CRIME & THE COURTS Fernando Báez Sosa: Appeals court confirms sentences for killers 24-03-2024 17:39 Buenos Aires Province appeals court confirms sentences for eight rugby-players convicted of murdering 18-year-old Fernando Báez Sosa in Villa Gesell in January 2020.
COURTS Trial into attempted assassination of Fernández de Kirchner set for June 12-03-2024 11:31 Fernando Sabag Montiel, Brenda Uliarte and Nicolás Carrizo to stand trial for attempted assassination of former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner; More than 270 witnesses expected to be called – including the victim.
GEOPOLITICS & DIPLOMACY Brazil urges 'new globalisation' at G20 meet overshadowed by Ukraine 29-02-2024 11:20 Brazil called for a "new globalisation" to address poverty and climate change as finance ministers from the world's top economies met Wednesday, but the Ukraine and Gaza wars risked overshadowing the plea.
Ecuador drug war Soldiers enter key Ecuador prison as 'war' on narcos deepens 18-01-2024 14:08 Hundreds of soldiers enter a prison in a Guayaquil as part of crackdown on drug bosses, day after high-profile assassination of prosecutor investigating last week's attack on public TV station.
A WALK THROUGH HISTORY How Argentina arrived to 40 years of democracy 09-12-2023 09:31 From Raúl Alfonsín to Alberto Fernández, a breathless, compressed account of how Argentina traversed four decades of democracy. by Michael Soltys
Election 2023 Javier Milei gets a challenge from team that beat Jair Bolsonaro 19-10-2023 20:45 A team of top Brazilian campaign strategists are attempting to help Sergio Massa win the presidency in Argentina.
ATTACK ON VICE-PRESIDENT Brenda Uliarte changes tack on CFK assassination attempt 28-09-2023 00:20 Brenda Uliarte, co-defendant and former partner of would-be assailant Fernando Sabag Montiel, testifies that “somebody is clearly behind” the attempted assassination of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner as she attempts to distance herself from plot to kill vice-president.
OBITUARY Colombian artist and sculptor Fernando Botero dies at 91 15-09-2023 13:31 Passionate and tireless Colombian artist Fernando Botero, once dubbed the 'Picasso of Latin America,' has died at 91. A prolific artist, he produced more than 3,000 paintings that have been displayed in countries across the world.
ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT CFK assassination attempt: President Fernández slams 'slowness' of courts 01-09-2023 19:56 President Alberto Fernandez slams justice system for its "singular slowness" in criminal investigation into attempted assassination of Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner
EXPORTS Brazil agrees export financing deal with Argentina 29-08-2023 14:15 Brazilian Finance Minister Fernando Haddad and Argentina's Economy Minister Sergio Massa announce agreement to fund Brazilian exports to the tune of US$600 million.
ECONOMY MINISTER ABROAD Massa’s trip to Brazil ends without deal on exports to Argentina 29-08-2023 10:00 Brazil had proposed using yuan reserves to guarantee payment; Haddad surprised by agenda unilateraly released by Massa.
Election in Ecuador Ecuador heads to presidential run-off pitting left against right 21-08-2023 09:16 Luisa González, a lawyer close to divisive former leader Rafael Correa, emerges as frontrunner after Ecuador presidential election; She will face Daniel Noboa in a second-round showdown in October.
IN FOCUS Murder, cocaine and tears: Ecuador confronts a perilous descent 11-08-2023 09:33 Fernando Villavicencio’s assassination has thrust unwanted attention on Ecuador. Just a few years ago it had enjoyed the reputation of being tranquil and relatively safe but now its descent toward becoming a narco-state has become evident in the eyes of the world.
ECUADOR Fernando Villavicencio: fierce opponent of corruption 10-08-2023 10:17 Ecuadorean presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was shot dead after holding a rally in Quito on Wednesday evening. The 59-year-old journalist, was one of eight candidates in the August 20 presidential election.
ASSASSINATION IN ECUADOR Ecuador presidential candidate shot dead after rally 09-08-2023 21:54 Ecuadorean presidential candidate and journalist Fernando Villavicencio was shot dead after holding a rally in Quito on Wednesday evening, local media reported.
FERNANDO PEREZ ALGABA CASE Dismembered businessman mystery rocks Argentina 01-08-2023 18:32 Land Rover driven by the victim was in possession of an alleged partner and has been surrendered to the Buenos Aires Province police force. From his closest circle they have doubts about a murder due to a debt. Why were his remains dismembered, bagged and thrown into a suitcase? by Leonardo Nieva
PASO primaries The end of the Kirchnerite-Macrista grip on power is nigh 28-07-2023 18:52 It will be interesting to see how the campaign evolves after the primaries, where internally antagonistic forces will have to team up in order to retain an ideologically different electorate. In the aftermath of the election it is probable that both of the major coalitions will fracture. by Agustino Fontevecchia
Economy Brazil’s economic activity tumbles past all forecasts 17-07-2023 19:57 Brazil's economy shrank more than expected in May, but President Lula's government's reforms and anticipated rate cuts have raised investor optimism.
INTERVIEW / PERIODISMO PURO Fernando Straface: ‘There's genuine US concern about Chinese presence in the region' 17-06-2023 06:39 Fernando Straface, secretary-general and secretary of foreign affairs for the Buenos Aires City government, on international relations, the legacy of the Mauricio Macri government and what a Horario Rodríguez Larreta Presidency would look like. by Jorge Fontevecchia
ATTACK ON VICE-PRESIDENT Judge sends trio of suspects to trial for CFK assassination attempt 12-06-2023 19:10 Federal judges adhere's to prosecutor's request and orders three defendants accused of attempting to kill Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to stand trial; Former president rejects move, calling for further investigation into alleged masterminds behind attack.
FERIA DEL LIBRO 2023 Writers, activists, thinkers – seven to see at the BA Book Fair 24-04-2023 06:45 Acclaimed wordsmiths and political strategists – including the likes of Fernando Aramburu Irigoye, Raul Zurita, James Bayley, and Gabriela Cabezón Cámara — will be among those attending the 47th annual Feria Internacional del Libro de Buenos Aires as special guests. by Api Dhadda
CRIME & SECURITY Family seek justice for slain Catamarca minister 06-04-2023 18:00 The children of Juan Carlos Rojas, late Catamarca Province social development minister, denounce the “cover up” of their father’s brutal murder last December, providing photos of mutilated victim as proof of wrongdoing.
BRAZILIAN POLITICS Mixed results for Brazil's Lula in first 100 days 06-04-2023 13:51 Lula's approval rating has taken a hit over last three months after a series of gaffes and a public spat with the central bank over interest rates.
LITERATURE Borges’ estate may pass to widow’s nephews and nieces, says lawyer 04-04-2023 17:05 Rights to Jorge Luis Borges' work and archive, guarded until last month by writer's late widow, fellow-author María Kodama, may be passed onto her nephews and nieces, reveals lawyer.
OPINION & ANALYSIS A country which always depends on the rain 04-04-2023 11:08 While rainfall at times this year has eased the panorama, losses of US$12 billion to US$15 billion are forecast for Argentina's export earnings due to drought. An analysis of the last 70 years indicates that climatic phenomena like La Niña can strongly affect Argentina’s economy and damage sitting governments, as poor harvests did for Fernando de la Rúa (2000-2001), Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (2008-2009) and Mauricio Macri (2017-2018). What could happen in the October elections?
OIL TAX Lula irks foreign oil companies with new tax 23-03-2023 14:38 Brazil's new tax on crude exports set to run from March to July leads foreign oil companies to petition the federal government
ATTACK ON VICE-PRESIDENT ‘I pulled the trigger and it didn't fire,’ says CFK’s would-be assassin 14-03-2023 11:37 "I have no regrets. I wanted to kill her because of the situation in the country," reveals Fernando Sabag Montiel, the man behind the failed assassination attempt against Cristina Fernández de Kirchner last September 1.
AND THAT REMINDS ME… Candles in the wind 11-02-2023 07:00 Perhaps it is the frequency of savage crimes which creates the need to single one out in order to restore inhumanity to human dimensions. by Michael Soltys
As I see it Crime, punishment and the law 11-02-2023 07:00 Few will shed many tears over what awaits the eight hooligans who killed Fernando Báez Sosa, but the trial, conducted as it was before a vociferous audience of millions, leaves a bad taste behind. by James Neilson
Killing of Fernando Báez Sosa Báez Sosa’s parents say judges ‘fell short with sentences’ 07-02-2023 13:55 Mother and father of murdered 18-year-old say their son can now “rest in peace,” though they express dissatisfaction with decision not to sentence all eight to life imprisonment.
Fernando Báez Sosa trial Judges: Attack on ‘defenceless’ Báez Sosa was ‘previously agreed’ 06-02-2023 22:24 Judges rule that attack on “defenceless” 18-year-old Fernando Báez Sosa was “previously agreed”; Court rejects defence’s request for a conviction on the grounds that it was a "homicide in a quarrel.”
MURDER IN VILLA GESELL Báez Sosa trial: Who was convicted and what was their sentence? 06-02-2023 17:10 Five of the accused handed life imprisonment as co-perpetrators of the murder, with remaining three found guilty as "secondary participants."
MURDER IN VILLA GESELL Báez Sosa trial prosecutors happy with ‘justice,’ but will appeal 06-02-2023 15:53 Prosecutors from the trial in Fernando Báez Sosa’s death say "justice was done” after reading of verdict, but indicate they will appeal decision to convict Ayrton Viollaz, Lucas Pertossi and Blas Cinalli only as secondary participants.
Murder in Villa Gesell Five of eight accused of killing Fernando Báez Sosa handed life sentences 06-02-2023 13:19 Five of the eight young rugby players accused of killing Fernando Báez Sosa outside a Villa Gesell nightclub three years ago sentenced to life in jail; Three others in the dock handed 15 years for playing secondary role in attack.
KILLING OF FERNANDO BÁEZ SOSA Judges analyse evidence ahead of Báez Sosa murder case ruling 03-02-2023 08:38 Videos that reconstruct the attack, autopsy results, forensic reports and accounts from eyewitnesses – a look at the main pieces of evidence that could convict the accused. by Leonardo Nieva
Murder in Villa Gesell 'Racism, machismo and classism' evident in Báez Sosa killing, say sociologists 27-01-2023 16:10 High-profile murder trial into the brutal killing of young Fernando Báez Sosa, beaten to death by a group of eight rugby players, shines a light on discrimination in Argentina.
Murder in Villa Gesell Prosecutor seeks life terms for eight rugby players accused of murder 26-01-2023 02:16 Eight Argentine rugby players accused of beating teenager Fernando Báez Sosa to death in Villa Gesell apologise to parents, but their legal team still seeks acquittal.
'Los Rugbiers' Rugby players accused of murder suspected of running supportive Instagram account 25-01-2023 15:44 Investigators believe two of the eight former rugby players accused of beating 18-year-old Fernando Báez Sosa to death three years ago may be behind a supportive Instagram account pleading their case.
Murder in Villa Gesell Three years on, Fernando Báez Sosa’s parents plead for ‘justice’ 19-01-2023 20:25 Parents of Fernando Báez Sosa, the 18-year-old who was beaten to death outside the Le Brique nightclub in Villa Gesell, use the anniversary of his murder to reiterate their call for “justice, not revenge,” as trial nears a verdict.
Murder in Villa Gesell 'Los Rugbiers': the group of eight accused of killing Fernando Báez Sosa 18-01-2023 11:43 Eight individuals – all aged between 21 and 23 – are accused of killing teenager Fernando Báez Sosa on January 18, 2020 in Villa Gesell.
ARREST IN BOLIVIA Bolivia charges key opposition leader Camacho with 'terrorism,' says government 28-12-2022 19:10 Bolivian opposition leader Luis Fernando Camacho, governor of the Santa Cruz region, arrested by the police on orders of a prosecutor.
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.
ATTACK ON VICE-PRESIDENT CFK's legal team requests judge’s removal from probe into attack 14-11-2022 18:14 Vice-president’s legal team seeks recusal of Judge María Eugenia Capuchetti in strong terms, accusing her of failing to investigate the so-called ‘Casablanca trail’ and alleging that she neither “knows nor wants to investigate” crime thoroughly.
ATTACK ON VICE-PRESIDENT Expert report says CFK attacker has ‘narcissistic’ personality 14-11-2022 14:56 Fernando André Sabag Montiel, the man who tried to kill Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner on September 1, views himself as a modern-day version of Nelson Mandela, according to a report drawn up by forensic doctors, psychologists and psychiatrists.
ATTACK ON VICE-PRESIDENT Court orders release of one of four detained for attack on CFK 01-11-2022 13:20 Appeals court in Buenos Aires orders release of 21-year-old Agustina Díaz due to a lack of evidence to indict her; Leader of ‘los copitos’ gang Gabriel Carrizo to be remanded in custody under pre-trial detention.
ATTACK ON VICE-PRESIDENT Airport Security Police recover content from CFK attacker’s phone 06-10-2022 15:01 Head of Airport Security Police (PSA) confirms experts have gained access to “three Google accounts” and “entire Telegram database” of Fernando Sabag Montiel; Investigators will now comb through messages dating back to 2020.
ATTACK ON VICE-PRESIDENT Judge charges two more for role in Fernández de Kirchner assassination attempt 02-10-2022 08:31 Federal Judge María Eugenia Capuchetti on Saturday charged Nicolás Gabriel Carrizo and Agustina Díaz with complicity in the attempted assassination of Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner last month.
ATTACK ON VICE-PRESIDENT No appeal from CFK attack 'co-authors' Sabag Montiel and Uliarte 22-09-2022 01:50 Fernando Andrés Sabag Montiel and Brenda Uliarte refrain from appealing their indictments for attempted homicide, with Nicolás Carrizo, the alleged leader of the candy floss gang, and Agustina Díaz set to testify.
EDITORIAL Magnicide versus magnification 17-09-2022 02:57 The failed attack on the vice-president should serve to place the grieta rift in a new light. Instead of being viewed as an unbridgeable gap between two political sides, the chasm should be seen as the millions who find no place in the two opposing coalitions or society as a whole.
As I see it Rumblings from below 17-09-2022 02:55 The botched attempt to assassinate Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has encouraged fears that Argentina could see the return of political violence. by James Neilson