In a national context of strong fiscal restriction, the Province of Santa Fe is moving forward with a bold strategy: to go out into the world in search of international financing to accelerate a public works plan that, in terms of volume and focus, is unprecedented in the country. With this objective in mind, Governor Maximiliano Pullaro arrives this Saturday in the United States accompanied by the Ministers of Economy, Pablo Olivares, and Productive Development, Gustavo Puccini.
The tour, which includes meetings in Washington and New York with authorities from the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the State Department, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Argentine Embassy and the OAS, aims to strengthen institutional ties and open financing channels to move forward with key infrastructure.
"The province needs to make up for decades of delays in energy, roads, education and security. Our goal is to invest 5 billion dollars during the four years of administration, and to get closer to the structural deficit estimated at 8 billion," Pullaro said before leaving. He added: "We have already executed 2 billion between 2024 and so far in 2025. Now we are going for more: we are looking to secure some 1 billion dollars at competitive rates, which will allow us to accelerate development times.
Legally supported
The international mission is taking place in parallel with the administrative progress of the financial instruments necessary to achieve this objective. Through Decree No. 1433, the Executive Power authorised the Ministry of Economy to carry out the relevant procedures for a possible issuance of securities in international markets. The regulation, which falls within the framework of the National Fiscal Responsibility Law, is a key formal step to request authorisation from the National Government and to enable future operations.
If the placement is carried out, the remuneration to be paid will be lower than that authorised by Law 14.409. The decree also provides for the selection of placement entities and the definition of the timing of the issue, which will be at the discretion of the Ministry of Economy.
According to the legislation passed by the provincial legislature, 50 % of the funds raised will be used for productive infrastructure, 25 % for public safety and the remaining 25 % for social infrastructure. The works range from gas pipelines, aqueducts and water works to roads, highways, schools, hospitals and police stations. "Investments in energy and roads will boost productive capacity, and social and security works will improve the quality of life of all Santa Fe residents," the government said.
Investment with fiscal balance
What is remarkable in the case of Santa Fe is that this ambitious plan is based on a real fiscal balance. "We are investing more than any other province. We did it with our own resources, thanks to savings obtained through efficient and austere management," Pullaro remarked.
Among the data that support this statement, he mentioned the reduction of 5,000 positions in the public administration, the cut of between 40% and 70% in the costs of the ministries and a substantial drop in the values of public works and political spending.
In fact, in the first year of its administration, the government of Santa Fe invested 500 million dollars with its own funds, and in 2025 it has another 1.5 billion dollars in the pipeline. "For the next few years, we want to sustain at least 1 billion dollars a year with our own resources and complement it with external financing to speed up progress. Development cannot wait," said the president.
In this sense, one of the central themes of the mission in the US is energy infrastructure, which is strategic for industrial development. "If we manage to make progress in our energy matrix - gas and electricity - we will reduce costs, increase production and generate more employment. Argentina is changing and we cannot miss this opportunity," Pullaro concluded.
