Categories: World

Brazil’s Lula, Argentina’s Fernández look to eschew US dollar as peso’s value crumbles

close Video

Fox News Flash top headlines for May 2

Fox News Flash top headlines are here. Check out what’s clicking on Foxnews.com.

Argentine President Alberto Fernández arrived at Brazil’s presidential residence to meet his counterpart Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva as officials from both countries study how to eschew the dollar in trade between the neighboring nations.

Argentina’s economy is looking particularly fragile after a run on the peso in the financial markets caused a sharp devaluation of the local currency late last month as well as a drain of U.S. dollars from central bank reserves.

Lula intends to propose a line of credit to finance Brazilian companies that export to Argentina with the intention of avoiding use of the dollar, said the finance ministry’s executive secretary, Gabriel Galípolo.

BRAZIL THREATENS GOOGLE WITH HOURLY $200K FINES FOR ADVOCACY AGAINST ‘MISINFORMATION’ BILLS

On Tuesday morning, Finance Minster Fernando Haddad told reporters the two governments are studying possible guarantees in order for Brazil’s government to provide such financing.

Brazil is Argentina’s largest trade partner and the deal could afford Argentina some breathing room at a time when it is suffering from a shortage of dollars, and also seeking means to maintain trade.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (left) and Argentine President Alberto Fernández met Tuesday to discuss means of eschewing the U.S. dollar in international trade. (AP Photo/Gustavo Moreno)

Argentina struck a deal with China that allows its companies to pay for Chinese imports with yuan. Lula, for his part, hailed an agreement between Brazil and China to use the yuan in their bilateral commerce while in Shanghai last month, while also taking swipes at the dominance of the dollar in international trade and at the International Monetary Fund.

BUENOS AIRES LOCALS BEMOAN HOMELESS ENCAMPMENTS OVERRUNNING MAJOR AIRPORT

Argentina’s Economy Minister Sergio Massa has said his country is renegotiating aspects of its agreement signed with the IMF in 2022 to restructure some $44 billion in debt taken on by the center-right government of Fernández’s predecessor, Mauricio Macri.

The economy ministry didn’t immediately respond to an AP request for comment regarding planned agreements to ditch the dollar for bilateral trade.

Fernández’s visit to Brazil comes weeks after he announced he will not seek reelection in the election this October. He is joined in Brasilia by Massa and Argentina’s ambassador to Brazil, Daniel Scioli, both of whom are considered possible contenders for the presidency.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

In addition to economic issues, Fernández and Lula are also likely to discuss the possibility of restarting the Union of South American Nations as part of a broader agenda of South American integration.

Share

Recent Posts

Don’t use your home Wi-Fi before fixing certain security risks

Home Wi-Fi networks are the backbone of how most people get online, connecting laptops, phones,…

10 hours ago

Navy solar drone soars nonstop for 3 days

The Navy, working with Skydweller Aero, just reached a major milestone in clean-energy aviation. Its…

16 hours ago

Moving exposes your personal data to scammers

Downsizing should feel like a fresh start. A smaller home, less upkeep, maybe even a…

2 days ago

AI video tech fast-tracks humanoid robot training

One of the biggest hurdles in developing humanoid robots is the sheer amount of training…

2 days ago

10 ways to secure your older Mac from threats and malware

Apple's Mac computers are generally considered more secure than Windows PCs, thanks to the company's…

2 days ago

Solar companies deploy sheep across farms in growing green energy trend

Forget roaring lawnmowers and fuel-guzzling tractors. Today's solar companies are turning to flocks of sheep…

3 days ago