Buenos Aires Herald 
Opposition deputy Luciano Laspina could be on the hook for the sum of one piglet after apparently losing a bizarre bet on inflation to colleague, Carlos Heller.
During a house session last June, Laspina said “We’ll have an inflation of more than 100%, I’m betting a piglet on it.” Frente de Todos deputy Carlos Heller, who was leading the session, took the bet.
Last week, figures published by national statistics institute INDEC showed that inflation spiked to 94.8% in 2022, the highest since 1990, when hyperinflation drove prices up by 2,314%.
After the report was released, Heller tweeted “Back when Sergio Massa was still President of the Lower House, in a speech, Congressman Laspina bet a piglet that inflation for 2022 would be three figures”. He added that he’d be willing to celebrate his victory as soon as Laspina lived up to his promises and paid for the meal.
“Carlos, [my bet was for] 2023 inflation,” Laspina replied. “But I don’t see anything worth celebrating from the 2022 numbers. What’s happening in the country is a social and economic tragedy.”
In the 2023 national budget, which passed last November in Congress, the national government expects 60% inflation and 2% growth for the year. According to the government’s roadmap for this year, the exchange rate will reach AR$269.90 to the dollar.
Economy Minister Sergio Massa believes his GDP growth prediction was conservative. In December, he said his goal for this year is for the economy to expand by “more than three points.”
On his thread, Heller added: “This year, we’re aiming at the 60% [inflation rate] set by the National Budget, through policies carried out by the government and the Economy Ministry.”
