Corruption and the Black Market in Argentina

by Rex and Sally · Published March 3, 2023 · Updated April 15, 2026

Dateline Paso Tromen, Chile/Argentina border. Wednesday 01/03/2023

Border post cleared with a small incentive payment.

Chile is a modern, prosperous and these days even relatively stable country. As a consequence prices are roughly equivalent to Australia. Argentina will be a new experience for us.

We make our first border crossing early in the day at the remote border post called Paso Tromen in the shadow of yet another towering volcano. The process is simple and seamless for the bikes and we wait in the shade of ancient monkey puzzle trees for the support truck to be cleared. Eventually a “technical” hitch is resolved after the border guard does a “search” of the vehicle where he finds a small amount of money mysteriously finds it’s way to his pocket.

We ride on to perfect tarmac a few km’s down the road and give our horses their heads. Argentina is beautiful but the economy is a basket case. Inflation is running at 100%pa and the people are more than a little worried. Still, prices are very low for almost everything. Fuel is around $0.50AUD/ litre and food and drink are similarly a quarter the price of Australia.

We ride the spectacular Ruta los Siete Lagos (Road of 7 lakes), the road is brilliant and the scenery is ridiculously beautiful. Dramatic mountain peaks surround gorgeous blue lakes amid forests of emerald green. It is a visual overload and our limited human minds struggle to comprehend nature’s work. Couple that with a rider’s paradise and it is our nirvana.

We cannot comprehend the beauty.

Eventually we arrive at the vibrant lakeside city of Bariloche and check in to a slightly rustic hotel in the middle of town. JC organises a shady looking guy to exchange some cash for us.

Dodgy money changer or tour leader?

The official rate is controlled by the National Central Bank and is around 200 peso to one US $. Our black market dealer offers 350/$ so we snap it up.

The following day we spend in and around Bariloche. JC somehow arranges for us to visit the seven, yes seven star Llao Llao Resort, a ridiculous example of excess overlooking the lake. It has reportedly hosted the rich and shameless from around the world over a period of many decades including Roosevelt, Obama , Hitler and various others. It is impossibly elegant and rooms apparently start at $2000/night USD. It’s lovely but we can barely afford a coffee at their prices.

******* 7stars!?

This is just the breakfast area. Imagine what formal dining looks like!

We move on to a ride up the mountain in a ski lift and marvel at the view from our 2000m vantage point while we nibble a light lunch.

Check out the view!

Back in the city and several of the group go for a walk around the streets where they discover a street dedicated to chocolate shops. In fact chocolate is a particular favorite in South America and Sally is in heaven as are Paul, Cindy, Gabby and no doubt others.

Sweet tooth heaven.

Dinner tonight is at a steak house close to the hotel where what appears to be several tonnes of beef are grilled to perfection and piled on our table along with a smattering of salad and several mountains of chips.