FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY Milei closes off tour with Italian president, PM encounters 12-02-2024 15:18 President Javier Milei meets with his Italian counterpart Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, eyeing “new stage” in bilateral ties.
Politics Milei crowns Caputo as super-minister, granting him greater power 03-02-2024 06:32 President Javier Milei has left in his economy minister’s hands all the areas managed by former Infrastructure minister Guillermo Ferraro. Today, Luis Caputo is one of the most influential people in the libertarian leader’s government. by Gonzalo Martínez
POLITICS President Milei sacks Infrastructure Minister Guillermo Ferraro 25-01-2024 22:34 Infrastructure Minister Guillermo Ferraro asked to resign post amid reports he leaked information from Cabinet meetings, local media reports.
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
MILEI’S GOVERNMENT New Economy Minister Caputo to announce first measures Tuesday 11-12-2023 11:31 Milei’s chief spokesman Manuel Adorni, speaking early on Monday from the presidential palace, didn’t provide a specific time for the announcement, confirming the measures are expected for the next day.
MILEI’S GOVERNMENT Luis ‘Toto’ Caputo returns to fore with unenviable task 30-11-2023 14:54 President-elect Javier Milei confirms that Macri-era finance chief will be tasked with leading Argentina’s economy out of the doldrums and “defusing the bomb that the government is leaving behind.”
CABINET APPOINTMENTS Milei confirms Luis Caputo will be economy minister 29-11-2023 08:19 President-elect says in interview upon return from trip to United States that both the Treasury and the IMF "understand Argentina's problems perfectly” and that ex-Macri administration official Luis Caputo will serve as economy minister.
MILEI’S GOVERNMENT Milei says Luis Caputo has expertise to be economy minister 23-11-2023 14:39 President-elect lauds former Central Bank president Luis Caputo, acknowledging he has the expertise to be the next government’s economy minister.
ELECTION 2023: FALL-OUT Milei says no transition meeting planned as Massa decides to stay on 20-11-2023 18:39 Javier Milei says that "there is no meeting planned" with President Alberto Fernández and says responsibility for period until December 10 inauguration lies with head of state and Sergio Massa, who decides to stay on as economy minister.
BLOOMBERG - ANALYSIS Milei opens a new era: What comes next in Argentina policy-making 20-11-2023 09:25 Milei’s biggest political challenge will be his lack of support in Congress, where his party only counts a minority of senators and a fraction of lower house representatives.
ELECTION 2023: FALL-OUT Report: Economy Minister Massa ‘to take leave of absence’ 19-11-2023 23:59 Argentina’s Economy Minister Sergio Massa will reportedly seek a leave of absence from his post to "facilitate the transition" with President-elect Javier Milei; President Alberto Fernández speaks with election winner and duo agree to meet Monday for talks.
Election 2023 'The results are not what we hoped for' – Massa concedes defeat 19-11-2023 20:41 Economy Minister Sergio Massa pre-empted the publication of provisional results on Sunday night, conceding defeat in the presidential run-off to Javier Milei.
MINISTER ON CAMPAIGN Massa aims portfolio power at pockets with income tax bill 14-09-2023 13:55 Economy Minister Sergio Massa raises income tax minimum threshold and programme to return IVA value-added tax, just one month before elections; Move means just 80,000 tax-payers will be paying 'ganancias' from October onwards.
GOVERNMENT MEASURES Argentina fixes oil price at US$56 a barrel to put inflation in check 18-08-2023 14:27 Argentina has fixed the price of oil received by drillers at US$56 as it scrambles to stop inflation getting further out of control after this week’s currency devaluation.
ELECTION 2023 Massa-Rossi: Unión por la Patria’s unexpected unity formula 30-06-2023 06:58 Argentina’s ruling coalition, after talks between Alberto Fernández and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, finally opts for unity and no Kirchnerite name on the ticket – with the president choosing the second name on the ticket. by Rosario Ayerdi
BILATERAL RELATIONS Fernández and Lula meet in Brasília for trade and financing talks 02-05-2023 20:42 President Alberto Fernández met with Brazilian leader Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brasília on Tuesday, with talks focusing on financing for imports and exports.
INTERVIEW / PERIODISMO PURO Sergio Massa: ‘Argentina is a country which has a lot to offer a world in crisis’ 14-01-2023 06:38 In his first long interview since assuming office as Argentina’s ‘super economy minister,’ Sergio Massa analyses his first few months in office and outlines his goals for 2023. by Jorge Fontevecchia
Minister's outlook Economy can grow above 3% while slowing inflation, says Massa 08-01-2023 22:37 Economy Minister Sergio Massa says Argentina can record growth of 3% in 2023 in a feature-length interview with Perfil newspaper.
EXCHANGE MARKET Argentina’s black-market peso slumps to record ahead of holidays 29-12-2022 15:33 Argentina's black market exchange rate plunged to a record low this week, with the blue dollar hitting 357 pesos per greenback.
ANALYSIS Lula tests markets, picking leftist ex-mayor Haddad as finance boss 12-12-2022 09:53 Former São Paulo Mayor Fernando Hadda, a 59-year-old party loyalist, named as finance minister, following weeks of speculation about who would take on the most challenging job in Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva's incoming administration.
THE ECONOMIC INSIDERS Meet the trio of key players backing Massa at the Economy Ministry 16-11-2022 10:54 Gabriel Rubinstein, Guillermo Michel and Lisandro Cleri are the officials who represent the eyes of Argentina’s Economy Minister Sergio Massa. Longtime and low-profile backers of the Tigre leader, their support is unconditional.
BLOOMBERG Massa discussed Inter-American Development Bank job with US senators 08-11-2022 22:15 US senators discussed with Sergio Massa the possibility of Argentina's economy minister becoming a candidate to lead the Inter-American Development Bank.
BRITISH POLITICS Challenges await new UK PM Sunak, fifth Tory leader in six years 27-10-2022 15:20 Arrival of 42-year-old in office, youngest PM of modern times, cheers up Conservatives – but Labour senses weakness.
BRITISH POLITICS Sunak names team of familiar faces to steer UK through crisis 27-10-2022 02:29 Prime Minister Rishi Sunak named an experienced Cabinet to lead the UK through what he called a “profound economic crisis,” only to face immediate criticism for reappointing a series of scandal-hit former ministers to senior government jobs.
BRITISH POLITICS Incoming PM Sunak inherits UK economy in crisis 24-10-2022 14:31 Britain's next leader inherits a UK economy that was headed for recession even before the recent turmoil triggered by Liz Truss.
HUNT FOR GREENBACKS Massa seeks more dollars, betting everything on 2023 07-10-2022 08:51 Relief from the government’s “soy dollar” twinned with concern because hoarding hard currency will not be so easy in the final months of the year; Minister on course to deliver fiscal deficit of 2.5% of gross domestic product, thus magnifying future political tensions and challenges for an electoral year.
FEATURE Cash-strapped Argentina goes all or nothing on new economy chief 15-09-2022 15:55 New ‘super’ minister has undoubted political clout and scored early wins in Washington – but Sergio Massa’s presidential ambitions depend on avoiding economic meltdown
ECONOMY MINISTER ABROAD Massa holds first meetings with US government in Washington 06-09-2022 18:05 Economy Minister Sergio Massa meets with officials from the US government as trip to Washington begins in earnest.
ECONOMY MINISTRY Gabriel Rubinstein appointed economic planning secretary 22-08-2022 10:38 Massa taps ex-central banker to craft response to economic crisis.
POLITICS & ECONOMY Argentina taps ex-central banker to craft response to crisis 22-08-2022 10:14 Sergio Massa taps Gabriel Rubinstein as secretary of economic planning. Veteran economic will help craft the policy response to currency slump and runaway inflation.
Bloomberg Argentine bond rebound stalls as new minister faces a mountain to climb 18-08-2022 16:53 Initial market confidence in Sergio Massa has faltered. New “super” minister must prove he can turn his promises to slow inflation into reality, as debt rebound decelerates.
AND THAT REMINDS ME… From Batgirl to Superman? 12-08-2022 10:54 Massa’s rise has relegated President Alberto Fernández to a distant third in the ruling troika where Cristina Fernández de Kirchner retains full veto powers even when abstaining from calling the shots. by Michael Soltys
Cabinet Reshuffle New economy minister vows to respect IMF deficit deal 04-08-2022 18:36 Sergio Massa, Argentina’s third new economy minister in a month, promised to reduce public deficit, as agreed with the IMF, after he was sworn into office.
Cabinet Reshuffle Argentina’s new economy czar sworn in 03-08-2022 17:34 Sergio Massa takes over as the country’s third economy chief in the last month
Bloomberg Argentina is running out of cash to stave off devaluation 02-08-2022 18:10 Argentina teeters on the precipice of severe financial crisis. Peso devaluation looms, with potential for hyperinflation.
Cabinet Reshuffle ‘Super’ economy minister faces mounting crisis ahead 01-08-2022 14:10 Following days of uncertainty during the absence of then Economy Minister Silvina Batakis in Washington, the cabinet changes under study by President Alberto Fernández since midweek started falling into place soon after her return Thursday with Congress Speaker Sergio Massa the new “super-minister.”
Argentine Government Argentina Names Third Economy Minister in a Month Amid Crisis 28-07-2022 19:55 Sergio Massa is the new economy minister, in an expanded role. The former lower house speaker takes over from Silvina Batakis, who held office for only three weeks.
Politics Sergio Massa made “super-minister” in cabinet reshuffle 28-07-2022 18:33 The economy, productive development and agriculture, livestock and fishery ministries will be absorbed under one role.
Politics Argentina cabinet reshuffle: rumours of another new economy minister 28-07-2022 13:23 Argentine Government is changing again: Béliz resigns, rumours abound that Sergio Massa will replace Silvina Batakis as economy minister.
And that reminds me… From Gooseman to Batgirl? 09-07-2022 07:30 Recommended to President Fernández as having “the necessary dose of heterodoxy and the indispensable dose of orthodoxy,” Guzmán was eventually found wanting on both counts with the latter front more fatal. by Michael Soltys
Another week in Argentina Resignation, transition, succession: Inside Guzmán's last days and Batakis' first 08-07-2022 09:48 The economy minister’s decision to step down, the reaction to it and how the government found a replacement – inside a momentous week in Argentina. by Juan Luis González
DEBT TALKS Paris Club requires Argentina stick to IMF deal to rework debt 07-07-2022 14:20 Paris Club group of wealthy creditors says government must give assurances that it will comply with IMF deal if talks over restructuring of debt are to continue.
CABINET CHANGE Stiglitz: Frente de Todos divisions made Guzmán’s work impossible 06-07-2022 16:34 Economist and 2001 Nobel Prize for Economics winner Joseph Stiglitz blames coalition tensions for Martín Guzmán's departure from office.
PROFILE: SILVINA BATAKIS ‘Silvina the Greek’: minister with political profile becomes consensus pick 06-07-2022 16:12 With a political profile located on the left wing of the ruling coalition, economist Silvina Batakis emerged as the consensus figure to lead the Economy Ministry.
FINANCIAL TURBULENCE Argentina's bonds, currency plunge on Batakis' first day in office 05-07-2022 17:04 Argentina’s global bonds fell the most since they were issued nearly two years ago as Silvina Batakis assumes office.
NEW MINISTER SWORN-IN Batakis sends message to markets as she’s sworn-in as economy minister 04-07-2022 22:17 Argentina’s new economy minister Silvina Batakis says she believes in “fiscal balance” and says Argentina needs “more exports” and to “revalue our currency.” Vowing to talk to the IMF soon, she says that the government's segmentation plan to alter subsidies for public utilities will continue.
Bloomberg Batakis takes reins of Argentina’s economy as markets tumble 04-07-2022 21:34 Silvina Batakis declares that she "believes in fiscal balance" as she is sworn-in as economy minister.
Economic crisis Markets react negatively to change of economy minister 04-07-2022 17:30 The peso depreciated sharply against the dollar in the informal market on Monday as investors reacted to the appointment of Silvina Batakis as economy minister.
BLOOMBERG Analysts: Argentina's IMF deal at risk with new economy minister 04-07-2022 15:08 Analysts say Argentina's US$44-billion programme with the International Monetary Fund may be in jeopardy after President Alberto Fernández chose leftist economist Silvina Batakis as the country's new economy minister.
BLOOMBERG Argentina’s black market peso sinks on economy minister shake-up 04-07-2022 14:16 Argentina’s black market exchange rate tumbled on Monday after left-leaning economist Silvina Batakis was appointed as the new economy minister.