News of world

Peter Thiel’s dystopia, Milei’s utopia

Today 06:07 There is ideological affinity between Milei and Thiel. Both of them fall under the category of anarcho-capitalist libertarians who see socialism and the decadence of Western society as major threats to humanity.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

Peter Thiel meets Javier Milei at the Casa Rosada.

POLITICS

Milei discusses taxes, culture war, politics during ‘wonderful’ meeting with Peter Thiel

Yesterday 21:32 President discusses liberalism, wealth taxes and anarcho-capitalism with German-US billionaire investor at government house.

Costa Rican economist and former Second Vice-President Rebeca Grynspan (on screen, R) speaks during a hearing to be considered as the next Secretary-General of the United Nations at the UN Headquarters in New York, on April 22, 2026.

RACE FOR UN SECRETARY-GENERAL

UN leadership hopefuls stress need for peace and restoring confidence

Yesterday 11:55 Contenders for next UN secretary-general make their case this week for a United Nations more invested in peace.

Brazil’s Vice-President Geraldo Alckmin.

TRADE & COMMERCE

Mercosur to reconsider Venezuela’s membership, Brazil says

Yesterday 11:36 Mercosur is set to discuss Venezuela’s possible return to the South American trade bloc as countries warm to Caracas following Nicolás Maduro's ouster.

US Ambassador in Argentina Peter Lamelas sparks ire of China's Embassy in Argentina.

DIPLOMATIC ROW

US and Chinese envoys in Argentina clash over influence in region

22-04-2026 15:33 Chinese Embassy in Argentina accuses US Ambassador Peter Lamelas of “ideological prejudices” and defamation after Washington’s envoy warned about advance of Asian giant.

Villa 31 shantytown, backdropped by part of Buenos Aires.

WEALTH & SOCIETY

Is taxing the super rich really viable in Latin America?

22-04-2026 12:05 New report proposing minimal levy on individuals with huge asset wealth in Latin America proposes a way to tax extreme wealth, but the idea also faces resistance.

President Javier Milei attends an Independence Day ceremony in Israel.

PRESIDENT IN ISRAEL

Milei ends visit to Israel with song at Independence Day ceremony

21-04-2026 22:07 Argentina's President watched Independence Day ceremony from the front row, alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, before taking to the stage for a speech and a song.

Rafael Mariano Grossi, Argentina's candidate to be the next secretary-general of the United Nations, address the UN General Assembly during public hearings for the post.

RACE FOR UN SECRETARY-GENERAL

Rafael Grossi pitches ‘enlightened pragmatism’ for fractured UN

21-04-2026 21:49 IAEA chief warns of growing distrust in the United Nations while outlining a more “pragmatic” approach to global crises; UN is not going in the right direction, he warns, offering “impartial” leadership and a front-footed approach to global crises.

by James Grainger

RIGHTS REPORT

Amnesty Int'l warns Milei government scaling back protections

21-04-2026 11:57 Report by NGO’s local chapter says government’s cuts have deepened inequality, with protests, the press and gender violence and abortion protections under increasing pressure.

by James Grainger

Amnesty International secretary general Agnès Callamard.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Amnesty warns of ‘predatory’ world order as leaders fuel crisis

21-04-2026 11:39 Human rights group says global protection system built over last 80 years faces potential collapse as governments fail to act against abuses; Amnesty's chief warns Trump, Putin and Netanyahu are "predators" and must not be appeased.

Grupo Mexico has pledged an initial US$3-billion investment to rebuild Argentina’s rail system.

Privatisation plans

Milei’s auction of nation's railroads risks sidelining US-backed bidder

21-04-2026 10:37 The model Milei's administration has chosen for the auctioning off of Argentina’s decaying freight railways has drawn criticism from industry experts and risks sidelining one of the most prominent bidders.

A slow-shutter image shows people standing before Pope Francis’ tomb at the Basilica of Saint Mary Major, a year after his death, in Rome on April 20, 2026.

DEATH OF POPE FRANCIS

Fondness for Pope Francis undimmed on first anniversary of late pontiff's death

21-04-2026 10:05 Pilgrims pray and share memories at the tomb of Pope Francis on the first anniversary of the Argentine pontiff's death.

President Javier Milei receives Israel's Presidential Medal of Honour from his Israeli counterpart Isaac Herzog.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Milei receives Israel’s highest civilian honour from president

20-04-2026 16:58 Israeli President Isaac Herzog awards Argentina’s President Javier Milei the ‘Presidential Medal of Honour’ – the country’s highest civilian distinction – in recognition of his commitment to the State of Israel.

President Javier Milei visits the Western Wall in the old city of Jerusalem on April 19, 2026.

PRESIDENT IN ISRAEL

Milei says US-Israel war against Iran is 'right thing to do'

20-04-2026 09:16 President praises United States and Israel for “war on terrorism” against Iran and its proxies; Milei and Netanyahu launch ‘Isaac Accords’ to unite nations with “Judeo-Christian values.”

Macky Sall; Michelle Bachelet; Rebeca Grynspan; Rafael Grossi.

RACE FOR UN SECRETARY-GENERAL

'Save humanity': A look at the four figures battling it out to lead the United Nations

20-04-2026 06:51 Argentina's Rafael Grossi, Chile's Michelle Bachelet, Costa Rican Rebeca Grynspan and Senegal's Macky Sall will each face grillings by 193 member states and NGOs this week as the race to become UN secretary-general heats up.

This aerial view shows Portuguese priest and DJ Padre Guilherme performing during a free electronic music event in Plaza de Mayo, Buenos Aires on April 18, 2026, held in tribute to Pope Francis on the first anniversary of his death.

RELIGION

'DJ Priest' mixes religion and rave in Buenos Aires tribute to Pope Francis

20-04-2026 06:44 Father Guilherme Peixoto – the "DJ Priest" – delights a massive crowd in the Plaza de Mayo by delivering a thrilling electronic rave paying tribute to Pope Francis one year after his death.

News photographer Tadeo Bourbon has been awarded a prize by the international World Press Photo (WPP) organisation for his photograph of the elderly Father Jorge ‘Chueco’ Romero being arrested by Coast Guards while joining pensioners in their weekly protest march outside Congress last May 14.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Stories that caught our eye: April 10 to 17

17-04-2026 18:17 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

IMF & ARGENTINA

Dollar shortage still looms after Argentina buys time at IMF

17-04-2026 17:27 Argentina has bought time, but the government still faces a hard-currency shortage that it'll have to tackle before elections next year.

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

Smelling a drop of blood in the water

17-04-2026 16:17 Losing control of the digital discourse for Milei is akin to losing the streets for a traditional Peronist politician of the 21st-century.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

President Javier Milei with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Foreign policy & diplomacy

Milei heads to Israel as Middle East ceasefire clock ticks down

17-04-2026 15:40 Visit to the Western Wall, meetings, ceremonies and the nation’s highest honour – Milei’s schedule in Israel; Presidential delegation departs this Saturday at 11am.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Is right right or a write-off?

17-04-2026 15:24 With Orban losing power and Trump upbraiding Meloni for sticking up for Pope Leo against his insults, President Javier Milei finds himself in a shrinking club.

by Michael Soltys

Economy Minister Luis Caputo and Ilan Goldfajn, President of the Inter-American Development Bank.

FRESH FINANCING

IDB joins World Bank in backing debt refinancing plan

17-04-2026 14:05 Multilateral support builds as government seeks cheaper refinancing ahead of July debt maturities.

Tercera conferencia internacional sobre Manipulación Informativa e Injerencia Extranjera (FIMI).

Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference

Experts warn of growing ‘FIMI’ disinformation threat at conference

17-04-2026 12:55 Experts, journalists and academics examine how foreign actors use media manipulation and online networks to shape public debate at conference on ‘Foreign Information Manipulation and Interference’; Event highlights alleged foreign-linked influence operations and notes vulnerabilities of Latin America’s fragmented media ecosystems.

INTERNATIONAL FINANCING

World Bank lines up US$2bn shield for Argentina’s debt refinancing

16-04-2026 16:01 Proposed backing could lower borrowing costs; Milei administration faces major July repayments and is seeking fresh international support.

Director General of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) Thibaut Bruttin poses for a picture after an interview with AFP in Guatemala City on April 13, 2026.

INTERVIEW: PRESS FREEDOM

Thibaut Bruttin: 'Trump playbook' is 'dangerous' example for press in Latin America

16-04-2026 15:44 Director of Reporters Without Borders (RSF) press organisation says that Donald Trump's approach to the media could colour the behaviour of ideologically aligned leaders across Latin America.

FOOTBALL & BUSINESS

Messi is new owner of Spanish fifth-tier club Cornellà

16-04-2026 15:26 Lionel Messi has acquired Unió Esportiva Cornellà, a tiny Spanish lower-division football club based just outside Barcelona, the city where the Argentine star made his name.

INTERNATIONAL FINANCING

Argentina in talks for US$2-billion loan backed by World Bank

16-04-2026 12:48 Argentina negotiating US$2-billion loan with private banks backed by guarantees from World Bank institutions.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

IMF AGREEMENT

Trump support collides with IMF caution over Argentina programme

16-04-2026 10:18 “Outstanding measures” required before the deal is taken to the Board. Trump’s support and pressure contrasts with a technical team that has worsened Argentina's inflation outlook and is calling for greater exchange-rate flexibility.

by Eugenia Muzio

INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION

Rafael Grossi named one of world’s 100 most influential figures by Time magazine

15-04-2026 17:25 IAEA chief recognised for crisis diplomacy as he warns Iran oversight is vital; Argentine diplomat receives award days before key hearings get underway, race to be UN secretary-general heats up.

This handout photo released by Argentina's Presidency press office shows Argentina’s President Javier Milei (R) shaking hands with his counterpart from the Czech Republic, Petr Pavel, before a meeting at the Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires on April 14, 2026.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Milei hosts Czech President Petr Pavel at Casa Rosada

15-04-2026 16:32 Leaders discuss cooperation in areas such as defence, energy, science and technology, while highlighting shared positions on major international issues, including support for Ukraine.

AMCHAM SUMMIT 2026

Milei vows to stay course, tackles ‘bad’ inflation data head-on in AmCham speech

14-04-2026 19:37 President confronts negative inflation data head-on at AmCham Summit in Buenos Aires, defending austerity measures, insisting inflation “will plummet” and vowing to remain on his economic course.

by James Grainger

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Orbán, the global far right and Milei’s moment

14-04-2026 14:46 The defeat of Hungary’s populist prime minister marks a setback for parties across the right-wing MAGA spectrum – Trump included.

by Walter Curia

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

IMF cuts Argentina's growth outlook, raises inflation forecast

14-04-2026 11:38 Argentina’s economy will expand by 3.5% says multilateral lender in revised growth estimate; Inflation now predicted to close out year at 30.5% – a rise of 10 points on last projection.

Antofagasta sees a natural advantage in leveraging Chile’s established mining ecosystem to support developments across the Andes.

MINING & INDUSTRY

Antofagasta signals interest in joining Argentina’s copper rush

14-04-2026 09:19 Chilean miner would consider entering through standalone exploration or a partnership with existing projects.

FERIA DEL LIBRO 2026

Buenos Aires Book Fair turns 50 with a focus on memory

13-04-2026 21:16 Fiftieth anniversary edition will revisit censorship during the dictatorship, honour Jorge Luis Borges and expand into immersive formats about future of reading and publishing in Argentina.

President of Argentina Javier Milei, Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban, President of FIFA Gianni Infantino attend the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace at the Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace on February 19, 2026 in Washington DC.

Foreign policy & diplomacy

Government greets Hungary’s new leader after Milei ally Orbán gets boot

13-04-2026 20:52 Milei’s Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno extends greeting to Hungary’s newly elected Prime Minister Péter Magyar after European nation votes to oust Viktor Orbán and end populist’s 16 years in power.

A container ship at the Port of Rosario in Argentina, on December 17, 2025.

Geopolitics & business

Milei’s auction favours group with past China ties, US dredger warns

13-04-2026 15:06 US dredging company calls out bid terms of President Javier Milei’s signature concession in Argentina, claiming they’re tilted in favour of a consortium with past ties to China.

Inside the Brasil Bolsa Balcão (B3) stock exchange in the financial district of São Paulo.

MARKETS & INVESTMENT

Oil-rich Latin America lures traders navigating war jitters

13-04-2026 14:45 Latin American assets have emerged as a haven for emerging-market investors trying to navigate an increasingly volatile global backdrop.

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

Russian psyops and the dance of the candidates

11-04-2026 07:34 The Milei administration is on the back foot, tired, hanging off the ropes, but is nowhere near knockout territory.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

AS I SEE IT

Did the ayatollahs get one over on Trump?

11-04-2026 06:49 Even though Trump is desperately looking for an excuse to call it quits, he could change his mind yet again when it dawns on him that the remnants of the Iranian regime are making him look like a loser.

by James Neilson

The Argentine microsatellite ATENEA attached to the Artemis II moon mission successfully completed its 20 hours of transmitting data from outer space to earth last weekend, the CONAE (Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales) space agency informed.

The Week in Review

Stories that caught our eye: April 2 to 10

10-04-2026 18:33 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva fronts a press conference.

Crime & Security

Authorities say fatal school shooting linked online ‘TCC’ crime community

09-04-2026 18:49 Security Minister Alejandra Monteoliva says San Cristóbal school shooting was not “an isolated case nor a case of bullying,” claiming the shooter “participated in an international digital network” and Internet subculture dedicated to such incidents.

Argentine fans celebrate their second goal scored by Lionel Messi during a friendly football match between Argentina and Zambia at La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires on March 31, 2026.

INTERNATIONAL FOOTBALL

Argentina to play Honduras and Iceland in pre-World Cup friendlies

09-04-2026 17:56 'La Scaloneta' will face Honduras on June 6 in Texas and Iceland’s senior side on June 9 in Alabama ahead of World Cup kick-off.

A woman holds a poster mocking US President Donald Trump while others hold portraits of Iran's slain supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and his son and successor Mojtaba Khamenei during a rally to commemorate his death in Tehran on April 9, 2026.

WAR IN MIDDLE EAST

Israel vows to fight on as Trump grants Iran ceasefire

09-04-2026 11:59 United States and Iran agree a ceasefire and are due to launch talks in Pakistan aimed at reaching a longer-term deal, but crucial sticking points remain.

Argentina's Glaciers are subject to legal protections, but President Javier Milei's bill would weaken existing rules for glaciers and periglacial areas.

ANALYSIS

Congress approves glacier law in win for Milei and copper miners

09-04-2026 11:42 Reform, which miners had lobbied for, gives provincial governors control over deciding whether a glacier or permafrost formation is a key source of water downstream. If the provinces decide they aren’t, miners can exploit them.

BOOKS & LITERATURE

Author Samanta Schweblin wins one-million-euro literary prize

09-04-2026 00:56 Argentine author takes inaugural €1m award for 'El buen mal'; Controversy surrounds state-backed Aena’s entry into the literary sphere with Premio Aena de Narrativa Hispanoamericana prize.

Lucrecia Martel: One of the most influential contemporary filmmakers returns with a documentary redefining our outlook on the social and sensory spheres.

FILM & CINEMA / INTERVIEW

Lucrecia Martel: ‘Filmmakers have the best tools – cheaper and more potent than missiles’

08-04-2026 13:59 Argentine film director Lucrecia Martel moves into documentary making with ‘Nuestra tierra’ (“Our land”), a feature which does not limit itself to reconstructing the facts.

by Juan Manuel Dominguez

YPF NATIONALISATION CASE

Mystery surrounding Burford’s hidden YPF litigation partners grows

07-04-2026 12:03 Over and above the forfeited gains of the law office that litigated against Argentina, the big losers of the recent New York Court of Appeals ruling over the nationalisation of YPF are the investors who bought up part of the suit. The story of a trial which still shrouds identities – a mystery only a US judge will be able to elucidate.

by Carlos Burgueño

Workers inspect trucks arriving with pipes for the Vaca Muerta Sur pipeline in Neuquén.

MARKETS & BONDS

Argentina looks to global debt markets to finance energy boom

07-04-2026 10:41 Corporate borrowers are turning to global debt markets to fund an energy-driven expansion.

US President Donald Trump mimics firing a gun as he speaks about the conflict in Iran in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House on April 6, 2026, in Washington, DC.

WAR IN MIDDLE EAST

Trump warns 'whole civilization will die' in Iran if ultimatum expires

07-04-2026 10:26 Trump warns US military will bomb Iran's bridges, power plants and other civilian infrastructure into the "stone age."

This screengrab from a NASA livestream shows the Orion spacecraft approaching the Moon on April 6, 2026. The four astronauts embarking on NASA's lunar flyby became on April 6 the humans to travel furthest from our planet, as they get set to view areas of the Moon never before seen by the naked eye.

SPACE TRAVEL

New frontier: Artemis astronauts break space distance record

06-04-2026 16:53 Four astronauts embarking on NASA's lunar flyby become Monday the humans to travel furthest from our planet.

MARKETS & BONDS

Ex-Wall Street trader attempts distressed M&A turnarounds in Milei’s Argentina

06-04-2026 14:22 After years trading securities in New York, Esteban Nofal’s hunt for returns has brought him home to Argentina.

Chile's President José Antonio Kast and Argentina’s President Javier Milei look at each other on the balcony of the Casa Rosada government palace after a meeting, in Buenos Aires on April 6, 2026.

FOREIGN POLICY

Milei meets Kast after failed arrest of Chilean ex-guerrilla

06-04-2026 13:36 Argentina’s President hosts Chilean counterpart in Buenos Aires as ties deepen; Visit overshadowed by failed arrest of ex-guerrilla wanted by Santiago as leaders seek closer political and economic alignment.

GUEST COLUMN

Perspectives and trends for Argentina in the current global context

04-04-2026 18:18 What started as a demonstration of power became, in a matter of weeks, a factor of internal instability.

by Gustavo Vera

People high-five each other after playing padel on a court in Miami, Florida, on March 22, 2026.

SPORT & LEISURE

'Sport of the future'? Padel's Miami boom augurs US expansion

04-04-2026 09:19 Padel originated in the late 1960s in Mexico and was exported to Argentina and Spain. As its popularity explodes in Miami, its fans say it will conquer the rest of the United States – and the world.

MALVINAS SOVEREIGNTY DISPUTE

Argentina backs Bolivia, rebukes UK ambassador in La Paz in diplomatic clash

04-04-2026 08:52 Milei government sparks diplomatic clash by criticising UK Ambassador in Laz Richard Porter, who had previously described Bolivia’s support for Argentina’s Malvinas sovereignty claim as unacceptable.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Easter islands

04-04-2026 06:31 Argentina is celebrating Easter with a president more interested in Passover but the bigger challenges to the traditional Church are coming from secularisation and Protestantism.

by Michael Soltys

Editorial

Yelling Personal Feats

04-04-2026 06:22 Milei and Kicillof might fight for the credit for a historic ruling but is not the real hero of Argentina’s growing energy surplus quite simply Vaca Muerta shale?

RUSSIAN DISINFORMATION CAMPAIGN

Investigation reveals Milei was targeted by Russia disinformation campaign

03-04-2026 19:17 A network linked to Russia’s intelligence services carried out a secret disinformation campaign against the President Javier Milei’s government in 2024, reveals an international consortium of media organisations citing leaked documents.

Iran's charges d'affaires in Buenos Aires Mohsen Soltani Tehrani and the release announcing he had been given 48 hours to leave the country.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Expelled Iran envoy says decision ‘does not benefit Argentina’

03-04-2026 09:11 Iran’s chargé d’affaires Mohsen Soltani Tehrani criticises decision by President Javier MIlei’s government to expel him from Argentina.

by Cecilia Degl'Innocenti

A drilling rig at a site at the Vaca Muerta formation in Patagonia.

ANALYSIS

Vaca Muerta turns global oil shock into opportunity for Argentina

03-04-2026 06:38 Argentina’s shale boom is reshaping its economy. Rising global energy prices were once a historic vulnerability, now they’re into a growing source of external strength.

by Santiago del Carril

Trump, Milei, the US, Argentina and the YPF case.

YPF CASE – ANALYSIS

Argentina’s New York battle scars

03-04-2026 06:20 The Argentine Republic is a veteran of many battles in New York Courthouses and the YPF case is one of its most epic stand-offs.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

'Hijo Mayor,' la nueva película de Cecilia Kang.

FILM & CINEMA

'Hijo mayor' tells story of identity in Korean diaspora in Argentina

02-04-2026 18:43 Korean-Argentine director Cecilia Kang draws on family memories and the Korean diaspora in Argentina in her first fiction feature, competing at the Cinelatino festival in Toulouse.

BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA - APRIL 2: Argentine President Javier Milei, Buenos Aires City Mayor Jorge Macri and President of the Chamber of Deputies Martin Menem sign the national anthem during a ceremony to remember the 44th anniversary of the Malvinas war at Plaza San Martin on April 2, 2026 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Argentina honours the 649 soldiers killed in action as well as the war veterans.

MALVINAS ANNIVERSARY SPEECH

Milei marks war anniversary with Malvinas oil warning

02-04-2026 18:29 President Javier Milei reaffirms Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the Malvinas Islands in speech and questions offshore oil exploration near disputed islands.

A woman walks past the Iranian Embassy in Buenos Aires on June 20, 2025.

Foreign relations & diplomacy

Argentina expels Iran's top diplomatic envoy

02-04-2026 12:22 Argentina declares Iran's Counsellor and acting Charge d'Affaires, Mohsen Soltani Tehrani, "persona non grata" and ordered him to leave the country within 48 hours.

A YPF petrol station in Buenos Aires on July 13, 2025.

ENERGY & GAS

Argentina to maintain petrol prices in shift for free-market Milei

02-04-2026 12:11 Argentina’s state-run energy firm YPF SA will keep petrol prices at the pump steady for 45 days, says state energy firm's CEO Horacio Marín.

The Artemis II crewed lunar mission launches at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on April 1, 2026.

NEW MISSION TO THE MOON

Astronauts blast off for historic 'Artemis II' US lunar journey

01-04-2026 20:28 NASA’s first attempt to return to the moon in 54 years achieved with the help of the University of Buenos Aires (UBA), whose Engineering Faculty was entrusted with developing a microsatellite named Atenea.

Karina Milei, watched on by other officials, is greeted by a military band playing ABBA songs at the Casa Rosada to mark her birthday.

The Week in Review

Stories that caught our eye: March 27 to April 1

01-04-2026 20:28 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

SL Benfica's Argentine forward Gianluca Prestianni hides his mouth while arguing with Real Madrid's Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior who complained about alleged racists insults during the UEFA Champions League knockout round play-off first leg football match between SL Benfica and Real Madrid CF at Estadio da Luz in Lisbon on February 17, 2026.

FOOTBALL

Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni denies 'ugly' racism claims

01-04-2026 18:36 Benfica winger Gianluca Prestianni says he had been punished "without evidence" following accusations that he racially abused Real Madrid forward Vinícius Junior.

This photo illustration shows the hands of a man withdrawing Argentine pesos from an ATM in a bank in Buenos Aires on March 5, 2026.

Currency & markets

Milei’s peso bucks EM losses on shale, agriculture boom

01-04-2026 16:58 Gains are being driven by a seasonal surge in agricultural exports, rising energy shipments from the Vaca Muerta shale basin and a wave of dollar borrowing by local companies.