Credited from: ALJAZEERA
The U.S. government has taken a decisive step by finalizing a **$20 billion currency swap framework** with Argentina's central bank amid the country's economic struggles. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced this development, stating that the U.S. directly purchased Argentine pesos to enhance market stability, emphasizing the urgency with which the U.S. can assist in the region. "The U.S. Treasury is prepared, immediately, to take whatever exceptional measures are warranted to provide stability to markets," he wrote on the platform X, following discussions with Argentina's Economy Minister Luis Caputo over four days in Washington, DC, according to Reuters, India Times, and LA Times.
Bessent specifically noted Argentina's high levels of **acute illiquidity** and reassured that the U.S. is not providing a bailout but rather supporting Argentina's fiscal policies and reforms expected to yield economic improvements. The international community, including the IMF, stands behind Argentina's economic strategies, as Bessent highlighted the need for swift action from the U.S. as a critical ally, according to Al Jazeera and AA.