- Title: Argentina's Macri: I don't know how Venzuela's Maduro 'sleeps at night'
- Date: 8th August 2017
- Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (AUGUST 8, 2017) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINE PRESIDENT, MAURICIO MACRI, SAYING: REUTERS JOURNALIST: "You've spoken a lot about Venezuela, beyond suspending it from Mercosur (Southern Common Market), what else can be done to help the population?" MACRI: "I feel very frustrated with this topic because since before becoming president, I've spoken out about the violations of human rights in Venezuela, the lack of democracy. Today we're better because at least all the countries recognize this after having denied it for a long time. For Venezuelans, I don't see many results, Maduro keeps doubling down and holds an intransigent position. I don't know how that man sleeps at night with the number of deaths on his shoulders." REUTERS JOURNALIST: "Should Maduro step down?" MACRI: "It's been some time since the people have asked that elections be held again and he side steps, unfortunately he doesn't listen to what the people say." MACRI SEATED FOR INTERVIEW WITH ARGENTINE FLAG AT HIS SIDE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINE PRESIDENT, MAURICIO MACRI, SAYING: REUTERS JOURNALIST: "What would happen if Cristina (Fernandez de) Kircher wins in the Province of Buenos Aires?" MACRI: "I hope nothing, because the province is one district, we'll have to see (what happens) in the whole country. Throughout the country Cambiemos (Macri's party) has been confirmed, has been consolidated as a space, now unlike before, for many years the only (party) that had a national offering was Peronism, now the only party that has a national offering is Cambiemos, so we're going to win by a lot at the national level and I hope that we win even if by a little bit in the Province (of Buenos Aires). But, the reality is that this election is going to show that the first choice of Argentines will be reconfirmed as the course of change." REUTERS JOURNALIST: "So, what would a victory be for you in the elections in October, win in the Province against Cristina (Fernandez de) Kirchner?" MACRI: "No, for us it would be winning in the whole country by a big margin, that is a victory." VIEW FROM FLOOR OF MACRI SEATED AT CHAIR AND SPEAKING TO TWO JOURNALISTS OPPOSITE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINE PRESIDENT, MAURICIO MACRI, SAYING: "When we've called them together to invest, the world has invested. The automobile industry, which are all multinationals, has made plans to invest billions of dollars. In the petroleum industry, we've started it up by making a sectoral agreement improving competitiveness in a very strong way, and in the agro-industry, from now there are investments in ports for billions of dollars to expand productive capacity, wharehousing centers, processing centers, so, in a small amount of time we've achieved a lot, and now I'm sure that once we confirm Argentines' vocation for change this (the investments) will multiply several more times. It's logical, there isn't a country in the world that has such growth potential as Argentina." MACRI SEATED FOR INTERVIEW SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ARGENTINE PRESIDENT, MAURICIO MACRI, SAYING: REUTERS JOURNALIST: "When will consumer feel the economic recovery?" MACRI: "Little by little they are already feeling it. Obviously coming out of a country that had nearly six years of no growth, six years without creating jobs, putting it back on track is good, but for development and economic growth to reach everyone takes more time than the 18 months that we've been in government. Let's remember that Argentina was on the path to (be like) Venezuela, to a major economic crisis and we turned it around, but (to turn around) a country is like turning around a cruise ship, and you have to go upstream and that's taken time, but now Argentina is growing, it will end this year growing around 3 percent, next year we'll start with a base of growth and by the last trimester (this year) it will be growing at 4.5 percent. We're lowering inflation, which is another promise, (from) halfway through this year and next year we're aiming for a more ambitious goal to get to one digit in 2019." MACRI SEATED FOR INTERVIEW SPEAKING TO JOURNALISTS
- Embargoed: 22nd August 2017 23:42
- Keywords: Reuters Summit Argentina Mauricio Macri Cambiemos Venezuela crisis Maduro opposition constituent assembly
- Location: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- City: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA
- Country: Argentina
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA0026TARSQV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: President Mauricio Macri told Reuters on Tuesday (August 8) that he was growing increasingly frustrated with the humanitarian crisis in Venezuela under socialist leader Nicolas Maduro. "I don't know how that man sleeps at night with the number of deaths on his shoulders," Macri said.
In an interview during the Reuters Latin America Investment Summit, Macri said the economy was picking up steam and would grow 4.5 percent in the last quarter of 2017, while growth of 4 percent next year would help lower the fiscal deficit. "Once we confirm Argentines' vocation for change this (the investments) will multiply several more times," he said just five days before mid-term primary elections.
Macri, whose election in late 2015 ended more than a decade of leftist rule in Argentina investments in Argentina would multiply after what he predicts will be a triumph for his Let's Change Coalition in October's mid-term elections. While Macri said his allies would win "by a lot" nationwide, he admitted polls showed a tight race between his party's candidate and former leftist populist President Cristina Fernandez for a Senate seat in Buenos Aires province, the country's largest.
Macri said he looked forward to discussing trade and investment opportunities with U.S. Vice President Mike Pence during his visit next week. Argentina is working with other countries on a specific security regime for the G20 summit to be held in late October or early November of 2018, he said. Macri said he was open to standing for re-election but that the country's next presidential vote in 2019 was a long way out and not his current priority. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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