Statements

Health and life first, then debt

PI members, public intellectuals, artists, activists and politicians from Argentina call for an international response to the Covid-19 pandemic that puts health and life before debt.
"In Argentina, the COVID-19 pandemic has left us no respite, and continues to undermine the hope of economic recovery."
"In Argentina, the COVID-19 pandemic has left us no respite, and continues to undermine the hope of economic recovery."

In times of crisis, societies are put to the test. The defense of the general interest must prevail over that of individuals, and the use of public resources must prioritize the general welfare, ensuring the protection of the most vulnerable.

A pandemic like COVID 19, which causes such great suffering for humanity, demands all efforts be made to counteract its enormous economic and social harms, including the guarantee of vaccinations and care for the sick.

In the midst of the pandemic, imbalances and inequalities have deepened across the world. The powerful who speculate on the crisis have increased their wealth, while the majority pay the cost of a global upheaval that has fueled poverty, unemployment, marginalization, and hunger.

Health care and the essential and urgent need for universal vaccination have been deferred.

Unfortunately, the response from world leaders and international organizations has been neither vital nor vigorous. International support to counteract the devastating effects of the pandemic and the extension of vaccination have been minimal. Peripheral countries that were already impoverished and indebted have been provided few options — on the contrary, they have instead had more restrictive and regressive adjustments thrust upon them.

In Argentina, the COVID-19 pandemic has left us no respite, and continues to undermine the hope of economic recovery. Infections and deaths have spiraled. The economy was already in a major crisis after the government of former president Mauricio Macri — with the pandemic, the economic and social emergency has deepened further.

Our country is in a "state of necessity" that prevents us from meeting our debt commitments, especially with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other organizations, under the threat of affecting superior interests the State must protect in a pandemic context: social vulnerability, health, work, education and housing of the population as a whole.

For this reason:

We consider it essential that public resources and available foreign currency must be allocated, as a priority, toward the life and health of the community and the relief of the social crisis.

Based on this principle, we propose:

  • Promoting the suspension of payments of both principal and interest to the IMF and the Paris Club during the health emergency.
  • Rescheduling maturities with all international financial organizations with terms according to the country’s true payment possibilities.
  • Negotiating decreases in interest, charges, and commissions in existing agreements.
  • Using Argentina’s share (approximately 4,350 million dollars) of the expected USD 650,000 million issuance of IMF Special Drawing Rights (SDRs) to both strengthen the international reserves of our Central Bank — alleviating the restrictions that limit our ability to address the serious problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic — and to prioritize, at the same time, health, education, housing, work, and poverty reduction, among others, rather than servicing debt for capital, interest, or expenses.
  • Supporting the criminal complaint initiated by the National Government against the officials of the previous administration regarding the IMF "stand by" loan.
  • Investigating the destination of loan funds and identifying all the persons linked in the flight of capital evidenced by the investigation of the Central Bank of the Argentine Republic.
  • Demanding the IMF provide all necessary support to continue the investigations, determining and differentiating legitimate from illegitimate debt and collaborating to find the funds hidden from the country.

Signatories:

Raúl Zaffaroni (Ex Juez CSJ) - Fernanda Vallejos (Dip. Nac), Pablo Moyano (Sec. Gral. Adjunto Camioneros) - Héctor Daer (Sec. Gral. CGT) - Hugo Yasky (Sec. Gral. CTA) - Pablo Micheli (Dirigente CTAA) - Guillermo Moretti (Vicepresidente UIA) - Andrés Gallardo (Pte. Comité Panamericano de Juezas y Jueces por los Derechos Económicos y Sociales y la Doctrina Fransciscana), Víctor Hugo Morales (Periodista) - María Teresa García (Ministra de Gobierno, PBA), Gustavo Melella (Gobernador de Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur) - Gildo Insfran (Gobernador de Formosa) - Felisa Miceli (Ex-ministra de Economía) – Amado Boudou (Ex Vicepresidente) - Alejandro Rofman (Economista, Plan Fénix), Norberto Galasso (historiador) – Horacio González (Sociólogo) – Jorge Alemán (Psicólogo) - Miguel Ángel Estrella (Pianista) - Rita Cortese (Actriz) - Liliana Herrero (Cantante) - Mario Secco (Intendente Ensenada) – Stella Calloni (Periodista) - Sonia Alesso (Sec. Gral CTERA) - Roberto Baradel (Sec.Gral. SUTEBA) - Atilio Borón (Sociólogo) - Ricardo Forster (Filósofo) - Rafael Bielsa (ex-Mtro. Relaciones Exteriores) - Hugo "Cachorro" Godoy (Sec.Gral. ATE) - Juan Ramos Padilla (Juez) - Eduardo Barcesat (Constitucionalista) - Mario Kestelboim (Ex Decano Facultad de Derecho UBA) - Jorge Cholvis (Constitucionalista) - Hector Amichetti (Sec. Gral. Federación Gráfica Bonaerense, CFT) - Daniel Catalano (ATE Capital) - Eduardo López (Sec. Gral. CTA Ciudad) - Pedro Peretti (Agrupación Grito de Alcorta) - Marcelo Figueras (Escritor) - Mempo Giardinelli (Escritor, Periodista) – Mónica Peralta Ramos (Socióloga) - Angélica Graciano (Sec. Gral. UTE) - Roberto "Beto" Pianelli (Sec. Gral.AGTSyP /Metrodelegados) - Ricardo Peidró (CTAAutónoma) – Adriana Aredez (Madres de Plaza de Mayo LF) - José Schulman (Pte. Liga Argentina por los Derechos Humanos) - Víctor Carricarte (Sec. Asoc. Empleados de Farmacia) - Víctor de Gennaro (dirigente gremial y social) - Eduardo De la Serna (Sacerdote, Opción Popular por los Pobres) - Francisco "Paco" Oliveira (Sacerdote, Grupo de Opción Popular por los Pobres) - Guillermo Prein (Pastor, Presidente Fundación Centro Cristiano Nueva Vida) - Ricardo Nissen (Inspector Gral. de Justicia) - Lucía Corpacci (Dip. Nac.) - Itaí Hagman (Dip. Nac.) - Juan Carlos Alderete (Dip. Nac.) - Sergio Leavy (senador nacional) - Héctor “Gallego” Fernández (Dip. Nac.) - Carolina Moisés (Dip. Nac.) – Liliana Schwindt (Dip. Nac.) - Marcelo Koening (Dip. Nac.) - Verónica Caliva (Dip. Nac.) - Milagro Sala (Dirigente Social) - Alicia Castro (Ex Embajadora en Venezuela y Reino Unido) - Jorge Elbaum (Llamamiento Argentino-Judío) - Juliana Di Tullio (Directora BAPRO) - Hugo Chumbita (Historiador) - Horacio Ghilini (SADOP) - Roberto Feletti (Ex viceministro de Economía) - Guillermo Wierzba (director BNA) - Roberto Marquínez (Pte. Confederación General Económica) - Raúl Hutín (Directivo de la Fundación Pro Tejer) – Daniel Rosato (IPA) - Eduardo Garzón (Economista, U. Complutense de Madrid) - Jorge Fonseca (Economista, U. Complutense de Madrid) - Carola Iñiguez (Ex subsecretaria Asuntos Multilaterales, Ecuador) - Pablo Iturraulde (Director Centro de Derechos Económicos y Sociales, Ecuador) - Gabriela Piovano (Infectóloga) - Jorge Rachid (Sanitarista) – Sandra Russo (Periodista) - Noemí Brenta (Economista), María Seoane (Periodista) – Arnaldo Dubin (Médico Intensivista) - Gina Godoy (Ex asambleísta, Ecuador) - Jorge Marchini (Economista) - Jaime Sorín (Decano Arquitectura, UNDAV), Ernesto Villanueva (Rector, UNAJ) - Hugo Andrade (Rector, UNAM) - Fabián Calderón (Rector, Univ. Nac. La Rioja) - Roberto Tassara (Rector, Universidad Nacional del Centro Bs.As.) - Ana Jaramillo (Rectora, Universidad Nacional de Lanús) - Hector Aisa (Rector, Universidad Tecnológica Nacional) - Diego Molea (Rector, Universidad Nacional de Lomas de Zamora) - Luis Negretti (Rector, Universidad Nacional de Villa María) - Roberto Rovere (Rector UNRC), Juan Carlos De Bello (Rector UNRN), Ricardo Harnawi ( Decano de Humanidades, UNDAV) - Javier Araujo (Decano FADENA), Oscar Fernández (Ex Director Instituto Balseiro) - Eduardo Anguita (Periodista)- Daniel Martínez (Rector de la Universidad de La Matanza) - Ricardo Rouvier (Sociólogo) - Pedro Biscay (ex-Director - BCRA) - Claudio Lozano (Economista, Director BNA) - Juan Pablo Olsson (Coordinador Internacional Progresista, Argentina) - Mario Lozano (Virólogo Molecular) - Luis D' Elía (Maestro) - Daniel Yofra (Sec. Gral. Federación Trabajadores Aceiteros) - Miguel Fernández Pastor (Abogado Previsional) - Luis Arias (Jurista) - José "Pepe" Sbatella (ex-Pte. Unidad de Información Financiera, UIF) - Marisa Duarte (Pta. IADE) - Ricardo Aronskind (Economista) – Horacio Rovelli (Economista) - Andrés Asiaín (Economista) – Guido Forcieri (Economista) - Juan Enrique (Economista-Periodista) - Matías Cremonte (Vice-Pte. Asoc. Latinoamericana de Abogados Laboralistas) - Claudio Castelli (UIF) - Débora Giorgi (Ex Ministra de Industria) – Ricardo Koss (Tributarista) - Carlos Valle (Pte. Confederación General de Jubilados y Pensionados) - Juan Ciolli (Vpte. CEEN) – Mario Derch (Presidente Confederación General de la Industria) - Andrés Nikitiuk (Sec. Gral. CGT, Regional Quilmes, Berazategui, F. Varela) - Federico Montero (Sec.Gral. FEDUBA- CONADU) – Jorge Thierbach (Sec. Gral. Adjunto FGB) – Hugo Orina (Sec. Gral. Sindicato Saneamiento y Medio Ambiente) - Fernando Braga Menéndez (Publicista) – Milagros Barbieri (Subsecretaria de Pequeños y Medianos Productores) - Mariano Pinedo (Abogado) - Liliana Mazure (Dip. Nac. M.C.) - Juliana Marino (Ex embajadora en Cuba) – Mariano Beristain (Periodista) - Sandra Russo (Periodista) - Mabel Di Leo (Ex Delegada rama Femenina) - Verónica Mercado (Dip. Nac. M.C.) - Quito Aragón (Corriente M. Fierro) - Ángel Strapazzon (MOCASE) - José Campagnoli (Dip. Nac. M.C.) - Jimmy Herrera (Compositor) - Liliana López Foresi (Periodista) - Jorge Cholvis (constitucionalista) - Hugo Barcia (Escritor, Periodista) - Gabriel Mariotto (Ex vicegobernador PBA) – Eduardo Di Cola (Dip. Nac. M.C.) - Luisa Valmaggia (periodista) - Juan Carlos Manoukian (Editor) - Ricardo Gené (Neumonólogo) - Martina Cirimele (Directora CIPCE) - Pablo Tigani (Economista) - Carlos Cleri (Economista) - Estanislao Malic (Economista) - Agustín D'Atellis (Economista, Periodista) – Martín Mangas (Economista) – Alejandro López Acotto (Investigador) - Leon Pomer (Historiador), Alejandro "Coco" Garfagnini (Frente Milagro Sala) - Matías Strasorier (Corriente Agraria Nacional y Popular) - Federico Tonarelli (Pte. Federación Cooperativas FACTA) – Carla Gudensi (Sec. Gral. Federación de Trabajadores de Prensa) - Aurelio Narvaja (Editor) - Raúl Noro (Periodista) – Adrián Falco (Fundación SES) - Julio Fernández Baraibar (escritor) – Pablo Martínez Sameck - Norberto Alayón (Sociólogo) - Carlos Juliá (Abogado) - Christian Miño (Pte. CNRT) - Néstor Piccone (Periodista) - Víctor Ramos ( Peronismo para Todos) - José Cárcamo (Economista) - Fernando Porta (Economista) – Víctor Portnoy - Carlos Schmerkin (Editor, Francia) - Aurelio Narvaja (Editor) - Hernán Bergstein (Economista) - Adolfo Farías (MOCASE) - Ricardo Rotztein (Economista) - Federico Vaccarezza (Mg. Relaciones Internacionales) - Graciela Orfeo (Economista) – Jorge Molinero (Economista) – Carlos Pafundo (Economista) – Arnaud Iribarne (Tributarista) - Daniela Bambill (Pta. Instituto Independencia) – Mariana Vázquez - Claudio Capuano (Cátedra catedra de salud y DDHH) - Ariel Garbarz - Deolinda Carrizo (MOCASE) – Alicia Rotela - Esther Córdoba (Pte. Fundación Música Esperanza), Alejandra Dixon, Marcelo Ruiz (Matemático) - Alejandro Mosquera (Director Instituto Estudios y Formación para la Igualdad) - Vicente Zito Lima (Escritor) - Moisés Solorza, Virginia Franganillo (Política) - Irma Parentella - Judith Said (Área DD.HH, Instituto Patria) – Rubén Delfini (Economista) - Carlos Luis Elías (Agrupación Celeste SUTECBA) - José Muchnik (Antropólogo) - Elina Malamud (escritora) – Lucía Capozzo (Periodista) – Enrique Fossati – Juan Manuel Labanca (Economista) - Raul Ruiz Huidobro (Miembro Consejo Consultivo INAES) - Graciela Dragoski (académica) - Emma Le Bozec (escritora, poeta) – Oscar Rovito (Actor) - Mónica Pirri (CEIECS) – Martín Adorno (Director Cinematográfico) - Damián Marino (Investigador Ambiental)- Úrsula Asta (Periodista) - Miguel Brenner (Educador) - Andrés Ruggeri (Antropólogo) - Ignacio Ivancich (Político) - Luisa Vivanco (Psicóloga) - Jorg Drkos ( Dip. Nac. M.C.) - Andrea Medina (Cátedra Libre Poder Económico y DD.HH.) - Laura Fuxman (Economista) - Héctor Sosa (Periodista) – Daniel Dussex (Periodista) – Luis Soria (Periodista) - Gustavo Porcel (Médico) - Horacio Chique (Consejal Moreno)- Lindo Iacommini (Editor) - Jorge Carpio (dirigente social) - Alejo Brignole (Escritor) - Lucrecia Monteagudo - Diego Szutulwark (Sociólogo) – José Deslarmes (Asamblea Permanente por el Derecho a la Salud) - Mario Volpe (Vicedirector Instituto de Políticas Soberanas Malvinas, UNLP) - Rocco Carbone (Escritor) – Ramiro Lascano (Prof. Tit. Fisiología Vegetal, UNC) - Marta Lovell (Psicolanalista) - Miguel Mazzeo (Historiador) – Cristina Alonso (Economista) - Viviana Vega (Psicóloga) – Carlos Magdalena (Neurólogo) - Juan Alarcón (Abogado) - Paula Klachko (coordinadora Red-H) – Clelia Isasmendi - Gerardo Codina (Pres. SOS Buenos Aires) – César Crocitta (Economista) – Carlos Martínez (Empresario, CEEN) - Eduardo Ferreyra - Bárbara Alegre (Presidenta Acción Comunitaria Asociación Civil) - Bárbara Pohorecky (Presidenta Arte Nenes Asociación Civil) - Mónica Aravena (Presidenta Mutual de la Gente Nueva Vida) - Francisco Juarez (Presidente El Tipográfico Asociación Civil) - Lorena Beatriz Palazetti (Pastora, Presidenta Iglesia Centro Cristiano Nueva Vida Mendoza) - Marcela Mercedes Mercuri (Presidenta Asociación Civil Rock and Vida) - Alberto Jorge Salas (Pastor, Presidente Iglesia Centro Cristiano Nueva Vida San Luis) - Natalia Griselda Jin (Presidenta Asociación Civil para la prevención y asistencia de las adicciones) - Walter Gustavo Bornices (Pastor, Presidente Iglesia Centro Cristiano Nueva Vida San Juan) - Alberto Perez Mendez (Pastor, Presidente Iglesia Centro Cristiano Nueva Vida Tierra del Fuego) - Erica Volpe Lastra (Pastora, Presidenta iglesia Centro Cristiano Nueva Vida Pinamar) - Alicia Gruppi (Pastora, Presidenta Iglesia Centro Cristiano Nueva Vida Partido de la Costa) - Jorge Néstor Maradei (Pastor, Presidente Iglesia Centro Cristiano Nueva Vida Mar del Plata) - Carlos Augusto Volpe Lastra (Pastor General Centro Cristiano Nueva Vida) - Mónica Urquiza (Pastora, Presidenta Iglesia Centro Cristiano Nueva Vida) - Blas Colaccino (Director Rock and Vida) - Tomás Luján - Carlos Girotti ( Sec. Comunicación CTA) – Hernán Cariddi (Politólogo) - Alejo Lipsich - Pedro Cazes - Isaac GroBer - Susana Checa - Vicente Battista - Jorge Testero - Flora Hiller - Ilda Lucchini - Américo Cristófalo - Ana Lorenzo - Silvio Schneck - Jorge Bernetti - Eduardo Gurucharri - Juan José Salinas - Viviana Vega - Roberto Bonetti - Carla Wainsztok - Tomás Pérez Bodria (Abogado)

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Date
08.06.2021
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