that the organization resorted to various methodologies, such as requests for access to public information from the national state, which were in many cases "denied by the Ministry of Security of the Nation."
30 testimonies of victims who suffered the disproportionate use of force. We also survey images because, now, social networks enable much more dissemination," he explained.
In this sense, he stressed the importance of making violence visible, assuring that "giving an account of the situation of alarm in the face of violence" seeks to highlight how force is used to restrict dissent and "silence voices". Amnesty's representative in Argentina also stressed that, although the country "has a very active use of the street," this does not justify the government's repressive response.
"Without a doubt, Argentina has a very active use of the street and, surely, it was necessary to have a robust debate on the channeling of popular demands to the Government. But the answer can never be fear as a way to inhibit expression and violence as a strategy to achieve it," he said.
Meanwhile, the organization considers that the repression of protests not only infringes fundamental rights, but also generates an inhibitory effect on citizen participation and the exercise of democracy.
Recommendations to the national government
By way of conclusion, the report concludes with a series of recommendations to Milei's government. "Amnesty International urges the Argentine government to adopt concrete measures that guarantee respect for human rights in the context of social protests," the text emphasizes.
Among these measures, the repeal of the anti-picketing protocol stands out, a regulation that, according to the organization, "not only violates fundamental human rights, but also contributes to the criminalization of those who demonstrate." In addition, they urge the implementation of police regulations and trainings that align with international standards on the right to peaceful assembly and the use of force.
"The use of force by the authorities must be framed by principles of proportionality and respect for human rights," the report concludes
Police
Investigation into the suspicious death of a federal judge who intervened in a case linked to Los Monos
This is Pablo Seró, who was in charge of the case of the kidnapping of businessman Gastón Tallone. Prosecutor María Occhi is considering the hypothesis of suicide, but there is still a need for expert reports to be carried out
The Entre Ríos Police are investigating the suspicious death of Federal Judge Pablo Andrés Seró, who died this morning when he fell from the terrace of a building in the city of Concepción del Uruguay. He is the magistrate who intervened in the case of the kidnapping and disappearance of businessman Gastón Tallone, linked to the drug gang Los Monos.
According to local media reports, the tragic event occurred after 10 a.m. on Thursday in the Antares building, located at 600 General Galarza Street, right at the intersection with Eva Duarte de Perón.
Sources from the provincial Ministry of Security consulted by Infobae explained that, so far, the main and only hypothesis being considered by the team of prosecutor María Occhi, who was on duty at the time of the event, is that of death by self-determination. However, the results of the experts will be awaited to confirm the circumstances in which the Seró fell into the void.
According to what this media was able to find out, his mother currently resides in the building from where Seró fell, who was not at home at the time of the event.
Seró, 55, head of the Federal Court of Concepción del Uruguay, died on the spot as a result of the serious injuries he suffered after falling into the void.
One of the heaviest cases being handled in his court was that of the kidnapping of Tallone. For that case, Gustavo Juliá, who served a 13-year prison sentence for drug trafficking in Spain, had been arrested ten days ago. He is the son of Brigadier José Juliá, head of the Argentine Air Force during the presidency of Carlos Saúl Menem
The kidnapping of the port businessman from Entre Ríos occurred in Almagro, but it has connections with his work in that area and with the Los Monos gang. Juliá Jr. owns one of the cars that executed the criminal maneuver.
The kidnapping would have been, as suspected, for a debt of 500,000 dollars with that organized crime group.
According to documents in the case accessed by Infobae, lawyer José Uriburu, linked to Los Monos, would have made the first extortion call to Tallone's family to claim that money: "Good night cumpa, the thing is short. The thief is here with us and he's fine. Or they return the drugs and the 500 thousand dollars that he stole and everything ends and he comes back, he stole from all the narcos and now it's time to pay. If you beat the cane, we will go down and go for all of you and your helpers. You don't with the mafia," he reportedly said.
The clarification of the case is in charge of prosecutors Josefina Minata and Santiago Marquevich, of the Specialized Prosecutorial Unit in Organized Crime. The Federal Court of Concepción del Uruguay had prosecuted the lawyer Uriburu and an alleged deliverer of the businessman.
Who was Judge Pablo Seró
Born on May 23, 1969 in the town of Goya in Corrientes, Dr. Seró graduated as a lawyer from the National University of the Northeast in 1994 and took office in 2012 as head of the Federal Court of Concepción del Uruguay, from where he worked in public office with all federal crimes in the city and the area.
The magistrate, a reference of the Entre Ríos Justice, knew how to be linked to causes of great public interest, including the investigation of the alleged Iranian citizen who presented himself as Asan Azad, arrested in June 2022 without personal documentation when he tried to buy a ticket in Concepción del Uruguay with an Argentine ID of another person.
The personnel of the Entre Ríos Police work at the scene together with the Criminalistics Division. Sources in the case told this newspaper that, as of after 1:30 p.m., investigators had not yet been able to find Seró's cell phone.
They warn about the disappearance of small farmers due to lack of profitability.
The Argentine Rural Confederations (CRA) raised its voice again on Monday to demand the urgent elimination of withholdings, a request that is gaining more and more strength in agriculture due to the bad financial situation that the sector is going through as a result of low international prices and the risk of an incipient drought that is being felt in some key areas of the country.
It did so through a novel social media campaign, in which it used puns starting with the letters De and Ex, to express the need for DEXs (the abbreviation for export duties) to be removed.
"Urgent elimination of the DEXs now!", is a kind of slogan that runs through all the posts, in which words such as crumble, degradation, disappearance, uprooting, exclusion and expulsion are used, in reference to the effects that withholdings have on agricultural production.
"The countryside urgently needs the elimination of withholdings. The delay in the measure will cause a cessation of payments, the bankruptcy of thousands of producers and a strong brake on the development of the interior and the economy associated with the productive sector," CRA stressed.
Then, he justified that DEXs are "an unsustainable tax burden," because "they decrease the profitability of the producer, reducing the net price they receive for their products, eroding their profit margins and discouraging investment in technologies, high-quality seeds, modern machinery and more."
The State takes 64.6% of agricultural income: "If withholdings disappeared, it would be 36%"
He also explained that "DEXs do not kill in one fell swoop, but they are signing the disappearance of the producer", because "they generate regional inequality, since regional economies, many of which depend on the export of agro-industrial products, are more vulnerable; the large costs add to the retentions, making producers in remote areas of the country less competitive."
Urgent DEX removal now! Because they are an unsustainable tax burden.
He also added that "DEXs affect both the individual economy and agricultural development as a whole" and in this way "the productive reality leads to the disappearance of producers."
"The drop in international commodity prices, the high cost of inputs and the enormous tax burden show negative margins in many activities such as soybeans," he reviewed.
And he added: "DEXs generate a gap that distances us from development, reduces the ability of Argentine producers to compete in global markets, especially against countries that do not apply these charges. This can lead to the loss of international markets and affect the country's reputation as a reliable supplier."
CÓRDOBA ALSO STANDS AGAINST THE WITHHOLDINGS
In the same way, from Córdoba, the Liaison Table of that province also added its claim against the retentions.
From the point of view of the Cordoba countryside, "the agricultural sector has been enduring a state of inefficiency for more than 20 years, with unsustainable expenses and a fiscal pressure incompatible with production."
The problem is that the adverse climatic situation and international markets are added to this panorama, which is what has revealed the "tremendous damage" caused by the retentions; "a distorting and discriminatory tax that, due to its magnitude and persistence, is suffocating the sector."
For this reason, the Cordoba Table considers it "imperative" that the national government review and take measures regarding the withholdings, because otherwise "the prolongation of this tax puts the survival of small producers at serious risk."
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