The disagreements between the officials who responded to Vice President Cristina Fernández and the bishops of President Alberto Fernández do not stop. At least in the energy area. Ieasa (formerly Enarsa) is in charge the construction of the Santa Cruz dams. And its president -Agustín Gerez- said that Casa Rosada It stopped the Chinese from paying US $ 600 million for this work.

“China has a pending disbursement of US $ 600 million, within the credit framework of $ 4.7 billion for dams. In other words, once the negotiation is approved, and the order is issued, they will make that disbursement, “Gerez explained, head of Ieasa and trusted person of the Patria Institute, who chose him for that position where manages LNG imports, the gas pipeline that will connect Vaca Muerta to Buenos Aires and the Santa Cruz dam, among other works.

“That negotiation was concluded and approved by the technical areas on January 25. But not yet done (the order to move forward) is paralyzed 70 days ago at the Secretariat for Strategic Affairs, ”he complained. The Strategic Affairs Secretariat is headed by Gustavo Belizone of the officials closest to President Alberto Fernández.

The contract of fChinese funding for these dams has been paralyzed since 2020. The availability period has expired, which is the period during which the bank provides the money for the loan. Work on the dams should be ready by 2019, but that hasn’t happened for one environmental protection groups -which paralyzed him- and changes in the project of the administration of Mauricio Macri.

Chinese banks cannot send money because the issuance term has expired. The Argentine government reactivated the negotiations in 2020. That renegotiation ended in January of this year. Chinese banks have agreed to make new disbursements if a “new period of existence” is approved, that is, the period during which loans can be granted.

The money is contingent on a decree, which must be submitted by the Secretary of Strategic Affairs under the signature of President Alberto Fernández. This law establishes new periods of existence.

“With the delay, a huge inconvenience has developed. Since 70 days have passed since the negotiations closed, what could have happened – based on my experience and the analysis of the situation I am conducting- is that Chinese banks may request a new financial addendum to update it on the validity of the commercial contract, that is, the work ”, Gerez explained. “These are dollars coming into the country with a rate of 3.5%. There are no dollars at that rate in any agreement entered into by Argentina, ”he added.

“As with any significant amendment to loan contracts, in order to validate the models of the agreed contract, a publication of a decree certifying and delegating a signature is required”, they acknowledge to the Strategic Affairs Secretariat. “The decree file for this amendment was created from this secretariat and is located in the formal circuit of typical legal interventions. It usually takes time. “fencing.

The work of the dams continues, but there is no Chinese capital. “It continued its course, financed by the Treasury through temporary contributions until loan disbursements were reactivated. When disbursements are reactivated, State -contributed funds will be recovered through US $ 600 million, which will be paid at the official exchange rate and will help reserves, create jobs, pay taxes and mobilize the economy. region, which will form a good circle of indebtedness for infrastructure. But they still haven’t entered ”, criticizes Gerez. The lawyer occupied the presidency of Ieasa with the blessing of Federico Basualdo, the undersecretary of Electric Energy and the chief reference in energy matters of vice president Cristina Fernàndez de Kirchner.

“The intention of the Secretariat for Strategic Affairs is to resolve this as soon as possible so that disbursements can be resumed,” they added from the unit headed by Béliz.

China has injected approximately US $ 1,350 million into “hydroelectric exploitation”. The disbursement of US $ 3,364 million is still pending.

In Ieasa they blame Strategic Affairs for the delay. And from near Béliz they denied that “there were conditions that preceded”, that they were Ieasa’s responsibility and that they were not “completed”.

“The previous conditions have been fulfilled, so the order can be presented to the president”, they replied to Ieasa. “If the appropriate conditions are not in place, the president cannot give an order to sign,” Gerez stressed.

“The subsequent conditions, which are after the approval of the negotiations, are under Ieasa’s orbit when the negotiations are approved. But since the negotiations have not been approved, IEASA does not formally know what they will be. We will know them when the law is published, which is still happening, “they stressed to Ieasa.

The winning consortium of this work is led by Electroingeniería, by Gerardo Ferreyra. The businessman was arrested on the grounds of “notebooks”. Vice President Fernández de Kirchner showed him on a tour in January 2020.