Raúl Alfonsín became president of Argentina in 1983 through democratic elections, receiving high inflation rates and a significant external debt taken on by the outgoing Military government. His first minister of economy, Bernardo Grinspun, attempted to negotiate regular increases in wages to keep up with inflation, which did not work. The country was close to a sovereign default in late 1984, and prevented it with foreign funding. Grinspun resigned the following year, as the debt was even higher and the IMF would block further credits. Alfonsín said that democracy had little to offer "unless the economic question is definitely resolved".