ANALYSING ARGENTINA Pax cambiaria, pax mafiosa? 16-03-2024 06:45 Inflation and crime are at the top of President Javier Milei’s agenda. Both will test his libertarian approach to problem-solving. by Marcelo J. Garcia
As I see it Drug-lords in the crosshairs 16-03-2024 06:35 By Latin American standards, Argentina is a law-abiding country whose inhabitants are far less prone to commit murder or be gunned down by thugs than is the case elsewhere in the region. Why do so many people in high places believe that the threat has become so frightening that the military should be called in? by James Neilson
POLITICS – ANALYSIS Meme politics, tackling price hikes and Milei’s North Star 16-03-2024 06:31 President Milei understands that he needs to deliver slowing inflation and the beginning of an economic rebound if he is to have a chance at truly governing the country. by Agustino Fontevecchia
CRIME & INSECURITY Rosario is always near 16-03-2024 06:25 As with so many other matters, Argentina’s leaders have not lived up to the challenge of efficiently combatting drug-trafficking. Yet it would be a mistake to confine the responsibility for Rosario’s bloody violence to politics. by Javier Calvo
POLITICS & CONGRESS Milei’s bold decree suffers major setback after repeal in Senate 14-03-2024 21:18 President's initial dose of shock therapy teeters on the edge of collapse after Senate defeats his sweeping executive decree.
WAGES STUDY Falling wages: 12 years of lost purchasing power in Argentina 12-03-2024 12:23 New study shows evoluation of Argentines’ wages over past 12 months and points to economic sectors likely to gain traction this year.
APPETITE FOR FOREIGN CURRENCY Dollar fever eases in Milei’s Argentina... good news? 11-03-2024 16:25 Appetite for dollars in Argentina as a shelter against inflation is falling under Milei’s government, but what from afar looks encouraging, smells of recession, declining imports and falling incomes.
POLITICS – ANALYSIS Kicillof pushes the accelerator 09-03-2024 06:47 The racetrack metaphor employed by Axel Kicillof to reject Javier Milei’s invitation to his Pacto del 25 de Mayo would seem in line with the acceleration he has decided to give his positioning as an opposition leader. by Javier Calvo
POLITICS – ANALYSIS The joy of being Javier Milei and the threat of ostracism 09-03-2024 06:43 Milei needs his plan to move from the whiteboard — and social media — to the realpolitik realm of Argentina’s traditional power structure, either from within or by trampling over it. by Agustino Fontevecchia
As I see it The world has become too complicated for politicians 09-03-2024 06:27 Can Argentina or, for that matter, any other country buck the trends that are causing such concern not only in the West but also in China and Russia? by James Neilson
ANALYSING ARGENTINA The elusive goal Milei needs to score 09-03-2024 06:14 Javier Milei's government knows that should the president’s popularity sink further, his power to impose reform on “the caste” would wane significantly. by Marcelo J. Garcia
OPINION & ANALYSIS No growth in Argentina for 12 years (and it could be 13) 08-03-2024 16:24 Data from Argentina’s INDEC national statistics bureau revealed that the economy fell by 4.5% in 2023. Over the course of the 2011-2023 period, it barely grew by 0.8% – a virtual stagnation lasting more than a decade.
#8M: Women's Rights Corporate shortfall: Women far from reaching 50% of corporate leadership positions 08-03-2024 06:10 Despite the increased presence of women on boards of directors, the corporate world is still largely run by men.
#8M: OPINION & ANALYSIS Georgina Sticco: What do we mean when we talk about the gender gap? 08-03-2024 06:10 Women would have to work 91 days more than men to earn the same as them. Time dedicated to caregiving, lower quality jobs and remuneration in the unregistered sector are some of the things that produce this difference.
COMMUNICATION & POLITICS Argentina's 'troll' president: Milei takes aim at rivals online 07-03-2024 15:42 Argentina’s outspoken ultra-liberal president expresses himself online at frantic speed, using social media sites as a both a platform for his "revolution" and an outlet for his anger.
FEATURE INTERVIEW Ian Bremmer: ‘No matter who wins, many Americans will not accept the legitimacy of the election’ 02-03-2024 06:53 Influential political analyst and founder of the Eurasia Group traces a panorama of the elections which will be dogged by the spectre of the assault on Capitol Hill and the possible conviction of Donald Trump. In a feature-length interview, he debates the new world order – and offers a few remarks on Javier Milei. by Cecilia Degl'Innocenti
EDITORIAL Pouring oil on the flames 02-03-2024 05:57 If the spark that lit the fire was the threat of Chubut’s PRO Governor Ignacio Torres to cut off all oil and gas unless the cutbacks were reversed, this might appear a wild outburst – but it was less random and accidental than it might seem.
ANALYSING ARGENTINA Are two Caputos one too many for Milei? 02-03-2024 05:25 Foreign observers and investors welcome that Milei is a man on a mission to turn Argentina into a more open, more pro-market economy … but they don’t like conflict as the end itself, nor the Casa Rosada’s unwillingness to compromise. by Marcelo J. Garcia
POLITICS – ANALYSIS A mix of amateurism and strategy 02-03-2024 05:19 The Milei-Caputo plan is trying to hammer down inflation through a painful recession, hoping that once the numbers begin to look encouraging, expectations will help spark a bonanza of investment and ultimately growth. It’s a risky strategy. by Agustino Fontevecchia
As I see it Politicians in the dog house 02-03-2024 05:01 Business, especially big business, has long had a bad press in Argentina. This is partly due to the willingness of politicians to blame it for their own failures, as happens whenever inflation gets out of hand. by James Neilson
STATE OF THE NATION – ANALYSIS Milei seeks pact with political leaders in bid to save reforms 02-03-2024 00:26 In his first annual address to lawmakers on Friday, Milei invited leaders from all parties to sign a 10-principle agreement that includes a “non-negotiable fiscal balance” and public spending cuts, as well as labour reform and free trade.
AUSTERITY FUNDING ROW Milei detonates relationship with governors and opens up a war 27-02-2024 21:00 Provincial debt under the spotlight has made the governors seek allies. Who are in the deepest holes? Will the mega-decree be overturned? by Ramón Indart
POLITICS Bullrich divides PRO as she backs Milei in Chubut funding row 27-02-2024 16:49 Security Minister Patricia Bullrich intervenes forcefully in the spat between President Javier Milei and Chubut's PRO Governor Ignacio Torres.
Environmental Policy Trump's green-bashing and Europe's right put climate goals at risk 27-02-2024 11:58 Politicians are vowing to roll back green policies and downplaying climate change ahead of key elections on both sides of the Atlantic, casting doubt on whether countries can maintain momentum in the transition away from fossil fuels.
FOCUS ON VENEZUELA Venezuela calls in oil debt it once traded away for literal beans 26-02-2024 10:56 Impoverished and desperate for cash, Venezuela is trying to collect old debts from the Petrocaribe oil exchange programme.
INSIDE THE INVE How Argentina's biggest landowners and their secrets were revealed 24-02-2024 06:40 The list of the 20 landowners with the most hectares in Argentina was based on work spanning several months. It intends to provide vital context for the ongoing debate over land ownership and the government’s attempt to repeal the law regulating foreign ownership. by Ariel Stemphelet
INVESTIGATIVE REPORT 'Los dueños de la tierra': Who are Argentina’s 20 biggest landowners? 24-02-2024 06:25 Among those who concentrate the most terrain are businessmen and groups with between 100,000 and over a million hectares of land of every type. Some like Benetton or the Cresud, owned by Eduardo Elsztain, are better-known, but companies with Chinese, Swiss and Chilean capital also appear, along with bit players. by Ariel Stemphelet
OPINION & ANALYSIS Fight club 24-02-2024 06:08 For President Javier Milei, anyone who thinks differently is simply an enemy. This is a real problem because it undermines the very concept of democracy. by Nelson Castro
As I see it The world is not for the weak 24-02-2024 06:07 Though local nationalists have always insisted that Argentina is a victim of imperialist greed, the truth is that she has always been one of its principal beneficiaries. by James Neilson
ANALYSIS Economy shrank in December by most since pandemic 22-02-2024 21:14 Argentina’s economy contracted in December by the most since the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic.
ANALYSIS Milei’s ‘maquinita’ – How many pesos is Central Bank printing? 22-02-2024 15:31 Since Javier Milei entered the Casa Rosada as president, Argentina’s monetary authorities have continued minting the national currency – while altering its destination. Why is there talk of the "benign" printing of money? by Martín Fernández Nadale
POLITICS Security Minister Patricia Bullrich deepens anti-picket doctrine 19-02-2024 16:37 Argentina's security minister is moving forward with her anti-picket protocol with social conflict on the rise and wants the courts to be swifter in lifting roadblocks – the order from her portfolio is not to dialogue with social organisations and union leaders. by Ezequiel Spillman
MARKETS Latin America’s quasi-sovereign companies attract bond investors 19-02-2024 14:09 State-owned companies across Latin America face falling output, cash woes and expensive investment plans. Yet bondholders can’t get enough.
EDITORIAL The summer of our discontent 17-02-2024 06:14 There is every reason to fear a vicious circle of devaluation and inflation continuing.
Opinion & Analysis Political deadlock threatens economic change 17-02-2024 06:00 Unfortunately for President Milei, the political community he has joined has its own largely tacit rules which have little to do with economic efficiency. by James Neilson
Opinion & Analysis Neither castes nor authoritarianism 15-02-2024 11:37 Argentina has already suffered plenty from quasi-messianic leaders opening up deep grieta chasms with their friend-or-foe logic. by Nelson Castro
ECONOMIC INDICATORS Argentina's inflation rate slows in Javier Milei’s first full month 14-02-2024 16:49 Inflation in Argentina is exceeding 250% year on year, but cooled from 25.5% to 20.6% in January from a month earlier.
ANALYSIS Argentina’s power duo meets at the Vatican after trading insults 11-02-2024 09:55 President Javier Milei and Pope Francis meet after libertarian leader's campaign trail insults.
ECONOMY Blaming Milei for woes, Argentina’s Clisa asks for debt leniency 10-02-2024 09:30 As one of Argentina’s largest public works companies runs out of cash and asks investors for leniency, it’s pointing the blame squarely at Javier Milei.
As I see it Milei runs into a roadblock 10-02-2024 06:51 In most places, the old guard has managed to fend off those besieging it. Even if on occasion the establishment’s forces have had to beat a retreat, they have usually retained enough power to thwart their enemies. by James Neilson
POLITICS – ANALYSIS ‘Synthetic’ in a world in flux: Milei faces a political defeat 10-02-2024 00:36 What will the near-future of the Milei administration look like after having effectively demolished bridges with the “moderate” opposition that sought to offer a helping hand? by Agustino Fontevecchia
Milei at the Vatican Bad omens as Javier Milei prepares to meet Pope Francis 08-02-2024 14:43 The President will meet the Pope at the Vatican but the build-up to the meeting promises tension. by Juan Luis González
BLOOMBERG – ANALYSIS Milei’s ‘shock therapy’ is suffering a stinging rejection 08-02-2024 13:15 Lawmakers rebuke president’s bill, upending agenda; Milei responds by lashing out at the parties he needs to push through his reforms.
As I see it An outsider at the centre of things 03-02-2024 08:11 Milei’s game plan is straightforward enough. Unfortunately, as governments the world over are well aware, squeezing the money supply is always a painful process. by James Neilson
POLITICS – ANALYSIS Living on the edge 03-02-2024 06:23 It feels as if the president is pushing the boundaries of negotiations beyond reasonable points. by Agustino Fontevecchia
DECADE ON FROM DEATH Chávez legacy looms large, and divides Venezuela, 25 years on 02-02-2024 12:21 Charismatic revolutionary Hugo Chávez, who became the symbolic leader of the left in Latin America, died in 2013, but his 'Chavismo' political movement lives on.
IN FOCUS How El Salvador's Bukele became Latin America's most popular leader 31-01-2024 10:43 Despite accusations of human rights abuses and constitutional overstepping, Nayib Bukele's crackdown on drug gangs has won him approval ratings around 90%, according to numerous polls.
Congress & Politics Milei shelves austerity plan as Congress debates bill 27-01-2024 10:04 Main austerity measures in president's sweeping reform bill to be culled in order to get it through Congress, implying deeper spending cuts in the future.
FOOTBALL IN ARGENTINA Copa de la Liga Profesional returns – and anything could happen 27-01-2024 09:22 As we saw last year, the format of Argentina’s Copa de la Liga Profesional owes itself to the odd surprise. Forecasting what could happen is a fool’s game – and so here are some predictions. by Dan Edwards
POLITICS & ECONOMY The limits of Milei’s ‘synthetic power’ 27-01-2024 09:19 While his digital energy can be translated into real world power, Javier Milei and his team must be careful not to confuse their popularity with actual muscle. by Agustino Fontevecchia
As I see it The dreaded Orange Man is on the way back 27-01-2024 06:16 Versions of the same drama, in which upstarts successfully take on those who believe themselves entitled to lord it over everybody else, are being staged in many parts of the world where ordinary folk feel they are getting a raw deal. by James Neilson
OPINION & ANALYSIS Martín D’Alessandro: The trickery of populism 26-01-2024 06:55 Juntos por el Cambio's support of President Javier Milei's came cheap and it will have consequences.
BLOOMBERG – ANALYSIS President gets pragmatic as hostile Congress forces him to negotiate 23-01-2024 12:08 For a leader who rose to Argentina’s top job by touting radical proposals and showing little willingness to negotiate with the country’s “political elite,” Javier Milei is turning into quite the pragmatist.
MILEI @ DAVOS To communicate is to meme: the politician as a social media influencer 20-01-2024 08:52 In a digital ecosystem characterised by infinite reach, the conditions of success are defined in relation to the capacity to go viral. And probably the most effective way for that to happen is to become a meme that is retweeted by Elon Musk. by Agustino Fontevecchia
BLOOMBERG - OPINION JP Spinetto: Milei’s unapologetic defence of capitalism missed a key point 20-01-2024 08:48 What masters of the universe in Davos most wanted and needed to hear were his concrete plans to take Argentina out of its chronic malaise. They were left wanting.
As I see it Milei goes to the Magic Mountain 20-01-2024 06:53 What goes down splendidly with teenagers in La Matanza does not necessarily appeal to fabulously wealthy individuals who could be persuaded to invest in Milei’s ambitious project. by James Neilson
GRIPPED BY CRISIS In danger of extinction? Middle class slammed by crisis and austerity measures 16-01-2024 17:16 The removal of subsidies, rising rent and the increased costs of prepaid healthcare schemes and private schools are slamming the middle class, specialists warn. March will be a difficult month with the start of classes and the billing of basic public services shooting up. by Agustina Bordigoni
DOLLARISATION ON THE CARDS? How is Milei’s plan to dollarise Argentina progressing? 15-01-2024 13:17 La Libertad Avanza’s predominant campaign topic has made a strong comeback – a recent report by JP Morgan warned that dollarisation in Argentina might fail, even if the necessary dollars are obtained, and former economy minister Martín Guzmán says that the process "has already begun." by Agustina Bordigoni
POLITICS & ECONOMY Chainsaw Plan Round 2: Government looks to deepen austerity 14-01-2024 10:19 Economy Minister Luis Caputo assures that there has been no fiscal shock so far in Argentina and that there is still room for further tightening. If President Javier Milei’s ‘Omnibus law’ does not pass through Congress, cutbacks will continue for state personnel, with cuts in overtime, the freezing of salaries, and the non-renewal of expiring contracts. by Juan Pablo Kavanagh
POLITICS Instant democracy and turbo-politics in the age of Milei 13-01-2024 06:58 No-one can predict how long Javier Milei’s honeymoon period will last, but it does appear to be softening a bit. by Agustino Fontevecchia
As I see it The Kirchnerites have Milei in their sights 13-01-2024 06:21 The fate of the new government will depend largely on Milei’s ability to persuade people that the fearful emergency he goes on about is not just a figment of an overheated imagination but something terribly real. by James Neilson
THE REAL FIRST LADY Karina Milei: the most feared woman in Argentina's government 12-01-2024 16:58 Javier Milei’s sister is his gatekeeper and guard – she handles the president’s agenda and the cash. The collaborators she has expelled and those she holds in her sights. Karina Milei’s grudge against Victoria Villarruel and Fátima Florez. Her mystical connections and past as a baker. A look at the presidential chief-of-staff – the most feared woman in government. by Juan Luis González
THE FIRST LADY? Fátima Flórez cashes in on the Milei effect 09-01-2024 15:58 Argentina’s unofficial first lady, impersonator and comedian Fátima Florez is filling theatres with a new show – one that includes a spot-on impersonation of her boyfriend, President Javier Milei.
LATIN AMERICA Bolsonaro’s shadow looms over a revamp of the Brazilian right 08-01-2024 09:52 A tear after Brazil riots, Bolsonaro’s right-wing movement seeks a rebrand.
POLITICS Massa re-appears with a warning for union leaders 06-01-2024 11:29 Former economy minister and presidential candidate attends CGT lunch, where he offers his opinion on the labour grouping's call to strike. Offering self-criticism, unsuccessful presidential candidate says he should have been more vehement in warning the middle class about “what was coming with Milei.”
POLITICS – ANALYSIS The ‘right plan,’ the ‘only plan,’ or ‘no plan’? 06-01-2024 07:33 Either Milei is a daredevil convinced he’ll make it out alive, he has no choice and is winging it, or he’s got a couple of cards up his sleeve that we’re not seeing. by Agustino Fontevecchia
OPINION & ANALYSIS Democracy: Argentina's lucha continues 06-01-2024 07:31 While we have so much to worry about, from the national debt, to the inflationary spiral, to the temperament of the new leader, democracy is a given. by David Smith
As I see it Doomsday prophecies are back in fashion 06-01-2024 07:28 There are signs that the current vogue for doomsday prophecies is having a more demoralising effect than previous ones. by James Neilson
ECONOMIC OUTLOOK Five economic issues that will remain on the agenda in 2024 05-01-2024 14:18 Inflation at the start of the year, the official and unofficial exchange rate, employment, wages, poverty, the cepo, interest rates, the fiscal deficit and the IMF debt – just some of the issues that will dominate the next 12 months in Argentina. by Agustina Bordigoni
Politics CFK seeks to reorder her lawmakers for Milei’s first political test 04-01-2024 15:18 Former vice-president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner believes that the formation of the Bicameral Commission to halt the presidential emergency decree is urgent while sending a message to the rest of Peronism to reorder its ranks and joshing about the ex-president’s festivities in Spain. by Ramón Indart