POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC The school feud 17-04-2021 07:33 Fernández and Rodríguez Larreta, much to the dismay of the hawks in both coalitions, gave moderation a shot. Now the rift is back. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Covid tsunami 10-04-2021 08:52 The second wave is here and it already looks challenging. A winter of discontent looms ahead of the midterm elections. by Martín Gambarotta
THE WEEK Second wave jitters 03-04-2021 08:39 Covid cases in Argentina are picking up faster than ever amid fears of a second wave. It could be punishing for the government if the second wave turns ugly. by Martín Gambarotta
THE WEEK Pay no more revisited 27-03-2021 08:18 The urgent question is whether CFK and Guzmán are on the same team and executing some kind of coordinated play to eventually force a deal with the IMF. by Martín Gambarotta
THE WEEK Situations vacant: Justice Ministry 20-03-2021 08:14 The president has sided with Cristina Fernández de Kirchner in her battle against the judicial branch. But will he sacrifice Guzmán if members of his coalition frown at any belt-tightening to meet those targets? by Martín Gambarotta
THE WEEK Justice for Al(-berto) 13-03-2021 08:09 It's clear words no longer suffice and that Kirchnerites want to see results on the judicial front. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC The year of the jab 06-03-2021 09:29 The president’s speech was not all about Covid. Fernández drove home the message – with the five members of the Supreme Court looking on remotely – that he is not satisfied with the performance of the judicial branch. by Martín Gambarotta
THE WEEK There's no jab against ego tripping 27-02-2021 07:29 Cutting corners, contacting cronies for dodgy favours and jumping lines is almost a national sport in Argentina. by Martín Gambarotta
THE WEEK IN ARGENTINA Menem moments 20-02-2021 07:02 Carlos Menem dominated Argentine politics for a decade. And his death, for a moment, meant he was all over the news once more. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS AND THE PANDEMIC The Cabinet creaks 26-12-2020 09:47 The president is trying to drive home the message that he will not be steamrolled by the Kirchnerite wing into sacking half of his Cabinet. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS AND THE PANDEMIC The vaccine conversation 19-12-2020 08:42 These glitches and delays add up to negative headlines. Opposition leaders accused the government of deliberately keeping the public in the dark about the pending approval of the vaccine for those over 60. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC 2020: Don't look back 12-12-2020 09:33 For all the pain caused by a killer disease coming out of nowhere, even it has not been able to put an end to Argentina's infamous political rift. Tensions, however, are also hitting both coalitions. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC There's only one Maradona - Argentina after the funeral 05-12-2020 10:22 For most of the year, Fernández and Rodríguez Larreta navigated the pandemic together, avoiding confrontation. But that initial congeniality is giving way to confrontation as next year's midterms draw ever closer. by Martín Gambarotta
Politics & the pandemic In Maradona's shadow 28-11-2020 13:52 Diego Maradona has died and everything else in Argentina will now have to wait. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Allies not speaking to each other 21-11-2020 10:33 Coalitions are made up of political parties, but essentially they are about people interacting. Political parties can be difficult – and so can people. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC You better shape up (the Cabinet) 14-11-2020 10:33 President Alberto Fernández is facing questions about the executive performance of his Cabinet and not only from the opposition. by Martín Gambarotta
THE WEEK IN REVIEW The week: All eyes on America, with Argentina no exception 06-11-2020 00:01 The world is watching aghast at the wild way in which the US presidential elections are unfolding. Argentina, part of a pandemic-stricken world waiting to see what will happen, is no different. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Letter from CFK 31-10-2020 09:05 At face value CFK's statement was packed with support for the president. And the Cabinet? Not so much by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Peronism tries to strike back 24-10-2020 08:52 On October 17, the national government tried to regain the initiative. To some observers, Loyalty Day came and passed with some subtle but notable observations. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Macri rides protest wave 17-10-2020 09:28 Protesting is a right. Trying to figure out the significance of a specific protest is another matter. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Coalitions or collisions? 10-10-2020 09:27 It’s too early to tell if this stress will snowball into a breakdown leading to, say, a sweeping Cabinet reshuffle sponsored by the Kirchnerites, forcing out members of the president's inner circle. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Supreme suspense in court 03-10-2020 09:49 These are busy days for the Supreme Court, which is caught in the middle of the fierce political polarisation that has dominated Argentine politics since the rise of Kirchnerismo in 2003. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Unemployment, the other pandemic 26-09-2020 10:15 Will this relentless agitation unleash the kind of volatility that rattles the very standing of the government, less than a year after winning the elections? by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Dollar blues 19-09-2020 09:51 Argentina’s exasperating affair with the dollar is a recurring issue. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Police mutiny mayhem 12-09-2020 08:54 Anyone familiar with Argentina knows that it is a land of political agitation and volatility. Protests are nothing new, but a full-blown police mutiny over pay and working conditions is relatively rare. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC A new low for the Lower House 05-09-2020 09:15 Monday was a big day for Alberto Fernández’s Peronist government, as it heralded its debt deal with foreign creditors. But the joy lasted only a day and celebrations were all but buried by news in Congress. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Knocking on the Senate's door 29-08-2020 08:46 Military coups are a thing of the past, but presidents struggling to finish their mandates are not. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Protest or PRO test? 22-08-2020 10:10 The uproar surrounding the court system reform is another test of the national government's resolve. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Vaccine ventures 15-08-2020 09:44 It's difficult to gain any kind of momentum during a pandemic. Yet there are some signs the government is regaining the initiative. by Martín Gambarotta
DEBT, DEFAULT. DEAL Goodbye default my old friend 08-08-2020 08:44 The ultimate question is if this agreement will spare Argentina the ordeal of holdout bondholders – Guzmán will have conjured a miracle if there are none to worry about once this deal is done. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Justice (reform) for all 01-08-2020 10:04 The judicial reform bill will truly test the ruling coalition's capacity for the first time since President Fernández took office late last year. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Don't plan on a plan from Fernández 25-07-2020 08:20 By shunning “plans” Fernández is emulating his former boss, late former president Néstor Kirchner, who preferred to deal with issues as they came along without committing to a plan that could be easily derided. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Coalitions under stress 18-07-2020 08:37 Political rivals are accusing each other of being “haters” – but of course, one person's hater is another person's hero. The pressure, however, is not just external. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC The arguing never stops 11-07-2020 08:13 The arguing will never go away. At times it pauses briefly when the public is hit by unsettling news on the coronavirus front, but then, in no time at all, the bickering begins once more. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Metropolitan area blues 04-07-2020 07:29 The display of bipartisan civility, even with disagreements behind the scenes between Buenos Aires City and Province, is now routine. Yet the volatility has not gone away. by Martín Gambarotta
100 DAYS OF QUARANTINE Hibernation time 27-06-2020 08:09 The pandemic is a tremendous challenge for the metropolitan area. Only history will explain the true extent of economic devastation in the region. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Fernández TV 20-06-2020 09:02 Time will tell if the delays with the Vicentin and wealth tax bills are a deliberate strategy by the president to buffer the complaints by the lobbies who have historically clashed with Kirchnerismo. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS IN THE PANDEMIC Nationalise this 13-06-2020 08:08 A raw nerve has been touched that is at the centre of Argentina's perpetual political rift – to the nation’s business community the Peronist administration has crossed a line, trying to grab a private-sector company which has never been under state control. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Lockdown limbo 06-06-2020 09:32 Coronavirus has put everyday life, or the remnants of it, in a loop. Home is where the office lies. by Martín Gambarotta
POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC Lockdown: complainers will complain 30-05-2020 09:16 The debt drama will escalate if the talks fail to make progress and some bondholders decide to accelerate the situation, which could see them eventually taking the republic to court in the middle of a pandemic that is crippling for the economy. by Martín Gambarotta
PANDEMIC POLITICS Buenos Aires versus Buenos Aires 23-05-2020 09:21 Horacio Rodríguez Larreta is under pressure because he needs to control the epidemic in the metropolis. Otherwise his reputation could be tarnished – possibly even ruined. by Martín Gambarotta
PANDEMIC PONDERINGS Still quarantined after all these days 16-05-2020 08:00 If the funds are playing the instability game to trigger a political crisis, it’s not happening right here and now. Most of the centre-right opposition leaders holding office have had no choice but to close ranks behind Fernández, who is extremely popular according to polls. by Martín Gambarotta
ARGENTINA'S DEBT WOES Debt-xit time 09-05-2020 10:01 The incessant prodding for a laxer quarantine, trumpeted by part of the mainstream media, is peppered by the pot-banging cacerolazo protests. by Martín Gambarotta
Politics in the pandemic Quarantine quarrels 02-05-2020 09:19 The president has reflexes but he often pauses before making a decision, creating a momentary vacuum that leaves room for misinformation to viralise. by Martín Gambarotta
ARGENTINA’S DEBT WOES Pay no more 25-04-2020 11:57 Argentina is staring default in the face once again. The country has been here before, but never with the world economy cracking up in the middle of a pandemic. by Martín Gambarotta
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC Face mask days 18-04-2020 10:47 Argentina’s coronavirus quarantine has been extended until April 26 and the use of facemasks is now compulsory in many parts of the country, including Buenos Aires City. by Martín Gambarotta
A WEEK IN THE PANDEMIC A long-haul plight 11-04-2020 10:28 Is anybody paying attention to Argentina’s debt drama with the entire world economy hurting so badly from a virus? by Martín Gambarotta
LA GRIETA Y LA PANDEMIA Between a Rocca and a hard place 04-04-2020 09:54 The trade unions still consider themselves to be the backbone of Peronism and Fernández is leaning heavily on the labour machine to pull through the crisis. by Martín Gambarotta
LIFE IN THE PANDEMIC Alberto the anchorman 28-03-2020 11:25 With millions staying at home, watching television is now a national sport once again, and the president has turned himself into the anchorman of an anxious nation. by Martín Gambarotta
ON THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC Emergency on Planet Earth (that includes Argentina) 21-03-2020 08:34 The ultimate fear in Argentina, apart from the health consequences, is that a lockdown will definitively break the back of an economy that was already bleeding badly and burdened with debt. by Martín Gambarotta
