Prices have increased by 124% in one year, and between the months of August and September alone, they jumped by more than 12%, unheard of in 30 years. One month before the presidential election, the subject works in favor of the opposition candidates.
2 mins
With our correspondent in Buenos Aires, Théo Conscience
Argentina recorded 12.4% inflation in August – unheard of in 32 years! -, now at more than 124% year-on-year, a shadow weighing on the October presidential election campaign but above all on the daily diet of Argentines. The fruits and vegetables that Daniela buys and puts in her plastic bag are the products that increased the most last month. “ Today we buy at this price and tomorrow it will be 5, 10 sometimes 45% more expensive! »
Among the commodities whose prices jumped in August, beef (more than 30% depending on the cut), an emblematic product of the Argentinians, the biggest consumers in the world (along with Uruguay), at around 48 kilos per inhabitant per year, according to data (2021) from the Ministry of Agriculture.
The 22% devaluation of the Argentine peso that the IMF imposed on the government in mid-August had a direct impact on prices.
And imported products are the first to be affected, explains greengrocer Blas Franco behind his cash register. “ Banana for example was 900 pesos per kilo and now it is 1500 pesos. Potatoes are the same thing, all the prices are skyrocketing. »
Transport, energy, gasoline, household appliances, food: to try to contain inflation, the Minister of the Economy and presidential candidate Sergio Massa has reached agreements to freeze or limit the increase in prices until the month of October in all these sectors. But for Blas Franco, he is only postponing the problem.
“ It makes no sense. Until when will prices be frozen? Because afterwards, before we have time to realize anything, prices are multiplied by two or not three! So I hope Milei wins. »
Javier Milei is this ultraliberal and anti-system candidate, currently at the top of voting intentions for the October 22 election, who promises to put an end to inflation by abandoning the peso to dollarize the Argentine economy.