News of government

Two Uruguayan ex-presidents quit politics on same day

20-10-2020 16:49 Former presidents José Mujica and Julio María Sanguinetti bow out of frontline politics on the same day.

TITANIC ARTIFACTS

Plan to retrieve Titanic radio spurs debate on human remains

18-10-2020 16:36 A company’s plan to retrieve the Titanic’s radio has sparked a debate over whether the famous shipwreck still holds human remains.

Energy

Fernández unveils plan to boost production at Vaca Muerta

17-10-2020 08:05 President Alberto Fernández says Argentina wants energy firms to invest some US$5 billion to boost hydrocarbon production and generate jobs in the country’s prized Vaca Muerta shale deposits.

Bloomberg

Cracks surface in Argentina’s ruling coalition as crisis deepens

16-10-2020 11:13 Multiple rifts between different factions within Alberto Fernández's Frente de Todos coalition are coming to light, including including the president's more centrist bloc and the far-left supporters of powerful Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

BLOOMBERG - OPINION

El-Erian: Argentina and Ecuador diverge after bond restructurings

11-10-2020 09:18 A month after finalising historic “zoom” debt restructurings, Argentina and Ecuador find themselves on starkly different paths toward economic and financial improvements.

Bloomberg

Argentina expands tech companies’ incentives amid recovery push

10-10-2020 20:35 Government expands benefits to its burgeoning tech sector in an effort to boost much-needed foreign investment and exports.

BLOOMBERG

Economic recovery stalls with industry declining

08-10-2020 15:18 Industrial production fell 0.9% in August compared to July and 7.1% from the previous year, according to official data.

Human rights

UN extends Venezuela human rights violations probe

07-10-2020 18:05 UN Human Rights Council slams "widespread" political persecution in Venezuela and votes to extend its fact-finding mission for another two years, a decision that sparks immediate repercussions in Argentina.

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

PERIODISMO PURO | INTERVIEW

Moisés Naím: 'Argentina is a world champion in political necrophilia'

03-10-2020 08:59 Arguably Venezuela’s most influential intellectual speaks about the crisis facing his country and the lessons it could teach other nations in the region: not to fall for the facile discourse of charlatans and to pay attention to sleeping authoritarianism in society.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

COURTS

Supreme Court agrees to rule on transfer of judges

02-10-2020 00:48 Supreme Court justices unanimously decide to accept per saltum appeals of three judges against Senate vote transferring them from their current federal appeals court benches.

Bloomberg

Government mulls temporary cut on some crop export taxes

29-09-2020 17:16 Government weighing temporary reduction on some export taxes to boost dollar inflows, Bloomberg reports.

'LA GRIETA'

Coronavirus quarantine revives Argentina famous ‘grieta’

28-09-2020 18:36 Nearly seven months of quarantine and a deep economic crisis have only fuelled the radical polarisation that splits Argentina in two.

AS I SEE IT

The incredible shrinking peso

26-09-2020 08:58 The desperate attempts that are being made to keep the dollar out of arm’s reach are bound to prove counterproductive; it is the government’s way of inadvertently warning people that, yet again, the economy is going under.

by James Neilson

MINING

Chile court shuts Pascua Lama gold mine over environmental fears

18-09-2020 10:44 Chile's environmental court issues final order to close Canadian company Barrick Gold's huge Pascua Lama mining project, on hold since 2013 over environmental concerns.

Bloomberg

Pesce, Guzmán split over curbs on dollar purchases

17-09-2020 16:19 Argentina's economic team split on latest crackdown, as well as how long new rules should remain in place.

BLOOMBERG

YPF leads Argentina corporate bond rout on new forex limits

16-09-2020 23:27 Corporate bonds from Argentina posted their biggest decline in six months on Wednesday as a new round of capital controls and government restrictions on access to dollars threatened to provoke a wave of defaults.

Budget proposal

Fernández's first Budget projects 5.5% growth in 2021

16-09-2020 01:17 Government's budget bill forecast for 2021: economic growth of 5.5%, primary fiscal deficit of 4.5%, inflation at 29% and 102 pesos per dollar.

Former president

Macri 'breaks silence' to launch fierce attack on Fernández

13-09-2020 23:52 Former president pens column for La Nación, accusing Peronist leader of leading a “systematic and permanent attack” on Constitution.

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

Ledesma sugar refinery at centre of Jujuy's Covid-19 crisis

12-09-2020 09:18 Workers file legal action against Ledesma after deaths of at least 13 workers at company's sugar refinery in northern province of Jujuy.

by Nick Evans

PERIODISMO PURO | INTERVIEW

Santiago Cafiero: ‘Macri sought to blame Argentine society for his own failures.’

12-09-2020 08:46 In a feature-length interview, Cabinet Chief Santiago Cafiero discusses Peronism past and present, the opposition, and what lies ahead for Argentina in the next two years.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

HUMAN RIGHTS

Argentina, IACHR demand Paraguay explain deaths of two 11-year-old 'rebels'

06-09-2020 17:33 Government and human rights watchdog call on Paraguay to explain circumstances behind the death of two 11-year-old girls – both allegedly Argentine – during operation against rebel guerrillas.

Wealth tax

Congress set to debate government's 'wealth tax' bill

30-08-2020 16:55 Government’s proposed ‘wealth tax’ bill heads to Congress. President Fernández seeks to bring in 300 billion pesos in tax revenue through one-time levy on wealthiest citizens.

JUDICIAL REFORM

Judicial reform bill clears Senate, heads to lower house

28-08-2020 18:04 Controversial proposal, which the opposition strongly rejects, passes to the Chamber of Deputies after early Friday morning vote along strict party lines.

Coronavirus pandemic

Pride and emotion run high inside Covid-19 vaccine lab

24-08-2020 07:00 Work has already began at Argentina’s mAbxience lab, where they're gearing up to begin producing millions of doses of a vaccine against Covid-19.

AS I SEE IT

The opposition takes to the streets

22-08-2020 09:58 These days demonstrators are well-behaved men and women who wear facemasks not for fear of getting recognised by the cops, but because they have no desire to get infected by the coronavirus.

by James Neilson

ALBERTO & HORACIO

Don’t hate the player, hate the game

22-08-2020 09:06 Pundits indicate that both coalitions are suffering from extreme tension, and the real question is how long will the acting leaders of each space last until either their will is dominated by the hawks or the groups balkanise.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

SINO-ARGENTINE RELATIONS

Argentina’s ties with China deepen under Fernández

22-08-2020 08:27 Peronist leader leads charge to develop ties with Asian giant, which is now Argentina’s largest trading partner. Trip to Shanghai pencilled in for early November, with business, the pandemic and pork topping the agenda.

by Juan Luis González

Global pandemic

Peru's economy slumps amid pandemic

21-08-2020 14:54 Peru's year-on-year GDP fell by 30% in the second quarter of 2020 as it was badly affected by coronavirus containment measures, the government said on Thursday.

JUDICIAL REFORM

Protesters call new rally against government’s judicial reform bill

21-08-2020 00:17 Demonstrators to stage new rally marching on Congress on August 26 in protest of the government’s judicial reform bill.

POST '17A' RALLY

Following rally, opposition calls on Fernández to drop justice reform

18-08-2020 23:15 Seeking to build on the momentum of 17A anti-government rally, Juntos por el Cambio calls on government to withdraw its judicial reform bill.

Global pandemic

Virus rages in South America as governments grasp for clues

18-08-2020 15:38 From incoherent mask rules to inconsistent social distancing, South America’s response to the novel coronavirus has been all over the map – here's a look at how each nation is doing.

'17A' MARCH

Anti-government protesters defy virus lockdown to rally

17-08-2020 21:59 Large crowds of demonstrators take to the streets, in cities across the country, on to protest lockdown extension and government's proposed judicial reform bill.

DIPLOMACY

Argentina: ‘Electoral route is only way' to resolve crisis in Venezuela

17-08-2020 18:51 Government distances itself from statement from more than 30 groups calling for free general elections in order to establish transitional government.

BLOOMBERG

Government wants Buenos Aires Province to be first to seal debt deal

10-08-2020 16:39 Casa Rosada wants Buenos Aires Province to be the first to resolve debt restructuring talks, according to sources, denying creditors chance to demand better conditions.

AS I SEE IT

Culture matters more than computers

08-08-2020 09:51 The technology that provides people with the equivalent of dozens of huge libraries is certainly marvellous, but only those who have already been fairly well educated are able to benefit from having the accumulated wisdom of humankind there at their fingertips.

by James Neilson

CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

More than 235,000 Covid-19 cases since start of pandemic

08-08-2020 09:46 Government bans social gatherings as virus toll continues to mount and new daily records for both cases and fatalities. Death toll now stands at 4,411.

LAST SEVEN DAYS

What we learned this week: August 1 to August 8

08-08-2020 09:31 Stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina

DEBT RESTRUCTURING

Ecuador wins bondholders’ approval for debt restructuring

03-08-2020 15:26 Creditors vote in favour of a restructuring plan for US$17.4 billion of debt that will see the South American country's capital and interest payments reduced.

JUDICIAL REFORM

Protesters rally against government's judicial reform

02-08-2020 19:23 Demonstrators reject proposed reform bill, accuse government of seeking to deliver "impunity" for ex-Kirchnerite officials.

JUDICIAL REFORM

Amid opposition criticism, Fernández unveils judicial reform

30-07-2020 01:55 President announces he will send a bill to Congress to reform federal justice system. Proposes merging federal courts for criminal and corporate law while increasing their number, thus diluting the power of the current 12 benches in Comodoro Py.

UNITED STATES

Portland: Trump administration agrees to withdraw federal forces

29-07-2020 23:53 US government agrees conditional withdrawal of federal forces to defuse weeks of clashes in the city of Portland.

JUDICIAL REFORM

Fernández to unveil judicial reform bill as opposition cries foul

28-07-2020 23:29 President Alberto Fernández will present his long-trailed judicial reform bill on Wednesday from the Casa Rosada. Opposition rejects proposed changes and potential expansion of Supreme Court.

TRAVEL & TOURISM

Pandemic deals brutal blow to Argentina’s tourism industry

25-07-2020 07:51 Tourism chambers and agencies call for emergency legislation to protect businesses, with slump in activity expected to shave between one and four percent off Argentina’s GDP this year. More than 80,000 job losses anticipated across sector.

by Fermin Koop

Causa peajes

Judge sends two ex-Macri administration officials to trial

21-07-2020 21:50 Charges against former National Highways director Javier Iguacel and ex-Treasury prosecutor Bernardo Saravia Frías relate to presumed irregularities in the awarding of highway toll concessions.

expropriation of Vicentin

Vicentin, Santa Fe government agrees to find ‘consensual solution’ to crisis

18-07-2020 09:45 Officials mulling over a mixed state-private model for soy giant, according to reports, as provincial government proposes triumvirate of leaders to manage firm through bankruptcy proceedings.

FOREIGN POLICY

Government calls for 'inclusive, transparent and credible' elections in Venezuela

16-07-2020 02:24 Argentina shifts stance on Venezuela, expressing "deep concern" over alleged human rights violations in troubled nation and calling for "inclusive, transparent and credible" elections.

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.

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.