This site uses cookies. Some of these cookies are essential to the operation of the site, while others help to improve your experience by providing insights into how the site is being used. For more information, please see the ProZ.com privacy policy.
Cookie settings
Revisión fiscal
Esterilización de agrupación de productos

Glossary entry

Spanish term or phrase:

detonar la actividad económica

English translation:

to boost/kick-start/trigger the economic activity

Added to glossary by María Teresa Taylor Oliver
Mar 18, 2020 21:14
4 yrs ago
40 viewers *
Spanish term

detonar la actividad económica

Spanish to English Bus/Financial Economics
Hello! I'm translating the following opinion article, critical of Mexican President Lopez Obrador and the way he is handling (or rather not handling) the COVID-19 emergency and the consequences it will have on the country's economy: https://www.elfinanciero.com.mx/opinion/jonathan-ruiz/el-pre...

There's a phrase I don't quite understand: "detonar la actividad económica." What does the columnist mean by "detonar" here?

Here's the context. The phrase is in the last paragraph, between asterisks. Thanks so much in advance!

"Estos son los riesgos que expuso y sobre los que conversamos:

Uno. El flujo de pasajeros internacionales hacia México sigue libre, lo que implica que el país puede importar más casos de Covid-19. En este continente, Canadá, Estados Unidos, Argentina y Bolivia, entre otros, ya restringen de alguna forma la llegada de visitantes. En África sucede lo mismo con Ghana, Marruecos y Kenia. Europa planea cerrar todos sus accesos. A decir de los datos disponibles, la llegada del virus a México continuará creciendo, a diferencia de lo que puede ocurrir en otras naciones.

Dos. Hoy todos quienes en este país tienen deudas o proveedores a los que pagan en dólares, necesitan más pesos para cumplir con un tipo de cambio a 23. Vienen mayores costos para empresas privadas y para Pemex. Indudablemente también para el Gobierno, que paga intereses en moneda extranjera. Si las remesas caen por la baja en la economía estadounidense, como seguramente bajarán las exportaciones, habrá que ver de dónde sacan los mexicanos dólares ahora que también el petróleo cayó por debajo de 20.

Tres. **************Detonar la actividad económica************* podría reducir el periodo de esta contingencia. Pero el Gobierno, en voz del subsecretario de Hacienda Gabriel Yorio, esperará a abril para actuar. "
Proposed translations (English)
3 +7 boosting economic activity
3 +2 triggering economic activity
5 “TRIGGER economic activity”
4 +1 kick-start the economy
4 Encouraging/Promoting economic activity
4 jump-start the economy

Discussion

Luis M. Sosa Mar 20, 2020:
Hi Robert - Ecuador In Ecuador they also did shut the economy last week or so. It is good that civil society has reacted positively, except in some areas where the incidence of the virus is much higher. The aim here is to flatten the shape of a curve that normally and for the most part is exponential. I think we would be able to see it in the next two to three weeks. It is good that politics has been put aside and everyone seems to be understanding that we cannot repeat some other experiences elsewhere.
And yes, this is a huge exogenous shock, just when we least need it.
Keep yourself safe!
Robert Carter Mar 20, 2020:
I don't think there can any doubt at all that it means "detonar" (stimulate) the economy, after all, why would stopping (detener) economic activity be a task for the Treasury Secretary?

Interestingly (for me at least, being British and living in Mexico), the UK and Mexico, with conservative and liberal governments respectively, have both taken similar approaches, and in both cases the criticism of ineptitude and callousness from their opponents has been equally harsh. The problem for Mexico is that while Johnson in the UK has the luxury of abandoning the laissez-faire approach to essentially shut down economic activity and put the country under lockdown if he pleases, there's no way Lopez Obrador can ask or even order people to stay at home here for anything like the length of time Johnson can because the economic effect would likely be more catastrophic than the disease itself. I imagine you're facing similar scenarios in Colombia and Ecuador, no? I shudder to think about Central America and Venezuela.
Luis M. Sosa Mar 19, 2020:
This is inward-looking for the time being Thanks for your input Giovanni. For the time being, and as you mentioned, most of the countries are analyzing and implementing inward-looking measures such as reducing interest rates, extending income tax and social security contributions payment deadlines. Banks are relaxing lending standards, refinancing non-performing loans (corporate and consumer). And yes, by protecting businesses, they are protecting employment and so families. Who knows, in the aftermath of coronavirus there could be a lot of international cooperation to help poorer countries. As for the particular case of Mexico, it is the mexican government who is in charge of implementing what they democratically consider is best for the country. Some have criticized Mexico, others the UK, but I neither think this is moment to get into politics, nor is the place to do so.
Giovanni Rengifo Mar 19, 2020:
@Luis Sosa If the president of Mexico is being criticized for not closing the airports as they've done in other countries, then how can he, for example, "boost" the tourism industry if tourists can't go there?
Luis M. Sosa Mar 19, 2020:
Not a typo I think 'Tres.' in the article refers to 'Dos.', where the contingency is described as potential distress (potential inability to repay debt, at the current exchange rate.)
However in 'Tres.' the author suggests that boosting economic activity would reduce duration of such contingency.
Giovanni Rengifo Mar 19, 2020:
TYPO? Based on what other countries have forcefully had to do because of the current crisis, I think there's a slight possibility that the author meant "detener" instead of "detonar". I take it that you have no contact with the author, so it'd be difficult to confirm this guess. I read the article, and there's really no mention of the kinds of measures that would boost the economy in Mexico or elsewhere. In the best case scenario, they could probably "protect" businesses with fiscal or Central Bank measures (e.g. grace periods, tax reliefs, lower interest rates, etc.).
Luis M. Sosa Mar 19, 2020:
Interesting article by the way Interesting article by the way.

Proposed translations

+7
14 mins
Selected

boosting economic activity

From the context (pending ministerial action) I think this is what might be meant.
Peer comment(s):
agree philgoddard
2 hrs
Thank you!// I think your comment on "triggering" is exactly right.
agree Seth Phillips : I think "stimulating economic activity" could be another good option
2 hrs
Yes. Thanks!
agree Juan Jacob : To boost, lo primero que pensé.
2 hrs
Gracias Juan!
agree Muriel Vasconcellos
3 hrs
Thank you!
agree James A. Walsh
14 hrs
Thank you!
agree Giovanni Rengifo : On second thought, those kinds of measures could be considered a "boost". I was thinking they wanted to make the economy to grow, but they just want to keep it from collapsing.
19 hrs
By cutting interest rates for example, like every other government is doing?
agree Luis M. Sosa : Yes, boosting is used a lot.
19 hrs
Gracias, Luis!
Something went wrong...
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer. Comment: "Thanks, everyone!"
+2
20 mins

triggering economic activity

One possibility:
"Triggering economic activity could reduce ..."

Su construcción tiene el propósito de incrementar la infraestructura aeroportuaria en el país y detonar la actividad económica en la región sureste.
Its construction is intended to increase the airport infrastructure in the country and trigger economic activity in the Southeast.
https://tulumrealestate.wordpress.com/aeropuerto-de-tulum/
Example sentence:

One key element to ensure long-term success in addressing these challenges is to use environmental and community initiatives to trigger economic activity.

The measure is meant to trigger economic activity by stimulating investment in new and desirable commercial development.

Peer comment(s):
agree Lydia De Jorge
33 mins
Thanks, Lydia!
neutral philgoddard : I think boost is better, because there is already some activity but they want more.
2 hrs
agree Wendy Streitparth : https://www.google.co.uk/search?ei=z1RzXtzkDNGAi-gHow do you stimulate economic activity? An economic stimulus is the use of monetary or fiscal policy changes to kickstart growth during a recession. Governments can accomplish this by using tactics..
13 hrs
Thanks, Wendy :-)
Something went wrong...
21 mins

Encouraging/Promoting economic activity

Extraño uso de "detonar" parece ser un mexicanismo.
------

“Desafortunadamente la zona sur es la más marginada de la entidad, por lo que de encabezar la gubernatura detonaré en 6 años el desarrollo del polo económico”, reiteró.

Adelantó que será el próximo 11, 12 y 14 de mayo, los días que realizará su gira de campaña por los municipios de la zona sur, llevando sus propuestas con el fin de detonar la actividad económica y llegar a un nuevo rumbo.

http://mvt.com.mx/va-prd-por-100-mil-votos-de-la-zona-sur/


--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 mins (2020-03-18 21:38:09 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Detonar la actividad económica = fomentar/alentar/estimular la actividad económica

Es un "mexicanismo", con perdón de los mexicanos.
Note from asker:
¡Gracias, Wilsonn! Definitivamente eso fue lo que hizo dudar. Ese extraño uso del verbo.
Something went wrong...
10 hrs

“TRIGGER economic activity”

Explanation
Something went wrong...
+1
21 hrs

kick-start the economy

I agree with "boost", but it's a slightly colorless rendition of "detonar". If you want a slightly more violent metaphor, this may fit the bill.
Peer comment(s):
agree Robert Carter : Clichéd perhaps, but I still prefer it to "boost". Or is it perhaps a meme now? I'd lose the hyphen for the US.
11 hrs
Thanks. The hyphen was predictive text that I didn't notice, and I disagree with it.
Something went wrong...
3 days 19 hrs

jump-start the economy

example from two days ago in Washington Post article, on response to coronavirus "...cash payments were used to jump-start the economy..."
Something went wrong...
Close search
Term search
  • All of ProZ.com
  • Term search
  • Jobs
  • Forums
  • Multiple search