30/07/2026 15:32 - Economia
The visit of the International Monetary Fund's Managing Director, Kristalina Georgieva, to Argentina left an unexpected snapshot outside her packed official agenda. Before continuing her regional tour, the Bulgarian economist took time to learn a few tango steps from acclaimed dancer and choreographer Mora Godoy.
The IMF itself contacted Godoy's team to arrange a private show and lesson. Godoy recalled that when her executive producer received the first call, she thought it was a prank and hung up. Once the request was confirmed, an exclusive performance was prepared at Casa Mora, Godoy's event space in Buenos Aires.
The meeting took place under strict security and confidentiality. Georgieva arrived with a delegation of 12 to 14 people, including a translator. Ten members of Godoy's company performed a special show for the delegation. After the performance, the IMF chief asked to stay and practice. “She learned four tango figures in 10 minutes,” Godoy told Infobae, noting that Georgieva's parents also used to dance the genre. The official shared the moment on her Instagram with the caption: “I couldn't leave Argentina without trying tango! They made it look much easier than it really is.”
The bond between the two went beyond dancing. During the evening, Godoy and Georgieva had a deep conversation about politics, economics, and the challenges women face in leadership positions, agreeing that reaching top roles requires three times the effort as for men.
Godoy shared her life story—from working-class jobs to earning a university degree through public education—and conveyed her view on Argentina's current situation. “There is a part of society that needs immediate attention, not long-term,” Godoy stressed, thanking the IMF for publicly highlighting the importance of improving salaries in Argentina. She also presented her free scholarship program for young people, run with the Banco Provincia Foundation.
As a farewell, Godoy gave her a notebook from her product line and mentioned her upcoming venture: the opening of Bar Mora Godoy, a themed café in San Telmo planned for the end of the year. Georgieva promised to return and be notified for the inauguration.
On the strictly institutional side, Georgieva's visit included meetings with President Javier Milei, Economy Minister Luis Caputo, and Central Bank head Santiago Bausili. In a press conference, the IMF chief highlighted that Argentina's economy shows “a much more solid picture” than in 2023, after inflation fell from 210% to approximately 30%, the shift from deficit to a primary surplus, and the accumulation of reserves at the BCRA of about USD 13 billion so far this year.
Georgieva said Argentina “is on the right track” and stated she does not foresee the country needing new IMF disbursements, despite maturities of around USD 58 billion. However, she stressed the importance of expanding credit for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to make the recovery more equitable. In private talks, she also expressed concern about the exchange rate, asking her interlocutors how they see the dollar at the top of the band (1,842 pesos) and recalling the convertibility experience of the 1990s. The official wholesale dollar closed Wednesday at 1,496 pesos, 23% below the band's ceiling.
Before leaving, the IMF director also toured the Vaca Muerta mega-field with Caputo and YPF CEO Horacio Marín, where she witnessed record oil and gas production. She ended her agenda with a dinner at Palacio Duhau alongside ten private sector leaders, organized by the local IMF office without national officials, to hear business perspectives on the country's economic direction.
Sources: Infobae, TN, La Nación, Ámbito.
Alfredo S. Quiroga
