(MENAFN) Following his victory in the second round of presidential elections in Argentina on Sunday, the liberal economist Javier Mele, 53, who identifies as an "anarcho-capitalist," confronts a formidable array of economic challenges as he prepares to lead the nation. In his victory speech, Mele declared the beginning of the end of decadence and emphasized that the reconstruction of Argentina would entail resolute measures without compromises.
Among the pressing issues awaiting the president-elect are record inflation and a multitude of economic complexities, encompassing concerns related to governance, social justice, and peace. Argentina has grappled with a substantial budget deficit for decades, marked by a culture of high social aid expectations coupled with limited growth, creating a situation where expenditures outpace available funding, as noted by historian Rui Hora of the Konest Research Center.
Mele has proposed a "shock therapy" approach to address these economic challenges and restore equilibrium to state accounts. Central to his strategy is a plan to reduce public spending by approximately 15 percent and initiate privatization operations. This move aligns with the goal of achieving a balanced budget, a condition sought by the International Monetary Fund (IMF). In 2018, the IMF granted Argentina a USD44 billion loan, and Buenos Aires faces challenges in meeting its repayment obligations.
In addition to spending cuts and privatization, Mele advocates for terminating subsidies in transportation and energy sectors, liberalizing prices, and abolishing taxes on exports. Notably, he has warned of the possibility of implementing measures even more stringent than those recommended by the IMF. Mele's proposed economic agenda reflects a commitment to bold and decisive actions in the face of the country's economic woes.
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