The government has once again dusted off the manual of euphemisms not to mention adjustment

The subsidy cuts will lead, out of their own pocket, to increases in electricity, natural gas and water tariffs which, once the subsidies are eliminated, will exceed 120%, how are you getting to know each other these days? The tariff increases are added to budget cuts in sensitive areas such as health, education and housing …

In a scenario where inflation is aiming to approach 100% this year and possibly 2023, the government has dusted off the mannual of euphemisms, the one who helps you whenever you have to soften what is usually known as an adaptation, a dirty word.

These days euphemisms have reappeared for some specific topics, as happened a few years ago.

Re-adjustment of items and fiscal convergence

After announcing the user segmentation and the cuts in subsidies that higher-income families would have suffered, the Secretary of Energy, Flavia Royón, established that the consequence of this segmentation. “It’s not a rate hike, but a readjustment of subsidies “.

This Wednesday, the secretary of strategic affairs, Mercedes Marcó del Pont, said that there is no adjustment but that a “convergence towards the hypotheses agreed with the IMFthere is no regulation here, there is a reduction of the budget deficit“. And he added: “There is no adjustment, but a slowdown in real spending growth“.

Officials, after budget cuts became known last week, prefer to talk about it “redistribution of games”.

“There is no adjustment, but readjustment of the articlesat this point it is done every year, you can decide what kinds of issues can be carried out or not, which are extensive and which ones are worth concentrating on the resources we have ”, in turn condemned Daniel Filmus.

Positive net loan

The debt management it has also given rise to euphemisms. For current officials, there had been a fort during the previous government debt that has compromised future generations of Argentines. During the administration of former Economy Minister Martín Guzmán, debt-taking became “Positive net loan”which, in other words, means that if $ 100 matured, new debt was taken for, for example, $ 110. For positive financing, the debt was measured in dollars during the rule of Alberto Fernández has grown by the equivalent of $ 50,000 million

The positive net loan resulted in a disaster already in June, when an unusual lack of coordination between public savings banks caused the collapse of the pesos securities that the government must periodically issue and refinance. The Ministry of Economy was forced to make an exchange and, to ensure its success, it had to offer cvery advantageous clauses for creditors. Everything is about maintaining the “positive net financing”.

Heir to the position held until a few months ago by Roberto Feletti – and before Paula Español and before Guillermo Moreno – also the Secretary of Commerce Matias Tombolini appealed threatening euphemisms. It was to advise under what conditions he wanted to negotiate prices with businessmen. “We will not chase them, they will come and sit alone “, he said in early August, when inflation was already close to 8%. The Secretary of Commerce warned at that moment that the “speculators” will be touched “the fiber that hurts them most, which are their pockets”.

The effort to find replacement words is commendable. It goes without saying that reality prevails. The INDEC reminds us of this every month in case of inflation.

But since no one wants to give bad news, officials once again resort to euphemisms that hide the harsh reality.

It is also known that reality prevails. It will be interesting to see the reaction of the officials when the bills arriveyes, already without subsidies. And with inflation always high. And without euphemisms.