logo
episode-header-image
Nov 2023
18m 6s

Argentina goes to the polls

Bbc World Service
About this episode

There are two candidates: one is the current economy minister who has a wealth of experience in power; the other is a maverick libertarian economist who wants to ditch the country’s currency, the peso, and strip the central bank of its ability to print money.

We speak to his senior economic advisor, and also to a wine producer from the western province of Mendoza, who tells us about the challenges of doing business in a country with two exchange rates, severe restrictions on imports, a heavy tax burden and a shrinking economy.

And we speak to voters in Buenos Aires about what they want from their next president in a nation which seems to lurch from one economic crisis to the next.

Picture: Composite image of Javier Milei (Credit: Luis Robayo/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock) and Sergio Massa (Credit: Tomas Cuesta/Reuters) in front of an Argentinian flag (Credit: Carl Recine/Reuters)

Presented and produced by Gideon Long

Up next
Yesterday
Business Daily meets: Fani Titi, Investec CEO
The South African grew up under the racist apartheid system as one of 14 children. He looked set for a life in farming, until a chance event took him down a different path – ultimately becoming CEO of the multinational banking group, Investec. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: El ... Show More
17m 27s
Oct 8
Small country: Big tariffs
We head to Switzerland, a small but very successful country with a population of just 9 million.And now coping with some of US President Donald Trump’s highest tariffs. In August the original threat of 31% tariffs was raised to 39%. Two months on, efforts to negotiate with Washin ... Show More
17m 30s
Oct 7
Should we expect more airline delays?
Passengers are suffering more disruption as technology at airports, airlines and air traffic control is failing.But why is aviation software becoming more prone to failure and vulnerable to cyber-attacks, and what is the solution to preventing delays?Presented and produced by Rus ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2023
Argentina heads to the ballot box on Sunday
Voters in Argentina will be heading to the voting centres on Sunday to cast their ballot in what is widely regarded as the most unpredictable presidential election since the country returned to democracy 40 years ago. And this comes in the middle of an economic crisis with inflat ... Show More
27m 15s
Sep 2023
A black market, a currency crisis, and a tango competition in Argentina
The Nobel-prize winning economist Simon Kuznets once analyzed the world's economies this way — he said there are four kinds of countries: developed, underdeveloped, Japan... and Argentina. If you want to understand what happens when inflation really goes off the rails, go to Arge ... Show More
23m 57s
Aug 2023
Right-wing populist becomes Argentina presidency frontrunner
A right-wing populist candidate has shaken Argentina's political establishment by coming first in the presidential primary election. Javier Mllei won more than 30% of the vote after calling for austerity and the dollarisation of the economy. The former television personality has ... Show More
49m 29s
Dec 2023
Does Argentina need a central bank?
In his election pledges President-Elect Javier Milei promised the people of Argentina two things. First, he would do dollarize the economy. He’d ditch the Peso and replace it with the, already widely used, UD dollar. Secondly, he would abandon the central bank, who he blames for ... Show More
48m 39s
Jul 2023
Can South America and the EU agree a trade deal?
Negotiations between the sides have been going on for 2 decades, with members of the Mercosur trade bloc meeting once again. We'll hear the latest from the talks in Argentina and why deforestation and beef wars remain hurdles ahead. Will Bain discusses this and more with senior f ... Show More
50m 7s
Dec 2023
Can an ‘Anarcho-Capitalist’ President Save Argentina’s Economy?
Warning: this episode contains strong language.With Argentina again in the midst of an economic crisis, Argentine voters turned to Javier Milei, a far-right libertarian who has drawn comparisons to Donald J. Trump.Jack Nicas, who covers South America for The New York Times, discu ... Show More
21m 12s
Feb 2023
Latin America Economy: The Possibility of Opportunity in 2023
As the outlook for 2023 shows emerging markets looking better positioned than developed markets, how is Latin America faring in this more optimistic story? Chief Latin American Equity Strategist Gui Paiva and Chief Latin American Economist Andre Loes discuss. ----- Transcript --- ... Show More
8m 42s
Nov 2022
US midterms: Is the economy the biggest factor in the electorate's mind?
The midterm elections decide the makeup of the US Congress, which has two parts: the House of Representatives and the Senate. Voting is held every two years and when they fall in the middle of the president's four-year term of office. We hear from Kenneth Mayor, Professor Departm ... Show More
26m 58s
Sep 2023
Ep 243 | Will Argentina Have a Libertarian President? | Guest: Federico Fernandez
As Argentina prepares for its general presidential election, everyone is surprised at the emergence of Javier Milei, a self-described anarcho-capitalist who managed to win his party’s primary. Milei is campaigning against his country’s rampant inflation caused by the central bank ... Show More
54m 4s