The ‘Coldplay Dollar’, ‘Qatar Dollar’, and Argentina’s Bizarre Finances
The government’s refusal to admit reality has led to some pretty incredible scenarios.
Explaining Argentina’s economy and politics to people who don’t live here is always a challenge, but the last couple of years have truly been wild.
And now, we’re living in the most confusing time in recent memory. Nobody knows what anything costs, and no salary is enough to live on.
Right around the time we’re heading for triple-digit inflation and everyone is suffering, the government insists that the peso hasn’t experienced a massive devaluation.
That leads to some impressive rhetorical magic tricks on part of the economists in the government.
Restrictions to Deny Reality
Denying devaluation, a fact that’s clear as day to anyone with eyes and ears, is a strategy introduced by the governments of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (2007–2015).
As the peso lost its real value with inflation, people began saving money in a more reliable currency: the dollar.
The problem was that before long, people were buying way too many dollars and burying them under their mattress or in overseas bank…
