Javier Elizondo on Aconcagua Radio: "There's no way to develop a middle class if there's slave labor."

Economist and social analyst Javier Elizondo provided a harsh assessment of Mendoza 's economic situation and its impact on the middle class . Speaking withAconcagua Radio , he warned about the lack of productive innovation, the structural employment crisis, and the need for a strategic change that involves both the public and private sectors.

Asked whether the middle class is going through a prolonged crisis or whether a new normal of precariousness has already become normal, Elizondo maintained that "Argentina has clearly failed to stabilize itself either macroeconomically or microeconomically for several years," which prevents a large portion of the population from feeling satisfied with their living conditions.

In the case of Mendoza, he explained that the situation is aggravated by "the difficulty of not having developed innovative or novel economic sectors in the last two decades." He indicated that while in other parts of the world the middle class is reacting by boosting consumption and accessing better jobs, in Mendoza "we continue with a matrix that still depends heavily on commerce, agriculture, and even the State."

One of the most worrying facts he highlighted was the decline of the oil industry: "If you look at Mendoza's statistics from the last 10 years, oil, which was the main economic activity, has dropped to fourth or fifth place." Instead, the state has become one of the main drivers of the local economy , a situation he described as unsustainable: "The state cannot simultaneously collect taxes and create jobs."

Elizondo was also categorical in stating that "there is no possibility of developing a middle class if slave labor still exists in the province," referring to the precarious working conditions found even in traditional activities such as agricultural harvesting.

Regarding the possibility of reversing this scenario, the economist was cautious. Although he emphasized that "today the knowledge economy offers alternatives to narrow the gap," he warned that without strategic planning that defines which sectors the province will focus on—such as energy, mining, or winemaking—it will be difficult to move forward. "The truth is that we don't know what Mendoza's main economic activity is," he questioned.

He also criticized the lack of organization in urban growth: "A paved road is laid in one neighborhood, a year later it's torn up to install gas or water, and then torn up again for another project. We're wasting resources unwisely."

Regarding the inequality in income distribution, Elizondo pointed out that Mendoza is "far behind other provinces in terms of private and public employment," which negatively impacts the quality of life of various social sectors.

When asked why, despite the decline in income, many Mendoza residents continue to perceive themselves as middle class, Elizondo explained that it's a cultural phenomenon: "The middle class is aspirational. It's a broader sense of belonging, where at one point it was even embarrassing to own a very expensive car or an ostentatious home." He emphasized, "that sense of belonging has historically been sustained by the education system," although today factors such as disinvestment in public education and changes in consumption patterns tend to erode it.

Finally, Elizondo emphasized that the recovery of economic development depends not only on politics, but also on the commitment of the private sector and a shared long-term vision: "It's not just a matter of politics; it's a matter of the public and private sectors offering better alternatives." In this regard, he insisted that Mendoza must clearly define its productive priorities to optimize the use of its resources, such as water, and thus promote better-quality jobs that will improve the population's standard of living.

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