News of argentina

Footballers Lautaro Martinez and Adolfo Gaich.

FOOTBALL

Footballers must look forward, despite coronavirus confusion

Today 09:29 Growth and momentum are key in football – just ask Argentine strike duo Lautaro Martínez and Adolfo Gaich.

Santa Cruz, a quasi-feudal provincial model where a tiny group of families has administered power for 30 years without interruption.

GUEST VOICE

It’s not Fabián Gutiérrez, it’s Santa Cruz

Today 09:15 Santa Cruz is a province with archaic laws, a dangerous political centralisation and a scary scope for discretion.

Ishii interviewed by Jorge Fontevecchia.

INTERVIEW / PERIODISMO PURO

Mario Ishii: 'By late August we’ll be where we were in 2001'

Today 09:01 Mario Ishii, the mayor of José C. Paz, discusses the impact of the coronavirus crisis on one of the poorest districts in Greater Buenos Aires. The social situation, he warns, could be about to explode.

Guzman said this offer was Argentina’s “final offer” and refused to rule out sealing a deal with only some of the creditors.

DEBT RESTRUCTURING

‘Final’ offer on table as debt talks enter critical stage

Today 08:54 Argentina formalises latest debt bond swap proposal, filing offer with SEC and extending deadline to August 4.

Demonstrations on Thrusday 9th July.

THE WEEK

What we learned this week: July 4 to July 11

Today 08:39 Stories that caught our eye over the past seven days in Argentina.

Argentina is very quickly descending into a dangerous spiral of hate and division. This situation isn't exactly new, but it actually accurately reflects the general political topography of Argentine society.

POLARISATION AT WHAT PRICE?

Argentina: Great at failing miserably at democracy

Today 08:19 What level of tolerance to dissent are we willing to accept? And at which point does the discussion about who thinks what shut out the underlying debates we should be having?

by Agustino Fontevecchia

The political arguing will never go away in Argentina.

POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC

The arguing never stops

Today 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

Patricia Bullrich, former Security Minister, and Mauricio Macri, former President.

JUNTOS POR EL CAMBIO

Opposition split over coalition’s reaction to Fabián Gutiérrez killing

Today 08:05 Reports emerge of unhappiness in Juntos por el Cambio coalition over controversial statement issued in wake of Fabián Gutiérrez’s death.

New tests arrived to Argentina for covid diagnosis.

GLOBAL PANDEMIC

Argentina selected as testing site for Covid-19 vaccine

Today 07:55 Joint project, led by German company BioNTech and the US pharmaceutical firm Pfizer, is one of 12 vaccines that are being tested on humans worldwide.

View of Covid-19 tests at the Ramon Sarda Maternity Hospital, on July 7, 2020, in Buenos Aires, amid the new coronavirus pandemic.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Covid-19 surge lifts number of infections to 94,060

Today 07:50 Argentina records its highest daily toll yet of 3,367 new cases. Death toll rises to 1,774.

A woman joins a 9 de Julio protest.

POLARISATION & POLITICS

So much for unity: La grieta returns with a vengeance

Today 07:42 Tensions between government and opposition soar in week Argentina celebrated Independence Day.

President Lenín Moreno’s administration struck an agreement with some of its top bondholders this week. By contrast, Argentina has presented a second binding offer to creditors after pushing back its deadline five times.

BLOOMBERG

Ecuador’s speedy debt deal underscores Argentina’s hang-ups

Yesterdat 17:31 President Lenín Moreno’s administration struck an agreement with some of its top bondholders this week ahead of a mid-August deadline, when a moratorium on payments ends. By contrast, Argentina has presented a second binding offer to creditors after pushing back its deadline five times.

Lázaro Báez.

CORRUPTION & THE COURTS

Lázaro Báez granted house arrest but yet to be released

Yesterdat 16:32 Alleged Kirchnerite frontman, who stands accused of raft of corruption offences, granted house arrest by court, prompting angry reaction from his future neighbours. Release will not be until next week at earliest, with row over high bail set as part of condition.

EU Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly.

EU-MERCOSUR TALKS

EU watchdog opens probe into Mercosur trade deal

Yesterdat 12:16 EU Ombudsman Emily O’Reilly confirms investigation will be opened into historic trade deal with Mercosur, after environmental and rights groups complained that the deal does not respect the EU’s legal obligations.

A man waves the Argentine flag during a protest against President Alberto Fernández health policies and the tightened virus lockdown measures against the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, in Buenos Aires on July 9, 2020.

#9J: Día de la Independencia

Anti-government protesters rally against quarantine on 9 de Julio

Yesterdat 02:18 Opposition supporters descended on the Obelisk in downtown Buenos Aires on Thursday, staging a protest in defence of freedom and against the coronavirus lockdown. Event marred by outbreak of violence, as demonstrators attack TV van from pro-government news channel C5N.

President Alberto Fernández leads an event celebrating Argentina's Independence Day on July 9.

9 de Julio

Fernández calls for unity in face of pandemic on Independence Day

09-07-2020 18:07 "No society realises its destiny amid insults and divisions, and with hatred as a common denominator," declares president at event marking 9 de Julio, lashing out at "serial haters."

Economy Minister Martin Guzmán.

DEBT RESTRUCTURING

Guzmán rules out changes to offer, but creditors say proposal 'falls short'

09-07-2020 02:37 Economy Minister Martín Guzmán rules out further changes to government's debt restructuring offer as offer wins support from IMF and some G20 finance ministers. Large creditors, however, aren't impressed.

Malbec grapes.

BLOOMBERG

Malbec bonds beat defaulted Argentine peers on investor hope

09-07-2020 02:26 A glimmer of hope is lurking within Argentina’s default-ravaged debt landscape: Bonds sold by Mendoza, the Andean-bordering province famed for exports of full-bodied Malbec wine.

Mauricio Macri was interviewed by journalist Álvaro Vargas Llosa.

Coronavirus pandemic

Macri: 'The government has tried to diminish freedoms' during pandemic

09-07-2020 01:50 Former president breaks silence in online interview, vowing to strengthen his Juntos por el Cambio coalition ahead of next year's midterms and accusing the Alberto Fernández administration of seeking to "diminish freedoms."

Stephen Walt talked to Perfil's Leandro Dario in an exclusive interview.

INTERVIEW

Stephen Walt: 'The pandemic has hurt the United States more than China'

08-07-2020 23:03 Stephen Walt, professor of international relations at Harvard University, says that Americans are sick of Trump. "If the rivalry between the US and China continues to intensify, South America will probably have to pick sides," he warns.

by Leandro Dario

Economy Minister Martín Guzmán.

DEBT RESTRUCTURING

This is Argentina's final debt offer, Guzmán tells creditors

08-07-2020 17:33 Economy minister describes talks as "a cold shower of reality for creditors," as they've come to realise Argentina's limitations.

A pedestrian wearing a protective mask walks in front of the Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires.

DEBT RESTRUCTURING

Favourable initial reaction to Argentina's new debt swap offer

08-07-2020 16:58 Two investment funds, Gramercy and Fintech Advisory, express approval for Argentina's new debt restructuring offer. Creditors entering the swap stand to obtain 53.5 cents for every dollar loaned as against 39 cents in the first offer rejected by most creditors.

Foreign Ministry officials meet with executives from Huawei.

TECHNOLOGY

Argentina holds talks with Huawei over adoption of 5G technology

08-07-2020 15:29 Government holds talks with Chinese telecommunications giant Huawei as it explores options for the adoption of advanced 5G technology.

The Arévalo-Robledo family, dressed as The Simpsons, poses for a photo in their living room during a government-ordered lockdown to curb the spread of the new coronavirus in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, June 27, 2020.

Coping with quarantine

Keep happy: Porteños try to make the most of quarantine

08-07-2020 14:57 Experts say quarantine measures have increased anxiety, uncertainty and feelings of extreme weariness. Some, however, have found a positive side to the pandemic.

Doctor Ricardo Carrera (R) prepares a swab sample to be tested for COVID-19 at the Doctor Alberto Antranik Eurnekian Public Hospital in Ezeiza, in the outskirts of Buenos Aires on July 1, 2020.

Coronavirus pandemic

Staff at Ezeiza Hospital holds their breath and hope amid Covid-19 surge

08-07-2020 11:42 With Winter approaching and tight restrictions back in place in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, doctors and nurses at Hospital de Ezeiza hope the Covid-19 cure of curve flattens before overflowing becomes an issue.

In this April 26, 2016 file photo, family members and supporters of 43 missing teachers college students carry pictures of the students as they march to demand the case not be closed and that experts' recommendations about new leads be followed, in Mexico City.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Mexico identifies remains of another of missing 43 students

07-07-2020 23:50 Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF), which has been advising Mexican Attorney General’s Office on investigation, confirms remains have been identified of a second of the 43 Ayotzinapa students who disappeared in September 2014.

President Alberto Fernández's letter to Brazil leader Jair Bolsonaro

Coronavirus pandemic

Fernández wishes Bolsonaro a speedy recovery from Covid-19

07-07-2020 23:28 Peronist leader sends his Brazilian counterpart a letter wishing him a speedy recovery, after Bolsonaro confirmed Tuesday he had tested positive for Covid-19.

President Alberto Fernández.

DEBT RESTRUCTURING

Government files new debt restructuring offer with SEC

07-07-2020 14:04 Argentina formally presents its new proposal to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, extending deadline for acceptance to August 4.

The sun sets in Buenos Aires on June 22, 2020.

Coronavirus pandemic

Argentina registers record 75 deaths from Covid-19 in one day

07-07-2020 02:43 More than 80,000 people have now been infected with Covid-19 in Argentina. To date,1,582 fatalities have been recorded.

Researchers said the fossil indicated the carnivorous animal had sharp teeth and a scary appearance.

SCIENCE & NATURE

Fossil of giant 70m year-old fish found in Patagonia

07-07-2020 01:52 Paleontologists find the remains of a predator fish that was more than six meters long near Lago Colhué Huapial in Chubut Province.

Buildings stand in the Puerto Madero neighbourhood of Buenos Aires.

BLOOMBERG - OPINION

Mohamed A. El-Erian: Argentina's debt proposal deserves support

07-07-2020 01:35 It would be in neither side's long-term interest to allow the theoretical best to be the enemy of the attainable good – what is now on the table warrants support by both Argentina and its creditors.

President Alberto Fernández.

BLOOMBERG

Argentina’s ‘last’ debt offer extends proposal to August 4

05-07-2020 22:45 The proposal seeks to reduce creditor losses on the bonds’ principal, increase coupons and shorten bond maturities, according to a release published Sunday evening.

The Argentine government is still working on a debt agreement.

DEBT RESTRUCTURING

Fernández: New offer to creditors on way, deadline moved to August 4

05-07-2020 22:10 Argentina to present new offer to bondholders on Monday, with deadline extended until August 4.

Vicentin’s credit-fuelled expansion in recent years helped it fend off multinationals like Bunge Ltd and Cargill Inc to be Argentina’s top exporter of the products.

BLOOMBERG

Creditors allege Vicentin soy giant siphoned off US$400 million

05-07-2020 08:10 Banks are asking a New York judge to subpoena more documents from bankrupt soy-export giant Vicentin, saying there may have been “major international financial impropriety” that saw US$400 million drained from the firm.

A tent covers the area where Fabián Gutiérrez's body was found.

SANTA CRUZ PROVINCE

Fabián Gutiérrez, ex-secretary to Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, found dead

04-07-2020 17:30 Gutiérrez, a former private secretary to ex-presidents Néstor Kirchner and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, had last been seen in El Calafate on Thursday. At least four individuals have been arrested and three have admitted to the crime, says investigating judge.

Diego's impossibly swollen ankle, Goycochea the hero, Maradona and Caniggia destroying Brazil, Naples in rebellion – Italia 90’s memorable storylines ensure that it’s still remembered 30 years on, especially in Argentina.

FOOTBALL

Epic Italia ‘90 continues to live long in the memory

04-07-2020 09:35 If Italia '90 was a grainy Fellini masterpiece, complex, tense and unafraid to lay bare humanity at its ugliest and, therefore, most real, four years later football had already crossed the line into pure Disney fantasy.

by Dan Edwards

China vs United States: Will China come back again to ‘help’ Argentina?

AS I SEE IT

China will soon come a-calling

04-07-2020 09:25 The coronavirus plague has harmed China’s international reputation, but it has also weakened many developing countries to such an extent that they will find it all but impossible to turn down offers of financial help.

by James Neilson

A doctor is pictured at the Dr Alberto Antranik Eurnekian Public Hospital in Ezeiza, in the outskirts of Buenos Aires, during the coronavirus pandemic.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION

World Health Organisation remains alive to Covid-19 threat, despite criticism

04-07-2020 09:18 Under fire for misleading comments on transmission, face masks and its dealings with China, the WHO’s local branch in Argentina says it’s delivering results in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.

by Jennifer Heiman & Anina Hoffman

Guzman's debt restructuring talks are still being questioned but the minister retains confidence of President Fernandez.

DEBT RESTRUCTURING

Casa Rosada dismisses rumours of Guzman’s departure

04-07-2020 09:06 BlackRock, other creditors, big businessmen and ministers are questioning the economy minister’s approach to debt restructuring talks, but Guzmán retains the confidence of Alberto Fernández and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

A man passes by a closed store with a portrait of tango singer Carlos Gardel.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Anxiety and anguish in Buenos Aires as lockdown returns

04-07-2020 08:57 The Buenos Aires metropolitan area returned to a strict quarantine this week and many citizens are growing increasingly uncomfortable.

Traffic controls in the metropolitan area.

OPINION

Giorgio was right

04-07-2020 08:51 Quarantine has been renewed, presented as a lifestyle by the government.

by Pola Oloixarac

Controls to detect covid cases.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Catamarca records its first case of coronavirus

04-07-2020 08:45 Governor Raúl Jalil says individual had travelled from Buenos Aires City to the northwestern province and was successfully isolated before entering the region. Until Friday, Catamarca was the only region not to have registered a case.

Controls for access to the City of Buenos Aires.

THE LAST SEVEN DAYS

What we learned this week: June 27 to July 4

04-07-2020 08:40 Stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

View of the iconic Palacio Salvo with the city of Montevideo in the background.

FISCAL PARADISE?

Uruguay’s new tax residence rules spark interest among Argentines

04-07-2020 08:24 Seeking to attract immigrants with high purchasing-power, Uruguay has relaxed its fiscal residence requirements – triggering a rush of consultations from Argentines.

The amount of covid cases rise despite strict quarantine in Buenos Aires.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Argentina records highest number of Covid-19 fatalities in single day

04-07-2020 08:14 Health Ministry officials confirm deaths of 52 individuals – Argentina’s highest daily toll to date. With 2,845 people having tested positive over the last 24 hours, infections are continuing to accelerate.

Many K corruption cases will end up being dropped due to procedural abuses.

ILLEGAL ESPIONAGE SCANDAL

The curse of power in Argentina

04-07-2020 08:06 Several of the major corruption cases of the K decade could end up being dropped due to procedural abuses, aiding the newfound lack of political motivation of most magistrates.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

President Alberto Fernandez (right) and his Foreign Minister Felipe Sola take part in the first Mercosur Summit held via video conference due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

MERCOSUR’S VIRTUAL SUMMIT

Mercosur vows unity in face of pandemic, as Macron cools on trade deal

04-07-2020 07:49 President Alberto Fernández calls for unity in face of the coronavirus pandemic during virtual summit, as reports in France suggest Emmanuel Macron has gone cold on Mercosur-EU trade deal.

Ever since Cristina uploaded the video announcing who would be her candidate, there has been the singular paradox of a nominal leader without any power or votes of his own.

SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

¿Qué pasa entre Alberto y Cristina?

04-07-2020 07:41 Pressure is growing on President Fernández to found his own ‘Albertismo’ movement, while Cristina Fernández de Kirchner sets the pace for both, with infighting channelled through their officials and allies – a tussle most recently exposed by the move on Vicentín.

The political volatility beetween the City and the Province of Buenos Aires has not gone away.

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

Former president and senator for La Rioja province, Carlos Menem.

ex-president discharged

Former president Carlos Menem released from hospital

03-07-2020 23:28 Menem, who turned 90 on Thursday, was admitted to intensive care at the Los Arcos private clinic in Buenos Aires on Thursday suffering breathing difficulties.

A woman passes by closed stores in the commercial neighbourhood of Once.

Coronavirus pandemic

Cold, windswept and frozen, Buenos Aires returns to isolation

03-07-2020 03:37 On a chilly winter Wednesday, a lonesome Buenos Aires reverted to the first and most restrictive phase of the quarantine, in a renewed bid to halt the advance of Covid-19.

Amateur footballers play a new lockdown-acceptable form of the sport at the Play Futbol 5 local club in Pergamino. In order to continue playing amid government restrictions to curb the spread of the new coronavirus, the club divided its soccer field into 12 rectangles to mark limited areas for each player, keeping them from making physical contact.

FOOTBALL & CORONAVIRUS

Metegol humano: How to play football during the pandemic

02-07-2020 23:12 Football-starved locals have found a way to play while social distancing – dubbed 'metegol humano,' the system designed for the coronavirus pandemic involves dividing the field with white chalk into 12 rectangles and restricting each player to a defined space.

From January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2019, 3,013 victims were registered. During 2019 alone, 284 women were killed.

Femicide in quarantine

Feminist organisation: one femicide every 29 hours in Argentina

02-07-2020 16:32 Feminist organisation Mumalá recorded at least 143 femicides in Argentina during the first six months of 2020, according to new report.

Carlos Menem, pictured at home by his daughter.

INTENSIVE CARE

Ex-president Carlos Menem back in hospital with breathing difficulties

02-07-2020 16:17 Former president, who turned 90 on Thursday, re-admitted to hospital just three days after being discharged. He remains in an intensive care unit.

Susana Martinengo (right) with former president Mauricio Macri and his daughter, Antonio.

ILLEGAL ESPIONAGE CLAIMS

22 arrests in illegal espionage probe, including ex-Macri official

02-07-2020 02:47 Susana Martinengo, co-ordinator of presidential documentation during the 2015-2019 Macri presidency, and 21 others detained on charges of illegal espionage against various political leaders.

Handout picture released by Presidency showing an aerial view of vehicles queueing at a checkpoint at La Noria bridge, over the Riachuelo in Buenos Aires.

Coronavirus pandemic

New phase of stricter lockdown begins in Buenos Aires

02-07-2020 00:17 Officials said Wednesday that the new measures were working well – the Buenos Aires City government said that on Wednesday 107,000 vehicles had used the capital's highways, a 33 percent drop from one week ago.

Workers wearing protective gear lower the casket of a Covid-19 victim at the Vila Formosa cemetery in São Paulo, Brazil, on Wednesday, April 29, 2020. Brazilians are resuming a measure of normal life just as Covid-19 deaths are spiking to hundreds per day, turning their country into a global hotspot.

Global pandemic

Latin America, Caribbean may see virus deaths quadruple: experts

01-07-2020 17:39 Pan American Health Organisation warns virus death toll in Latin America and the Caribbean could top 400,000 by October without stricter public health measures.

After the meeting of Governor Rodolfo Suárez with the Minister of the Interior, Eduardo Wado De Pedro, the alarms went off in Cuyo province.

Secessionist threat?

Mexit? Cornejo says Mendoza could thrive as ‘an independent country’

30-06-2020 21:28 Amid a row over a hydroelectric dam project, Alfred Cornejo lets rip at national government, accusing it of "harming" Mendoza and declaring that the province would thrive as an independent nation.

Shoppers line up alongside a newly re-opened toyshop in Buenos Aires.

DEBT RESTRUCTURING TALKS

Government weighs earlier coupon payments as debt talks stall

30-06-2020 19:09 Argentina is considering paying coupons sooner than previously announced, as it aims to close a gap with creditors in debt restructuring talks, according to people with knowledge of the matter.

View of Nahuel Huapi lake and the Andes during the lockdown imposed by the government to slow the spread of the Covid-19 coronavirus, in Bariloche, Rio Negro, Argentina, on June 24, 2020.

Coronavirus in Patagonia

Bariloche covered in snow but stripped of tourists, thanks to Covid-19

30-06-2020 17:37 Snow has fallen in Bariloche, but the streets and slopes are quiet in the famed tourist destination. Local businesses estimate that losses this month alone will be around 3.6 billion pesos (about US$48 million).

Porteños walk the streets just off Avenida Santa Fe in Buenos Aires City.

DEBT RESTRUCTURING

Argentina's creditors urge officials to move ahead on debt talks

30-06-2020 15:10 Creditors groups call for progress on talks, saying the "lack of serious engagement from the Argentine authorities is deeply concerning."

Carlos Menem, pictured at home by his daughter.

Former president

Carlos Menem leaves hospital after pneumonia scare

30-06-2020 12:41 Former president and senator for La Rioja Province was discharged from hospital on Monday after two weeks receiving treatment for pneumonia.

View of the illuminated Piramide de Mayo in Buenos Aires on June 28, 2020.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Argentina's economy tanked in April as virus hit home

30-06-2020 12:33 Construction was the worst hit industry, plummeting 86.4%, with hotels and restaurants not far behind (down 85.6%). Manufacturing, down 34.4%, and business, which lost 27%, were also hard hit.

Buildings inside the Senate are disinfected by workers.

Coronavirus pandemic

Argentina records highest daily death toll yet from Covid-19

30-06-2020 00:23 Forty-eight people died from Covid-19 in Argentina over the last 24 hours, Health Ministry officials said Monday, lifting the total number of fatalities to 1,280.

Carlos Bilardo.

EX-ARGENTINA MANAGER

Carlos Bilardo does not have Covid-19 and was misdiagnosed, says brother

30-06-2020 00:05 Argentina's 1986 World Cup winning coach was diagnosed with Covid-19 by mistake, his brother has revealed.

A street cleaner works on the streets of Buenos Aires, during the coronavirus lockdown.

BLOOMBERG

Economy plunges more than expected after lockdown

29-06-2020 23:10 Economic activity fell 17.5% in April from the previous month, and 26.4% from a year ago, the government reported Monday.

The agreements with the airlines include a Saturday flight to Madrid’s Barajas International Airport operated by Iberia from July 4 to August 1.

Travel and tourism

Limited flights to Madrid, Paris and Amsterdam restart in Argentina

29-06-2020 08:00 Once a week, special flights operated by various airlines will depart from Ezeiza, with flights also scheduled for Miami, Rome and Tel Aviv. Travellers will have to maintain a 14-day quarantine at their destination and sign a declaration that inhibits them from making claims against the government.

Images from the incident were captured by passersby.

POLICE BRUTALITY

Tucumán: Probe into police opened after man 'suffocated' during arrest

28-06-2020 19:09 Investigation opened in northern province after death of 43-year-old Walter Ceferino Nadal, in circumstances allegedly similar to death of George Floyd in United States.

A rainbow-flag hands from an apartment in Buenos Aires.

PRIDE WEEKEND

Gay Pride events go online to mark 50th anniversary

28-06-2020 09:10 In Argentina, public buildings and monuments were lit up in the rainbow colours of the gay rights movement, and local activists organised a week of online events, even though Gay Pride is normally celebrated here in November.

Hallway of the Muñiz hospital, now a central coronavirus testing center and lab.

Coronavirus pandemic

A day inside the intensive care unit of Buenos Aires' Hospital Muñiz

28-06-2020 09:00 Dr Eleonora Cunto, the head of intensive care at City's Hospital Muñiz in Parque Patricios on the spike in Covid-19 cases, pressure on hospital staff and fear amid the pandemic.

by Ayelén Bonino