Entrepreneurs in the face of the “mass effect”: doubts, impatience and the urgency of dollars

The “mass effect” has generated expectations in business, but should show results in the next few weeks. This was the feeling that flew this Thursday among some of the businessmen who frequented the Alvear Palace hotel. There they had the idea of ​​looking for further signals on the path charted by the Minister of Economy to overcome the currency and financial crisis, which triggered the dollar, accelerated inflation and expelled its predecessors.

“The dollar has flattened out, comments have stopped and the market has calmed down since its inauguration, there is anticipation, the question is how long,” said Natalio Mario Grinman, head of the Chamber of Commerce. And he warned that he has an “expiration date”. “I don’t know if he’s 40 days oldIf it fails, the government doesn’t have a plan B, “said the businessman, one of the organizers of the Council of the Americas conference.

Indeed, Massa’s successful arrival in the US – his team jokingly calls him “American Filipino” – and the package of major tax adjustments and incentives for the private sector have not stopped the loss of reserves. This Thursday, the parallel dollars rebounded again, around $ 294. “I expected him to expand on his plan, we are confident in the steps he will take, we will accompany as long as we are part“, She said Edward Eurnekianoof Corporation America.

The official spoke for 40 minutes in front of an audience of 600 people. He anticipated new stimuli for the construction and mining industry, funding from outside organizations, and cost containment measures. But he also addressed an issue that is causing concern among businessmen: import restrictions. The minister explained that there were savings in energy purchases in August, but also denounced that there were “abuses”.

“We will fight to give all the dollars they need to those who produce, those who take care of their health, those who need to import services or technology to ensure Argentina’s growth and development, and we will also have a tough mechanism. with those who wanted to do the typical awakening of seeing how they were fighting for reserves for the central bank, “said the head of the Treasury.

The changes to import permits (SIMIS), which must pass the filter of the Central Bank, Industry, Customs and AFIP, continue to cause concern. A car manufacturer revealed outside the microphones that the replacement of equipment with the arrival of Massa triggered a sort of “computer blackout” in the Simis: “The plan is good, the problem is speed, we urgently need supplies and in these days andSeveral times we were about to shut down the factory “.

The visit to the Council of the Americas was the first evidence of an institutionalist conclave since the Tigrese became Minister of Economy in early August and a sort of test before the trip he will make on September 6 to the United States, where the bets meet the head of the Treasury, Janette Yelen, and the director of the IMF, Kristalina Georgiev, as well as closing investments with the country’s main oil companies.

“If we think about what he said: we have to cut unnecessary imports, focus on investments and in energy, lithium and agriculture, we can get investments. I liked what he said, it was clear, he has a plan and is working on it. . I’m optimistic, “he said. Susan Segal, the president of the Council of the Americas, an entrepreneurial organization founded in the 1960s by David Rockefeller.