Hugo Yasky: "if there is no agreement that the IMF will discuss one or two issues, we Don't have to make the payment and we'll have six months to continue arguing."

From the passenger seat of a car, Hugo Yasky connects by Zoom with Eldiarioar.The deputy of the Front of All and Secretary General of the Central of Workers of Argentina (CTA of the Workers) addresses two hot issues: the possibility of an non -payment to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the beginning of the peers of 2022.

What should the government do before negotiation with the IMF?

Until the IMF does not give signs of more flexible demands and continue within a rhetoric that, on the one hand, recognizes the error of how the loan was given to Argentina, but, on the other hand, this recognition, in practical terms,It does not imply absolutely any change, the government has to continue in a firm position.Because accepting without more the conditions of a standard IMF program, such as the organism staff, will make it stumble again with the same stone.Repeating an experience that in Argentina led us to the social outbreak, which meant a huge setback in terms of poverty and inequality.Argentines and Argentina do not deserve ten years of decline.This to pay a debt that ended in tax havens and without leaving absolutely nothing positive for the vast majority of Argentines.There is a couple that did stay with a few things.

There is a program with the IMF, it has always involved adjustment, but some say that it is better to negotiate the least possible adjustment because not agreeing with the fund puts us at risk of what is happening now, that the dollar goes up a lot and that also impacts onPeople's pocket.How do you see it?

Yes, it is the usual scenario, exchange turbulence and pressure on the dollar. They are speculative attacks of very powerful financial groups, of very powerful economic groups, which prefer because they are free with any condition with the fund. They know that hunger and conditions will not happen near the country where they live. It is as if in the back we had been pushing us to sign virtually any imposition in absolutely unfavorable conditions for Argentina. It is true a scenario like this, to the extent that more tensions and speculative attacks are generated, to the extent that the parasites of the financial sector take advantage of all these days to make great profits. But the truth I think a bad agreement would have a huge cost. Today Argentina is a country that exhibits growth figures that are above any other country in Latin America. We would simply be inertia, if we did not apply any adjustment, to grow at least 5 or 4 points sure, without moving a finger. This would mean maintaining a virtuous path of recovery. It can be lost immediately if we undergo the conditions of an adjustment and again there will be winners and losers. Those who are going to win are those who have their capital placed in dollars, the large financial operators, the large economic groups that have debt taken in dollars and that will benefit from any agreement that means lowering the temperature of the rates they have to pay . I understand that and I understand that this is why these groups also handle great media and handle as prostorous puppets many opposition voices that we want to firm, that we agree, that we are responsible, that we give to the Argentines certainty, everything that they did not do when they took the crazy way in what they did the external debt. But I think we already know what the adjustment implies. Some say "well, firm and in three years or two again we argue." We already did. We already ended in the Brady Plan, the Waiver, the IMF asking for more adjustment, the IMF by destabilizing the country because we entered the red list of the insolvent countries again. We know all that. I am amazed by the ease with which the disaster to which they took us is forgotten. I am amazed by lightness, the lack of scruples of the gurus that again and again led us to failure. And now they come again, as if they took you an old stew, to sell us as a great novelty the new convertibility. Again (Sunday) Cavallo saying that airlines must be privatized. (Carlos) Melconian talking about grandmother's jewels. The truth is like being in the time tunnel, but on a train where passengers, at least those who go in the first class, suffer from collective amnesia or pretend dementia. They might feed dementia because they continue to win with that.

And how can you avoid the adjustment that comes with devaluations in case you do not pay the IMF?

Unfortunately we are at that point where the options we have is the disastrous or the least bad. It is true that not signing with the IMF will not be free. It is true that the seven pests of Egypt are unleashed over us, but it is also true that the other is to go to a crisis that we are not going to be unscathed, in which we are going to postpone for a decade, hopefully, the possibility of recovering this country. That is why I prefer to assume the risk of tensioning until the last moment. I am one of those who think that if you can agree on a plan that is fulfilled, it must be signed. I have no ideological prejudice, but for that, the IMF showed it, you cannot do an administrative procedure. After all the rhetoric that we listened to those who talked about this was the new IMF, sensitized with social sensors, etc., plus those who talked about self -criticism, the IMF is clear that it continues to do exactly the same thing it did. It always manages the international usury benefiting the sectors of that financial dome that manages the world: Wall Street and company, including its local partners. So, in front of this, I think you have to tighten until the last minute. Now you have to make a payment. If there are no conditions to sign an agreement in which the IMF puts one or two issues in discussion, I think that payment should not be made. Enough of burning the money of the Argentines. And we will have six more months to continue arguing. And in six months a modification will be necessary. And I believe that the government in these six months has to apply hard policies with speculators, which have a name and surname. It cannot be that they extort us, that they put us against the ropes to all Argentines, that they go for a new devaluation, that go for the increase in prices, that pushing the riot of an economy that grew, which generated more employment, than It is showing some figures that are very important in terms of recovery and that these people, as simply committed to the speculative economy that favors it, pass it to it.

Can China and Russia be a place where to go for a rescue to a disagreement with the IMF or do not see it viable?

Until now, experience shows that there is not much viability to have an illusion of such a salvage.If there may be political support, we can eventually have the possibility of obtaining part of the resources that are needed for large investments.I know they go to China for a project that has to do with lithium.We have huge wealth.And we need investments to exploit them and add value, which is the other thing, add value, because we do not have to continue taking leather from Argentina, as we are taking out, without any added value.We cannot continue with an extractive scheme where we take out raw materials without any added value.I think that in that field the relationship especially with China can be important.I do not believe that China or Russia are in conditions or have the political decision to go further.

Banking and Commerce unions are asking to reopen the 2021 peers to get increases above that year inflation.In the first ten months of 2021, the salary index rose 44%, above inflation of 42%, but we will have to see how the year closed.How do you see it?

No, in reality, it is the first peer of the year.Banking is discussing 2022. Last year, I agreed, closed with 29% and I think that at the end of the year they had exceeded 53 or 54. I believe that 2022 will be a year quite similar to the previous year in terms ofThere will be joint agreements that will be above the official guideline that appeared in the budget that was not approved (33%).And then, to the extent that it is necessary to make corrections or openings of peers, that scheme to the formal sector meant, in most cases, tie or remain a little above inflation.The problem is the informal sector.With the Minister of Labor we were talking about the minimum, vital and mobile salary council would be convened in February.

How much are they going to ask for salary increase by 2022?

I think that only the different guilds are making numbers now.There is no defined figure.It will be above the guideline set by Minister (Martín) Guzmán.But it will depend on the discussion if it is a short joint, if it is with a review clause, if most of the increase, such as banking last year, it is received in the first sections.All these variables affect at the time of defining the figure, but from now on the objective of all those who go to parity is that salaries recover and win inflation.That objective has been raised by the Government, by the President, by the Minister of Economy and must be fulfilled.It is the only way for Argentina to continue to recover economically.

Ar