LaRouche Interview On Radio Nacional in Argentina

Lyndon LaRouche was interviewed on January 29, 2023 by Argentina's Radio Nacional, on their "1110" program, which broadcasts throughout the country, and over the internet. The program receives an average of 60-100 calls per hour from its listeners, giving an idea of its wide reach. The full interview follows:

Q: Some of the media, including Ambito Financiero and others, have characterized you as being in the ultra-rightwing. In the case of Argentina, you're proposing the formation of a National Bank. Could you say exactly how that would work?

LaRouche: Well, this is based on the same principle as proposed by the first US Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. That, contrary to most Twentieth Century U.S. practice under the Federal Reserve System, the U.S. Constitution prescribes that the Congress has the unique sovereign responsibility to authorize the issue of currency by the executive branch of government, that is, by the president. Now, this has special significance under present world conditions, and it's a question of life and death for the economy of Argentina. What is obviously needed, is to put the world economy through bankruptcy reorganization. This would mean that leading governments should support the right of the government of Argentina to conduct such bankruptcy reorganization of its own national economy. This would mean that the government of Argentina would issue a new currency to initially be used for internal purposes. The purpose is to promote full employment in useful and essential categories of infrastructure and industry, and thus to bring the total product of Argentina above the level of the costs of maintaining that population. This cannot be done without a large issue of credit by the government of Argentina to fund employment and investment in industry and infrastructure. And this is what must be done with the world at large today.

Q: Does your proposal mean the elimination of the rest of the banking system, or could the two systems coexist simultaneously?

LaRouche: Well, the banking system is bankrupt, but the government must have the banks functioning even if they are bankrupt. Banks have an essential function of deposit and circulation of credit. If any bank has any usefulness at all, it must be preserved in that function, even if it is bankrupt. We must, to the extent possible, maintain the traditional relationship of cooperation between the banks and the people, and the banks and the producing firms.

Q: Does your proposal mean the nationalization of the banks, as much of the left around the world proposes, and how does this square with the fact that you're often referred to as an ultra-rightwinger?

LaRouche: Well, the "ultra-rightwinger" is simply a slander spread by the right-wing of the United States. That's the only place it comes from. As a matter of fact, they are fascists. But that's not important.
Look, nationalization can mean two things. The nationalization I'm proposing is the nationalization of the process of putting the banks through bankruptcy reorganization, and the creation of a National Bank, a sovereign bank of the state, to coordinate that process.

Q: Returning to political questions, would your friendship with Mohamed Ali Seineldin indicate support for that type of political orientation?

LaRouche: I don't know. I have great personal affection and respect for Colonel Seineldin, and to the degree possible, I would wish to be able to discuss such matters with him. But, as you know, we are limited in our communications. So I can only infer the thoughts of Col. Seineldin, though I have great affection for him.

Q: And would you be willing to support a movement to bring Seineldin to power, as some rumors have suggested?

LaRouche: I have not any such plan. I think that Seineldin should play a key role as a hero of his country, but as in the United States today and in most of Western Europe, we don't have a political party that's worth anything. My concern, as in the United States, is to suddenly create new parties which represent the best people of the nation, to bring nations out of these troubles.

Q: Thank you very much, Mr. LaRouche.
 

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