Government analyzes extending the quarantine and enabling other activities

The governors are going to the meeting with President Alberto Fernández with the idea of ​​beginning to outline an expansion of the activities excepted from the mandatory quarantine ordered by the coronavirus pandemic.

The idea of ​​the first president is that the isolation extends, at least, for 15 days from April 27. Although, as a way of expressing their political support, the governors will be in favor of that measure, at the bottom, they are seeking flexibility. Some point out that they have few cases and that, in a controlled way, More activities could be enabled to avoid a further fall in the economy.

For now, Alberto Fernández knows about the crisis that the construction sector since before quarantine, especially due to the lack of payments to companies by the State and the uncertainty about what would happen with the projects that had to be launched.

For this reason, he anticipated that he wants to reactivate public works, but he clarified to unions and businessmen that the problem is the pandemic and that the health of the people must be preserved, that there is no risk of infection for the workers and that progress must be made with the provincial protocols and the priorities of the works.

Therefore, it is expected that after the second stage of compulsory isolation ends There will be works that can be started again in consensus with governors and mayors.

It should be noted that last Saturday, the Government made official the complete list of new activities that may be carried out during the general quarantine against the coronavirus that lasted until the 26th of this month:

1. Banking with customer service

It will be exclusively with a shift system. Firstly, the cashier lines will be reserved for retirees and pensioners who do not have an active debit card, who must attend according to the schedule stipulated by ANSES.

For the rest of the people or companies that need to operate, the branches will be open but the banks will be able to set up a shift system to avoid crowding. The proof of duty will be sufficient proof to justify the circulation and, in addition, it will be requested to enter the branch. To find out how to get a shift, click on this link.

2. Repair workshops for cars, motorcycles and bikes

They may attend to those who have authorization to circulate, in accordance with current regulations. In addition, they may attend public transport, vehicles of the security forces and armed forces, and vehicles affected by health benefits or personnel.

3. Sale of auto parts

The Government authorized the sale of spare parts, parts and pieces for motor vehicles, motorcycles and bicycles but only under the modality of door-to-door delivery. In no case may they attend to the public.

4. Gomerías

The regulations contemplate the manufacture of tires; also, to businesses dedicated to the sale and repair of the same, exclusively for public transport, vehicles of the security forces and armed forces, vehicles affected by health benefits or personnel authorized to drive, in accordance with current regulations.

5. Libraries and computer products

The sale of bookstore items and computer supplies will be exclusively under the modality of home delivery. In no case may the public be attended.

More aid to companies and monotributistas

The Government will also debate how to carry out official aid to the monotributistas of categories C and D and how the bond will be implemented in May.

It will also be analyzed whether it is possible to include self-employed professionals who were unable to carry out their activities during quarantine.

The problem is that any type of aid that is granted will affect the funds that the provinces receive.

In addition, the national government will inform them about the aid for the payment of part of April’s wages in the private sector, which would be done within the framework of the Emergency Assistance to Work and Production (ATP) program, in the event of the delay in banks to grant loans to SMEs at a rate of 24% per year.

With health as the main axis, the Executive Branch seeks not to neglect the economic aspect. It is that almost eight million people will receive the Emergency Family Income (IFE) of $ 10,000, in an economically active population of 19.5 million. And calls for aid can continue to add if the economic crisis continues to deepen.

The production ministers, Matías Kulfas, such as the labor ministers, Claudio Moroni, and the head of the ANSES, Alejandro Vanoli, originally expected that these figures would be between three and four million people.

Regarding assistance to the provincial coffers, the national government would take into account the territories that depend most on co-participation and that, without help, will be impossible to bear the crisis. This is because they have a large part of their economically active population within the state sector.

Other territories such as the City of Buenos Aires and the provinces of Buenos Aires, Córdoba, Santa Fe and Mendoza will seek to help through lower taxes, but they know that they do not have much to resign either.

Is that one of the most important collection items comes from Gross Income, which is charged to the income of both professionals, businesses and companies.

The governors of Santa Fe and Córdoba, Omar Perotti and Juan Schiaretti respectively, were the first to express the intention that some towns begin to reestablish their commercial activities. Perotti, who became one of the President’s main federal allies, rejects any type of possibility of contradicting what the head of state says, but he is one of the voices that advocates for the administered quarantine. “Although we have a lot of food production, there are other activities that did feel the impact and we must attend to them,” said the provincial president.

A large part of the responses to the provincial requests will come from the Chief of Staff, Santiago Cafiero, who created the General Coordination Unit of the Comprehensive Plan for the Prevention of Public Health Events of International Importance that will be made up of the Ministries of Health, of the Interior, Productive Development, Economy, Labor and Foreign Relations.

This Unit will be the one to be issued on the requests made by the governors to analyze exceptions to compliance with the quarantine.

He will also explain the project to renegotiate the debt with the holders of international bonds. Days ago, the head of state had said that the coronavirus pandemic “affects debt renegotiation, as it affects the entire global economy”, but, at the same time, he had remarked that “negotiations are going well”.

“We will make the offer. I do not like to lie, nor do I like to lie to creditors. What we are going to sign is something that we can fulfill as a government and as a country,” Fernández said days ago. From there, all possible scenarios will be open to discussion.

This is a step prior to the imminent presentation of the debt restructuring offer to creditors with Argentine debt issued under foreign legislation, which was selected by the Government for the operation, which amounts to nearly 68.8 billion dollars.

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