Two mechanics from La Rioja used Chachos bills to light the fire for a barbecue, in a scene that quickly began circulating on social media and that particularly exposed the valuation that the people of La Rioja have for the quasi-currency reintroduced by the Kirchnerist governor Ricardo Quintela.
In the images, the men are seen preparing the meat and using several vouchers to feed the flames. One of those present hands over the bills to be placed directly on the fire, while the others continue with the barbecue preparation.
“They’re good for the fire, dude. Look how they burn,” is heard in the video as the bills are consumed by the flames.
The Chachos on the fire
The Chachos in La Rioja
The scene occurs after the Government of La Rioja resumed the circulation of Debt Cancellation Bonds (BOCADE), popularly known as “Chachos.” The new issuance began on Monday, August 17, and is mainly aimed at state workers and retirees.
The barbecue episode represents a demonstration of how the tool, which had already generated questions during its first implementation, is received. Instead of using the vouchers for the "official" purpose, the people of La Rioja decided to use them directly to light the fire for cooking meat.
The provincial government, led by the ultra-Kirchnerist governor Ricardo Quintela, claims that the measure aims to “reinforce” the income of workers and beneficiaries linked to the state and promote consumption within La Rioja.
Ricardo Quintela
The new issuance amounts to approximately $4 billion and will reach about 80 thousand people, who will receive an extraordinary amount of $50 thousand per person. The delivery schedule lasts until August 24 and is organized according to the last digit of the ID number, both for residents of the capital and for those living in the provincial interior.
According to the provincial administration, there is also a commercial network prepared to accept the Chachos, made up of more than 500 businesses required to participate in the operation.
The return of the BOCADE comes after the experience of 2024, when La Rioja had already put this quasi-currency into circulation.
That first implementation ended up being withdrawn after the difficulties and the rejection it generated among the people of La Rioja. Despite that precedent, Quintela defended the mechanism again and claimed it had received a good reception.
While the provincial government once again champions the Chachos as a tool to boost the local economy, the images of the La Rioja mechanics using the vouchers to light the fire for a barbecue offer a very different picture of the reception that the quasi-currency has among the province's inhabitants.
