
President Milei hails Pope's 'wisdom' despite 'differences'


Buenos Aires-born pontiff undertook dozens of foreign visits, including trips in South America to Brazil, Bolivia, Chile and Peru – but he never returned to the beloved city where he was schooled.

President brands critical journalists “hitmen” and “lying trash,” targets 'La Nación' columnist by name in latest rant, drawing rebuke from press freedom groups.

Scientist Sandra Díaz has voiced criticism of President Javier Milei's government and its defunding of scientific research in Argentina.

by Enrique Garabetyan What was, until not so long ago, considered to be a symbol of marginality has now become a mark of identity. According to an opinion poll carried out by the Voices! consultancy firm, three out of every ten Argentines have some kind of tattoo on their skin – and almost half of youngsters surveyed plan to get one in the next year.

Campaign comments
Economists have hailed the exit from the cepo as a milestone but this columnist hesitates to consider it an electoral game-changer – there is both too much and too little time for that.


GEOPOLITICS & DIPLOMACY
Intensifying battle between world’s two largest economies has left governments grappling with the reality that their days of doing big business with Beijing without serious blowback from Washington are numbered.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Notorious CECOT prison is becoming a dangerous destination that Trump has been utilizing for his mistreatment of US deportees.

Two of Argentina's World Cup winners. Emiliano Martínez and Lautaro Martínez, both flew the flag in the Champions League quarter-finals, though their experiences could not have been more different.

Official records show President Javier Milei receives very few officials at the Olivos presidential residence, not even from his partner or sister. The surprise is digital influencer Iñaki Gutiérrez, a regular visitor.

Brazilian health authority raises legal age for transgender people to receive hormone therapy from 16 to 18; Also raises minimum age for sexual reassignment surgery "that involves a potentially sterilising effect" from 18 to 21 years.

First disbursement of US$12 billion arrives from International Monetary Fund, boosting reserves; Official exchange rate rises to 1,223 pesos per dollar; Country risk falls to 725 points.

Germán Kiczka and his brother Sebastián convicted by provincial court of possessing and distributing child sexual abuse material.; Ex-Activar lawmaker handed 14 years in prison, sibling given 12 years for same crimes and sexual abuse of 15-year-old girl.

Former president set for trial after indictment confirmed by appeals court; Ex-president alleged beat and threatened his ex-partner, former first lady Fabiola Yáñez; Veteran Peronist again denies charges against him.

Deal all but cements exit of Malaysia’s Petronas; It’s also a sign that development of Vaca Muerta will increasingly be spearheaded by homegrown drillers.

Former president and PJ chair Cristina Fernández de Kirchner argues that it would be "best for Buenos Aires Province to vote once" in October, but she calls for support for Governor Axel Kicillof’s bill – while describing it as “a political error.”

More than 150 murders were recorded in La Matanza last year — 11 more than in 2023.
columnists
Most viewed
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1 Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff, dead at 88
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2 Pope Francis's delicate ties with politics – and Argentina
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3 Frail Pope Francis takes to popemobile to greet Easter crowd
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4 Three in ten Argentines now have tattoo – and more women are getting inked
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5 Milei ramps up attacks on ‘hitman’ journalists in online rant
Stories that caught our eye: April 11 to 18


by Michael Soltys An inspiration to much of the local community, Ronald David Scott – who volunteered from Argentina to join the Allies’ war effort in 1942 – passes away in his 108th year.

by Michael Soltys ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ by Edmond Rostand, translated by Brian Hooker; Directed by Simon Chater; Suburban Players at The Playhouse, San Isidro.
editorials

ENERGY & GAS
Pan American Energy to invest US$250 million in project to exploit shale gas findings in Cerro Dragon field, says Chubut Governor Ignacio Torres.


AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY
Farmers are starting to harvest their soy crop, worth billions of dollars in export revenues that Milei desperately needs at the Central Bank. But, so far, they have traded it at a crawl.

Foreign relations & diplomacy
US Treasury Scott Bessent visits Buenos Aires for talks with Javier Milei, his economic team and private-sector representatives; Official tells President he wants Washington to be Argentina's "partner of choice".

Argentina’s sovereign debt climbed Monday while the peso slipped after the country lifted most of its currency-market restrictions.

Peso depreciated 8.4% against the US dollar at the open of markets on Monday, following the partial removal of foreign exchange controls in place since 2019.

Pullaro celebrates victory in Santa Fe constituent assembly vote; Milei’s La Libertad Avanza finishes in third, narrowly trailing Peronist candidate.

As one of Latin America’s foremost writers and intellectuals, Mario Vargas Llosa defended individual liberty, democracy and the free market, which often put him at odds with his peers and political leaders in the region.

Mario Vargas Llosa has died in Lima at the age of 89, confirms family; Nobel literature laureate is considered to be one of the greats of Latin America's literary "boom" of the 1960s and 1970s.

Election authorities declare incumbent Daniel Noboa to be the winner of Ecuador's presidential run-off vote, with the 37-year-old leader defeating his leftist rival by bigger-than-expected margin; Challenger Luisa González expresses concern over fraud.

Sunday's election in third-most-populous province of 2.8 million voters will pick delegates to a convention set to reform the regional constitutional assembly.

Generations of Argentines feel their country is trapped in a recurring cycle: yet another loan from the International Monetary Fund to rescue a volatile economy.

On the eve of a too-close-to-call presidential run-off and reacting a dramatic rise in drug-linked violence, Ecuador declares a state of emergency in seven of its 24 provinces, including the capital.

Argentina, which has a track record of economic crises and hyperinflation, is already the IMF's biggest debtor, ahead even of war-torn Ukraine.

This year’s midterm voting begins tomorrow in the major province of Santa Fe with the constituent assembly elections.

Casa Rosada expresses satisfaction as alignment with Trump bears fruit and secures an unprecedented initial disbursement from the International Monetary Fund.

Milei declares "cepo is gone for good" as IMF unlocks US$12 billion in immediate funding and Argentina lifts capital controls in 48-month US$20-billion programme.

Argentina has announced the introduction of a new exchange rate band for the peso, ranging from 1,000 to 1,400 per US dollar, following the removal of currency controls next week.

President Javier Milei's government announces elimination of foreign exchange controls ahead of confirmation of new US$20-billion IMF programme.
