You can start where everyone prefers, but the end result will always be the same: the province of Buenos Aires is, by far, high success in the allocation of central government resources. Although it would be more precise to clarify: a big winner with Kirchnerism in the Casa Rosada and Axel Kicillof in the government of Buenos Aires.
Political favouritism, privileges and vote hunting, the normality of these years and that of the “defeated decade” sings that where Buenos Aires is said to appear 39% of the total resources, 48%, up to 61%. In the boxes of Córdoba, the city of Buenos Aires and Santa Fe we find very modest 7%, 6 and 5%.
We’re talking many millions of pesos in one case versus, say, millions or millions in others, and poorly distributed among the country’s 23 jurisdictions.
We also talk, of course, about the power box made famous by Néstor Kirchner and the political use of state funds in all respects.
The most sensational example of this model bears a name that already anticipates what it is about: they are the discretionary transfers from the National Treasurythat is, money that the government distributes outside the Budget according to what suits its political interests or corresponds to other less visible and more controversial species.
Finally, these are budget surpluses applied to a system of rewards and punishments very well known among governors, provincial legislators and mayors and often crossed by pacts and intricate exchanges of favors.
In the numbers of the specialist consultancy firm Aerarium, the latest official data available show that between January and November of this year, none other than $589.600 millionor about $4.3 billion to the official August 2022 dollar.
And if the arbitrary administration of such a figure already says a lot from all points of view, the data confirming the play is no different. reveals it 42.5% of the total landed in Buenos Aires, that is, $250,522 million in eleven months which would reach approximately $308,000 in the year. The conversion into dollars is up to the consumer.
Buenos Aires’ mountain grows to graze or overflow by a whopping $500,000 million when 2021’s discretionary transfers are added in. And to make the scale of the move clearer, the figures follow.
According to Aerarium reports, between January 2021 and November 2022, Kicillof bagged $441.8 billion cleared of dust and straw. TO Autonomous City they touched 60,800 million dollars; a Cordoba60,000 million and 58,000 million a Santa Fe.
In other words, the magnitudes say so at this point the Buenos Aires slice is almost 8 times greater than that of CABA, Córdoba or Santa Fe. And more than doubles the sum of the three.
It is difficult to find explanations for such differences, that is, explanations other than the alleged political and discretionary use of the resources of the National State and the fact of exploiting the advantage of living in La Rosada.
A detail and an open controversy of this period: within the Buenos Aires 2021-22 match there are around $156,000 million in equity stolen from the Autonomous Cityincluding the funds that now continue to hold him contrary to the Supreme Court ruling.
Clearly visible in the figures, the rest of the provinces have not been invited to participate in the outcome of the decision promoted by the government of Alberto Fernández and validated by Congress. There are no traces of participation.
Without exception, Buenos Aires leads all categories in a spreadsheet where some disaggregated data of what each province obtains in the distribution appears.
In the case of the so-called National Treasury financial assistance, it takes 84%; 30% in the Teacher Incentive Fund and 61% of the package intended for food assistance.
It becomes evident at this point that the data associated with the centralized way in which Kirchnerism understands federalism will not be lacking in this story, but rather will remain. Also, when it comes to the whereabouts of funds, nothing floating around in the environment comes as a surprise.
That said, in another table of big winners we have the powerful mayors of the Buenos Aires suburbs. With a fundamental political detail: the money goes directly to the municipalities, without going through the offices in La Plata that Kicillof controls.
Translated: many issues, such as those concerning the distribution of councilors and political offices, are dealt with directly with the Casa Rosada.
Thus, out of a total of $79.9 billion distributed between January and November 2022, the official GBA Municipal Heads won 61%. 7% went to Córdoba, 6% to Entre Ríos and 4% to Santa Fe.
The proportions and inequalities increase when you add another piece of information to the table: the $79.9 billion in 2022 They surpass the 2021 match by 215%. And since almost all of the money is used for works, the political revenues earned by pro-government supporters versus opponents are once again unequal.
According to the consultancy firm specializing in the analysis of public finances, in 2022 a third of the resources fueled the infrastructure investments of the Argentina Hace plan, rapidly implemented by local workers, and around 20% was distributed between road works and basic social works. All of this is functional to the campaign which is displayed in clearly visible posters and billboards.
The plans of the Improve your work schedule They also occupy a key place in the electoral strategy of Kirchnerism.
Official numbers say that from January to December 2022, 432,000 million dollars were spent there, of which 209,400 million, a good 48%, concentrated in the province of Buenos Aires. No surprises, once again: the Autonomous City received 38,000 million dollars and very modest 14,600 and 14,400 million for Santa Fe and Córdoba.
Wherever you look, up or down, right or wrong, anywhere skip the bet of Christianity in Buenos Aires, like those whose political future is at stake there. More than an example of the current state, the move shows the case for a state ruled by confusion and improvisation, willing to use whatever tool it is to prop up the shelf.
And speaking of the very uneven flow of public funds, a figure taken from the agreement signed with the Monetary Fund in March 2022 has begun to make noise precisely where noise abounds. Rivet the government’s commitment a “intervene to limit discretionary transfers to provinces and state-owned companies”.
It has been sung that in the midst of the electoral battle, Kirchnerism will fight to preserve this instrument; Among other things because he no longer has truly decisive cards.
Money alone doesn’t win elections, and neither does mere history. Question: Will the population perceive that “we are in a time of great economic growth and that inflation is falling faster than expected”? I mean, are you going to buy the official speech?
Source: Clarin
