By Eliana Raszewski
BUENOS AIRES, Aug 17 (Reuters) - Argentina´s TreasuryMinister Nicolas Dujovne has resigned, saying in a letter seenby Reuters on Saturday he believed the government needed“significant renewal” in its economic team amid a crisis whichsaw the peso plunge this week.
Dujovne said in a letter to Argentine President MauricioMacri that he had given his “all” to the job, helped tame asignificant deficit and trim public spending.
“We have made mistakes as well, without a doubt, we neverhesitate to recognize that and did all that was possible tocorrect them,” he added.
“I believe my resignation is in keeping with my place in agovernment… that listens to the people and acts accordingly,” headded.
Macri has appointed Hernan Lacunza, the current economyminister for Buenos Aires province, as Dujovne´s replacement, agovernment source told Reuters.
Argentina´s peso was in free-fall for most of thisweek after a shock primary election result on Sunday, whencentre-left Peronist candidate Alberto Fernandez trouncedcentre-right Macri, in what was widely seen as a referendum onthe government's seeking of a loan from the InternationalMonetary Fund and austerity measures it took as a condition forthe loan.
The peso depreciated 21% by the end of the week and onFriday, in a fresh blow to Macri, ratings agencies Fitch and S&Pdowngraded Argentina´s sovereign debt rating, raising thespecter of a default as the October election approaches.
Lacunza is the former general manager of Argentina´s CentralBank and also of the Buenos Aires City Bank.(Reporting Eliana Raszewski; writing by Aislinn Laing; Editing byMarguerita Choy)