The numerous economic crises often cause Argentina to change as Minister of Economy, successive failures in this matter. The exits were varied and also the circumstances, but what everyone has in common is that no one has consolidated a sustained course that brings prosperity to the country.
The last resonant, and quite fresh case, was the departure of Martín Guzmán, who knew it was a winning letter to the government, but ended up resisting internal clashes of the coalition for months. In this context, his management entered into a sort of trench war, and snatch, until he decided to resign through a public letter, while the vice president criticized him live during a speech where he compared him with a neoliberal economist.
Despite his erratic management, Guzmán is within the top 10 of economic ministers that lasted most in his position since the return to democracy. He was 935 days and is sixth in the rankings. The leader is Domingo Cavallo, who has the record since the return to democracy with 2.010 days (5 years, 4 months and 25 days).
Worst luck had Silvina Batakis, who supported Alberto Fernández when no one else accepted to take over in Economics, because it only lasted 24 days ahead of his wallet, with the disproliity of traveling to the US to speak with the IMF on behalf of Argentina.
In every way, those who were less long remained in office were Nicolau Gallo and Jorge Capitanich, who were only one day. Fortunately, this is an anomaly, and it happened to the heat of the 2001 crisis when five presidents happened in a week.
Since 1983, 29 economic ministers and, on average, lasted one year and four months each. But these numbers, more than curious data, allow to visualize the consequences of not having long-term state consensus and policies, which reach a sustained growth of the country, a strategic view of the type of production and revision of the concentration of existing wealth. Nearly forty years of uninterrupted democracy, poverty affects 37.3% of Argentines according to the last official data, and this number amounts to 43.8% according to the Social Debt Observatory of the Catholic University (ODSA-UCA).
Currently, Minister Sérgio Massa must face a complex conjuncture. Argentina is suffocated by foreign debt, macro imbalances and an inflation that, according to some measures, will reach 90%.
Unlike other efforts within this government, the Mass has more power, since it is in charge of Economics, Productivity Development and Agriculture, Ganaderia and Fishing. Although this does not guarantee success, that at that time it would stabilize some variables, for the first time, within the low waist of the All Front, there is a substantial change in the exercise of power.
On September 6, the new minister will address a trip to the US, where he will meet with the IMF, World Bank and IDB authorities, as well as representatives of the White House, the private sector and NGOs. There, you will look for support and investment so that in the future you will not remember only by occupying a post in the ranking of duration in office, but by the impact it had in Argentina.
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