The Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo, responded to journalist Ari Lijalad after Lijalad questioned his financial disclosures. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Caputo stated, “I earned my money by working hard in the private sector.”
Lijalad shared Caputo’s declaration, noting that the minister had revealed all his bank accounts in dollars located abroad. He contrasted this with Caputo’s request for the public to liquidate their savings to pay for electricity.
Such scrutiny often unsettles authoritarian figures. Professional and critical journalism is a cornerstone of democracy, and it irritates those who believe they hold the monopoly on truth.
In response to Lijalad’s claims, Caputo made a series of points. He stated, “1. I earned my money working hard in the private sector, and I report it as required. I don’t do anything with my savings because if I did and it succeeded, people like you would say I profited from insider information.”
He continued, “3. I don’t ask anyone to do anything. I simply explain what we are doing so people can understand and make informed decisions. 4. I left the private sector to ensure that individuals like you would never govern this country again, to transform the public sector from a business into a service for society, and to restore the nation that good Argentines deserve. This is likely contrary to your desires.”
Recently, Caputo shared updates on government plans regarding the dollar. On Friday, he celebrated progress concerning a new monetary scheme and an agreement with banks to repurchase $13.17 trillion in puts held by financial entities, which posed a risk of massive monetary emission.
He emphasized, “The goal has always been to reduce the amount of pesos in circulation. I’ve been saying this since my first interview, but some remain unconvinced. Soon, reality will show that people will have to sell dollars to pay taxes, and the peso will become the strong currency!”
Caputo warned those currently investing in dollars that it may not be a wise move. “Since taxes are paid in pesos, if you convert your savings to dollars now, you will eventually need to sell them again to cover those tax payments,” he insisted in a follow-up interview.
Source: https://www.perfil.com/noticias/politica/caputo-cruzo-a-un-periodista-que-publico-su-declaracion-jurada-mi-plata-la-gane-rompiendome-el-alma.phtml
