Latest news of Buenos Aires Times

Gustavo Petro, presidential candidate of the Colombia Humana party, speaks during a campaign rally in Cúcuta, Colombia, on Thursday, May 5, 2022.

Colombia’s number one banker has no fear of leftist front-runner

Today 08:00 Luis Carlos Sarmiento Gutiérrez would figure to be one of the people fretting the most about the looming election of the first left-wing leader in Colombia’s modern history. But, at least publicly, he betrays little angst about the outcome of the vote this month.

A census-worker takes the details of a resident in Santa Fe.

National census 2022

‘Exceeded all expectations’ – Authorities hail 2022 National Census

Yesterdat 23:54 More than 23.8 million people complete once-in-a-decade survey online, reveals official; 2022 census the first to include new questions on gender and ethnicity.

Colombian presidential candidate for the 'Colombia Humana' party and the Historic Pact coalition, Gustavo Petro, speaks during a campaign rally in Fusagasugá, Colombia, on May 11, 2022.

Colombia Elections 2022

Leftist Colombia candidate Gustavo Petro demands audit of vote count software

Yesterdat 17:59 The campaign team of leftist Gustavo Petro on Monday demanded an "immediate" audit of vote-counting software, less than two weeks before the first election round.

In this file photo taken on April 6, 2022, Guatemalan Attorney General Consuelo Porras speaks during an interview with a postulation commission in Guatemala City.

Summit of the Americas 2022

Guatemala's leader to skip Americas Summit after US sanctions

Yesterdat 17:24 Guatemala's President Alejandro Giammattei said he will skip next month's Summit of the Americas after Washington sanctioned his top prosecutor over allegations of corruption.

Nine out of ten urban homes across Argentina have Internet access, according to a new survey.

TECH & SOCIETY

Nine out of ten urban homes in Argentina have Internet access

Yesterdat 17:07 Nine out of every ten households in urban conglomerations in Argentina have access to the Internet, a new report has revealed.

Relatives gather outside the Temuco prison in support of the so-called Mapuche political prisoners in Temuco, Chile, on May 18, 2022.

Indigenous Rights

Chile military resumes patrols of restive Araucanía region

Yesterdat 17:06 Military patrols resume in Chile's southern Araucanía region as a response to mounting violence linked to territorial claims by the Mapuche Indigenous group.

Russian soldier Vadim Shishimarin (C) looks on from the defendant's box at the opening of his trial on charge of War crimes for having killed a civilian, as his widow Kateryna Shelipova (L) reacts, in the Solomyansky district court in Kyiv on May 18, 2022.

WAR IN UKRAINE

Russian soldier pleads guilty as Ukraine holds first war crimes trial

Yesterdat 16:52 A 21-year-old Russian soldier on Wednesday pleaded guilty to the murder of a Ukrainian civilian, as Kyiv began its first war crimes trial after nearly three months of war.

People walk past a Covid testing site on May 17, 2022, in New York City, NY, USA.

Global Pandemic

Covid-19 cases on the rise in the Americas, warns PAHO

Yesterdat 16:34 Pan-American Health Organisation warns that Covid-19 cases are rising in the Americas, driven by increasing infections in the United States, which reported over 605,000 new cases last week.

PRO chair and former security minister Patricia Bullrich.

COURTS

Fernández, Bullrich attend court hearing over vaccine bribery allegations

17-05-2022 20:45 Alberto Fernández on Tuesday attended a conciliatory court hearing with PRO chair Patricia Bullrich; President is suing former security minister for her allegations government officials asked for bribe when buying Covid-19 vaccine purchases.

Is Lionel Messi set to sign for Inter Miami?

SUPERSTAR SET TO UNITED STATES?

Reports: Messi to move to MLS after PSG, acquire 35% of Inter Miami

17-05-2022 17:01 Multiple reports emerge that Argentine superstar is set to sign deal that would see him move to Inter Miami after his spell with Paris St Germain in a transfer that would see him acquire 35% of MLS club.

Officials from Argentina's government meet with representatives from the International Monetary Fund.

IMF DEBT

Government trusts in recalibration as IMF audits accounts

17-05-2022 15:57 Official data revealed six percent inflation for April; Once chapter of raising public utility rates is closed, International Monetary Fund will focus on nation’s deficient accumulation of reserves.

In this file photo taken on October 15, 2021, soldiers are deployed in Temuco, Chile.

Indigenous rights

Chile redeploys Army to southern region amid Mapuche tensions

17-05-2022 14:13 Chilean President Gabriel Boric's government decrees re-militarisation of troubled southern region of La Araucanía, in the face of mounting violence linked to territorial claims by Mapuche indigenous groups.

In this file photo taken on May 5, 2022, Colombian presidential candidate Gustavo Petro speaks surrounded by security guards during a campaign rally in Cúcuta, Colombia.

Colombia Elections 2022

Spectre of political assassination looms over Colombian elections

17-05-2022 13:41 The spectre of assassination is haunting the electoral campaign in which the left has a real chance of taking power for the first time, in a country that has a history of political careers ending in a hail of bullets.

A man wearing a T-shirt with the US flag walks along a street of Havana, on May 17, 2022.

Cuban Embargo

US announces easing visa and family remittance restrictions for Cuba

17-05-2022 13:21 The United States said Monday it is easing restrictions imposed during former president Donald Trump's administration on travel to Cuba and on the sending of family remittances between the US and the island.

In this file photo taken in September of 2012, Venezuelan opposition presidential candidate Henrique Capriles (C) cheers at the end of a campaign rally in Barinas, western Venezuela.

Venezuela Elections 2024

Venezuela's opposition announces presidential primaries for 2023

17-05-2022 13:02 Venezuela's main opposition announces primaries in 2023 to elect a single candidate to stand against incumbent Nicolás Maduro in the country's next presidential election, scheduled for 2024.

The 46th edition of the Buenos Aires International Book Fair became the most successful in its history, with 1,324,500 visitors.

Feria del Libro

Buenos Aires bids farewell to record-breaking Book Fair with 1.3 million visitors

17-05-2022 12:24 This year's Feria Internacional del Libro de Buenos Aires welcomed 1,324,500 visitors, making it the most successful event in its history. Among the most popular activities were those led by Florencia Bonelli, Camila Sosa Villada, Mario Vargas Llosa, and Javier Milei, among others.

Health Minister Carla Vizzotti speaks at a press conference.

Coronavirus pandemic

Argentina entering 'fourth wave' of Covid-19 pandemic, says health minister

17-05-2022 12:12 Health Minister Carla Vizzotti warns Argentina is facing a "fourth wave" of the Covid-19 pandemic, following a 92% jump in infections from the previous week; "No new closures" planned, says official.

Aerial view show the São Januário stadium that belongs to Brazilian football team Vasco da Gama, at the São Cristóvão neighbourhood, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on May 13, 2022.

FOOTBALL IN SOUTH AMERICA

Brazilian football clubs open doors to foreign investors

17-05-2022 10:45 After a century operating as non-profit associations, Brazilian clubs have started transforming their business models.

HEALTH

Experts warn cases of syphilis and herpes on the rise among adolescents

16-05-2022 17:34 Experts warn that cases of syphilis and herpes simplex are on the rise in Argentina, especially among the youth.

by Enrique Garabetyan

Cuban director of photography Raúl Prado arrives at the airport in Havana to travel to the United States, on March 12, 2022.

Cuban Migration

Cuban couple's exile reflects disillusioned generation

16-05-2022 17:27 Raúl Prado and Aidana Hernández have now joined thousands of other young well-educated people in fleeing the island nation, where an economic crisis has helped erode hope.

In this file photo taken on May 23, 2019, members belonging to the National Liberation Army (ELN) guerrillas patrol the river at the jungle, in Choco department in Colombia.

Colombia Elections 2022

Colombian rebels announce ceasefire for presidential elections

16-05-2022 16:53 Colombia's last recognised rebel group, the Marxist National Liberation Army (ELN), on Monday announced a 10-day ceasefire to allow presidential elections to pass off peacefully.

In this file photo taken on April 3, 2021, Santa Clara's Portuguese defender Rafael Ramos (L) challenges FC Porto's Colombian midfielder Luis Diaz during their Portuguese League football match at the Dragão stadium.

No Room for Racism

Portuguese footballer Ramos arrested for alleged racial slur in Brazil

16-05-2022 16:42 Portuguese footballer Rafael Ramos, a defender for Brazilian side Corinthians, was arrested after the club's match with Internacional for allegedly using a racial slur against a rival player, the team said Sunday.

France's outgoing Prime Minister Jean Castex (L) gestures towards his successor, former Labour Minister Elisabeth Borne (R), during a handover ceremony in Paris on May 16, 2022.

EUROPEAN POLITICS

Macron appoints France's first female prime minister in three decades

16-05-2022 16:29 Emmanuel Macron names Elisabeth Borne as prime minister, the first woman to head the French government in over 30 years, following outgoing premier Jean Castex's resignation.

Sweden's Prime Minister Magdalena Andersson gives a press conference in Stockholm, Sweden, on May 16, 2022.

WARNING FROM MOSCOW

Putin warns Finland, Sweden over NATO membership

16-05-2022 16:28 Sweden and Finland are poised to give up decades of military non-alignment over fears they could be next in line following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine on February 24.

Human rights

Etchecolatz handed ninth life sentence for dictatorship-era crimes

14-05-2022 09:18 Former deputy Buenos Aires provincial police chief Miguel Etchecolatz was given ninth life sentence for crimes against humanity on Friday.

As I see it

Who has the mandate of heaven?

14-05-2022 00:01 As well as objecting stridently to Alberto’s willingness to come to terms with the International Monetary Fund, Cristina and her supporters are trying to undermine what authority he has by insidiously questioning his government’s right to exist at all.

by James Neilson

EDITORIAL

April showers without May flowers

14-05-2022 00:01 Far from leaving his problems at home, while in Europe President Fernández took them on with a vigour almost never seen when staring him in the face at home.

AND THAT REMINDS ME…

The maybes of May

14-05-2022 00:01 Today’s anniversary is nowhere in the current agenda with plenty of issues to absorb our attention, yet stopping to recall the Menem years would not go amiss.

by Michael Soltys

Paradigm shifts

Fear, uncertainty, doubt

14-05-2022 00:01 A paradigm shift for Argentina, global geopolitics, and cryptocurrencies.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

Aerial file photo taken on July 16, 2021, of the Liniers Cattle Market in Buenos Aires. More than 100 years after its inauguration in 1900, the traditional Liniers Cattle Market closed its doors on May 13, 2022, and its activities will be moved to Cañuelas, 60 km away from Buenos Aires.

END OF AN ERA

Mercado de Liniers cattle market closes after 122 years of trading

13-05-2022 16:51 Traditional Mercado de Liniers cattle market, in the heart of Buenos Aires, finally closes its doors ahead of its move to Cañuelas.

BLOOMBERG

Dollar bonds yielding 0% are minting money for Argentine banks

13-05-2022 16:14 Banks have latched on to a lucrative trade that produces all-but-guaranteed profits while also allowing local corporations to sell dollar bonds paying coupons as low as zero percent.

In this file photo taken on April 11, 2022, Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, speaks during the Satellite 2020 in Washington, DC.

SOCIAL MEDIA SALE

Elon Musk says deal to buy Twitter is 'temporarily on hold'

13-05-2022 14:26 Elon Musk said on Friday he was putting a temporary halt on his much-anticipated deal to buy Twitter, sending shares in the social media giant plunging.

Francisca Sandoval

Chilean journalist dies after being shot during May Day protests

13-05-2022 13:47 A journalist who was shot near May Day protests in the Chilean capital Santiago died on Thursday, a hospital official said, as the country's president promised there would be no "impunity" in the case.

Former senator and education minister Esteban Bullrich.

INTERVIEW / PERIODISMO PURO

Esteban Bullrich: ‘When the future is uncertain, all you have is the present’

13-05-2022 12:21 Former senator and education minister Esteban Bullrich on being diagnosed with ALS, faith and why Argentina must overcome the ‘grieta’ rift that dominates the country’s politics.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

Alberto Fernández meets Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Madrid.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Stories that caught our eye over the past seven days: May 6 to 13

13-05-2022 11:29 Notable news that drew our attention over the past week in Argentina.

UKRAINIAN REFUGEES

A Ukrainian in Misiones: Refugee prepares for new life in Argentina’s north

13-05-2022 11:23 Bogdan Holovchak, 37, fled his homeland on the recommendation of the authorities. Now in safety in Posadas, he says he’s looking forward to once again “being a part of society.”

French leader Emmanuel Macron welcomes President Alberto Fernández at the Élysée Palace in Paris.

Alberto in Europe

Fernandez relays Latin America's ‘concern’ over Ukraine war to Macron

13-05-2022 10:45 President Alberto Fernández ends his brief tour of Europe with a warm meeting with France’s newly re-elected leader Emmanuel Macron. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and global fall-out tops the agenda.

In this file photo from April of 2019, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and first lady Michelle attend the new general officers' promotion ceremony in Brasília.

BRAZIL ELECTION 2022

Brazil's Bolsonaro appeals to the first lady to curb rejection from female voters

13-05-2022 07:00 President Jair Bolsonaro's wife, First Lady Michelle, is emerging as a powerful weapon in his campaign, as he is unpopular with a demographic that makes up more than half the electorate — women.

economy

Kirchnerites told to resign if they won’t approve gas, electricity hikes

13-05-2022 00:06 Challenging critical Kirchnerite voices, sources close to the Presidency said this week that any public official that opposes rises in utility prices “will not be able to continue in the government.”

Members of social organisations and leftist groups march towards the Plaza de Mayo to demand the government take urgent action against rampant inflation, in Buenos Aires on May 12, 2022.

Marcha Federal Piquetera

Protesters demand jobs, better wages amid rampant inflation

12-05-2022 23:52 Tens of thousands of demonstrators from across the country descend on Buenos Aires for a massive rally, sparking traffic chaos in the capital.

A protester holds up a sign complaining about inflation at a demonstration in Buenos Aires.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation continues to bite as INDEC reveals 6% jump in April

12-05-2022 23:44 Price increases totalled 23.1% in the first quarter, with prices hiked 58% over the last 12 months, according to official data.

BLOOMERG

Central Bank raises key rate to 49% as inflation jumps

12-05-2022 20:19 Central Bank to raise interest rates for the fifth time this year in a bid to keep up with rising inflation.

President Alberto Fernández arrives in the city of Berlin as part of his European tour.

Summit of the Americas 2022

Fernández to attend Summit of the Americas despite LatAm drop-out threats

12-05-2022 17:32 President confirms attendance in Los Angeles next month, but backs Mexican leader Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s demand that Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela be invited.

President Alberto Fernández touches down in Madrid, accompanied by Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero.

FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY

Alberto jabs at Cristina as he talks up opportunities in Europe

12-05-2022 16:00 President shows off his independent streak during tour of Spain, Germany and France as he criticises vice-president’s “partial view” of challenges facing Argentina.

by James Grainger

NEW NETFLIX DOC

'We must continue to remember this story,' say makers of new Cabezas documentary

12-05-2022 13:47 New documentary film exploring 1997 murder of José Luis Cabezas set to arrive on Netflix next week. Director Alejandro Hartmann and producer Vanessa Ragone discuss details of its production and its premiere at BAFICI.

by Ana Seoane

Gustavo Petro, presidential candidate of the Colombia Humana party, speaks during a campaign rally in Cucuta, Colombia, on Thursday, May 5, 2022, while flanked by a security guard.

COLOMBIA ELECTIONS 2022

Colombia election front-runner Petro beefs up security over violence threat

12-05-2022 12:53 Colombia is the only major country in Latin America that’s never had a leftist leader, and polls suggest it’s about to get one in Gustavo Petro. That’s raising the campaign temperature in a country with a history of political violence.

Images from the Copa América final between Argentina and Brazil at the Maracanã on Saturday, July 10, 2021.

MATCH CALLED OFF

Australian state 'pissed off' over Argentina-Brazil cancellation

12-05-2022 12:31 Sports minister of Australia's state of Victoria reacts with anger after Argentina pulls out of a highly anticipated friendly against rivals Brazil in Melbourne.

In this file photo taken on March 18, 2022, employees spray disinfectant and wipe surfaces as part of preventative measures against the Covid-19 coronavirus at the Pyongyang Children's Department Store in Pyongyan.

Global pandemic

North Korea enters national lockdown after first Covid cases

12-05-2022 00:47 North Korea confirmed its first-ever Covid cases on Thursday and declared a "serious emergency," with leader Kim Jong Un ordering lockdowns across the country.

SUPPORTERS CONDEMNED

French side Nice condemn chants insulting late footballer Emiliano Sala

12-05-2022 00:43 Nice condemn "in the strongest possible sense" chant sang by supporters mocking Emiliano Sala, the Argentine footballer who died in a 2019 plane crash.

Tigre midfielder Sebastián Prediger (centre) celebrates after his side defeated River 2-1 in their Copa de la Liga Profesional quarter-final match at the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, on May 11, 2022.

FOOTBALL IN ARGENTINA

Tigre stun River, but no justice for Defensa in Copa quarters

12-05-2022 00:38 Plenty of stories in the Copa de la Liga Profesional quarter-finals – none more so than Tigre's shock victory over River Plate in front of a bemused Monumental.

by Dan Edwards

Productive Development Minister Matías Kulfas.

BLOOMBERG

As rivals turn screws on mining, Argentina puts out welcome mat

11-05-2022 23:35 Government turns to capital-control loopholes and tax breaks, eyeing export boost as neighbours look to raise mine taxes.

Prices increased 10.06 percent in December from a year ago, according to Brazilian data.

PRICE HIKES

Brazil April inflation rate hits 26-year high

11-05-2022 16:18 Brazil's inflation rate hit a 26-year high for the month of April, the government said Wednesday, as spiralling prices continued to defy the central bank's push to rein them in.

President Alberto Fernández meets with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin.

WAR IN UKRAINE

President Fernández questions economic sanctions against Russia

11-05-2022 15:59 Peronist leader, speaking in Berlin, says Russia should remain in the G20 and that sanctions on the country over Ukraine war are having “negative repercussions for Argentina and the world.”

In this file photo taken on October 22, 2007, customers at an Apple Store wear headphones as they listen to new Apple iPod nanos in San Francisco, California.

iPod RIP

The end of the iPod: How Apple's now discontinued music player transformed an industry

11-05-2022 13:18 Apple on Tuesday put out word it is no longer making iPods, the trend-setting MP3 players that transformed how people get music and gave rise to the iPhone.

The workshop; the space where Temes reinvents and orders the chaos, and where colours and forms interact on canvas.

Art & Culture

Pablo Temes finds 'national colour of urban life’ in new exhibition

11-05-2022 12:50 Artist and designer Pablo Temes to present 26 artworks that cast his unique eye over Buenos Aires and Manhattan. Exhibition opens at the Museo Benito Quinquela Martín this Saturday and runs until June 26.

by Clara Fernández Escudero

Economy Minister Martín Guzmán address the AmCham Summit during a discussion panel with Facundo Gómez Minujin, the president and senior country officer of JP Morgan for Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay and Bolivia.

AMCHAM SUMMIT 2022

Guzmán tells AmCham that Argentina needs ‘common sense,’ not ‘fairy tales’

11-05-2022 01:19 Argentina’s economy minister addresses coalition tensions and inflation at AmCham summit; Opposition leaders Horacio Rodríguez Larreta and Patricia Bullrich pitch their visions to business leaders.

Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador (L) and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel after signing bilateral agreements at the Revolution Palace in Havana, on May 8, 2022.

Summit of the Americas 2022

Mexican president threatens to boycott Biden's Americas summit

10-05-2022 17:26 Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador said Tuesday that he would skip the June Summit of the Americas if Biden's administration excludes Cuba, Nicaragua and Venezuela from the talks.

A homeless drug addict eats a meal delivered by volunteers in downtown Medellín, Colombia, on February 24, 2022.

CRIME & SECURITY

Three decades after Pablo Escobar's death, drugs ravage Medellín

10-05-2022 17:03 Three decades after cartel boss Pablo Escobar was shot dead by police on a rooftop in Medellín, the very city he had sought to uplift with drug money is being ravaged by it, having become the epicentre of the domestic drug trade.

President Alberto Fernández meets with Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Madrid.

ALBERTO IN EUROPE

Argentina looks to Spain as an entry point for its gas to Europe

10-05-2022 16:33 Argentina intends to sell gas to Europe in the coming years and Spain could be its gateway, President Alberto Fernández tells Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez in Madrid.

The National Census is one of the most ambitious projects undertaken by Argentine governments. Every 10 years, the country comes to a standstill, with only essential services allowed to remain open. Throughout the day, an army of workers visit every home in the country, going door-to-door, questioning residents.

CENSUS 2022

Argentina prepares to embark upon national census after two-year pandemic delay

10-05-2022 15:29 Next Wednesday, May 18, Argentina will all but shut down as tens of thousands of census workers get to work surveying the national population. This year’s mammoth undertaking is different to that of 12 years ago, though – for the first time, citizens and residents have been asked to fill out their details online in advance.

The Biden administration is preparing for a further surge as it ends a public-health policy based on Covid-19 concerns that has allowed the speedy expulsion of migrants crossing the border since March 2020.

BLOOMBERG

US seeks to bolster Latin American economies to curb migration

10-05-2022 09:56 Biden administration working on a proposal to bolster economies in Latin America and strengthen ties ahead of upcoming Summit of the Americas.

Namibian President Hage Geingob (L), Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari (2nd L), Democratic Republic of Congo President Felix Tshisekedi (C) and Niger Mohamed Bazoum (2nd R) are seen during the opening ceremony of the COP15 at the Sofitel Ivoire hotel in Abidjan on May 9, 2022. The COP15 against deforestation opened on May 9, 2022 in Abidjan in the presence of several heads of state, to try to act concretely in the face of rapid land degradation and its harmful.

Environment

COP15 talks open facing 'emergency' over Earth's degraded land

10-05-2022 02:06 Nine African heads of states attend opening session of the UN's COP15 talks to fight desertification and land degradation.

Iraqi farmer Kamel Hamed works on harvesting wheat at his farm in Jaliha village in the central Diwaniya province, on April 26, 2022. After decades of war and insurgency, Iraq faces another huge challenge: severe water scarcity driven by climate change, whose impacts are felt on a daily basis, from depleted rivers to rapid desertification and more intense sandstorms. Then came Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February, driving up the cost of fuel, seeds and fertiliser.

Climate Crisis

UN: Even chance world will breach 1.5C warming within 5 years

10-05-2022 01:53 There is an even chance that global temperatures will temporarily breach the benchmark of 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels in one of the next five years, the United Nations warned Tuesday.

Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (L), accompanied by First Lady Cilia Flores (R), waves to the crowd before delivering a speech to workers at the rally to commemorate May Day in Caracas, on May 1, 2022.

Press Freedom

Government pressure forces Venezuelan media to self-censor

09-05-2022 18:30 Under Venezuela's restricted media ecosystem, major media outlets are forced to take protective measures like creating an internal 'VAR,' a form of self-censorship so named in reference to the video assistant referees who often overturn major football decisions.

A directional map for travellers at Ezeiza International Airport in Buenos Aires.

UKRAINE WAR

Humanitarian flight carrying five Ukrainian refugees arrives in Argentina

09-05-2022 17:50 Five Ukrainian refugees travelling on humanitarian visas arrived in Buenos Aires on Saturday night, local media reports.

Former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva greets supporters during the launch of his campaign for Brazil's October presidential election in São Paulo, Brazil, on May 7, 2022.

BRAZIL ELECTION 2022

Lula, the tarnished icon, seeking a comeback as president in Brazil

09-05-2022 15:59 Capping a lifetime of dramatic twists of fate, 76-year-old leftist icon Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva is seeking his unlikeliest turnaround yet: a presidential comeback.

Former Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva delivers a speech during the launch of his campaign for Brazil's October presidential election in São Paulo, Brazil, on May 7, 2022.

BRAZIL ELECTION 2022

Lula launches presidential campaign to 'rebuild Brazil'

09-05-2022 15:51 Former Brazil president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva launches his campaign for a new presidential term, slamming the "irresponsible and criminal" administration of incumbent Jair Bolsonaro.

President Alberto Fernández's last foreign tour visited Russia, China and Barbados.

DIPLOMACY & FOREIGN POLICY

President puts domestic tensions on pause with European tour

09-05-2022 15:39 Argentina’s president flies to the Spanish city of Madrid on Monday ahead of meeting with Spanish leader Pedro Sánchez. Tour also includes a two-day stopover in Germany and possible meeting with Emmanuel Macron in Paris.

One of the three French tourists who on Saturday were run over in Palermo by a cab whose driver suffered a stroke died Sunday as a result of injuries sustained.

Cab Accident

Young French exchange student dies from injuries sustained in road accident

09-05-2022 14:46 A young French woman died Sunday in Buenos Aires while undergoing surgery after being hit by a taxi whose driver suffered a stroke and a heart attack. Two others were injured in the accident, which happened midday Saturday in Palermo.

Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa attends the presentation of the agreement between the Cátedra Vargas Llosa and the El Libro Foundation during the 46th Buenos Aires International Book Fair in Buenos Aires on May 6, 2022.

Feria del Libro

Author Mario Vargas Llosa launches short story contest at Buenos Aires Book Fair

09-05-2022 13:42 The Spanish-Peruvian Nobel Prize winner launched a short story contest Friday at the Feria del Libro de Buenos Aires (Buenos Aires Book Fair). The first edition of the award will be presented in a year’s time at the next Feria del Libro.

Argentina's Lionel Messi and Brazil's Neymar are seen after employees of the National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) entered to the field during the South American qualification football match for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 between Brazil and Argentina at the Neo Quimica Arena, also known as Corinthians Arena, in São Paulo, Brazil, on September 5, 2021.

WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS

FIFA confirms replay for abandoned Brazil-Argentina World Cup qualifier

09-05-2022 13:01 FIFA confirms abandoned 2022 World Cup qualifier between Brazil and Argentina will be replayed, after rejecting appeals from both national federations.

British Ambassador Kirsty Hayes paid a visit to La Cumbre in the Sierras de Córdoba mountain range.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

What we learned this week: April 30 to May 7

07-05-2022 00:30 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

EDITORIAL

Are two heads always better than one?

07-05-2022 00:23 Blame lies not only with a self-destructive government whose two wings are more interested in flapping against each other than in taking flight but also with a distinct lack of clear, constructive and convincing alternatives from any other political sector.

POLITICS

‘I’ve got the power!’

07-05-2022 00:19 There’s a civil war raging between President Alberto Fernández and his second-in-command, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner – and said conflict is tearing the ruling coalition apart at the seams.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

ESSAY

The appeal of Javier Milei – an autopsy of the right

07-05-2022 00:16 Why the outspoken liberal economist is growing at the expense of traditional politicians. Social network populism, hatred towards the state and a not-so discreet charm. The hidden keys of his biography.

by Beatriz Sarlo

Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

POLITICS

‘No fight, a debate of ideas’ – CFK plays down tensions but slams economic plan

07-05-2022 00:13 After a week of tensions and internal criticism, Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner dismisses reports of a rift in the ruling coalition but picks holes in government’s economic plan.

ANALYSIS

Vice-President Fernández de Kirchner slams government over economy

07-05-2022 00:08 Cristina Fernández de Kirchner lambasted her own government’s management of the economy Friday, fuelling already high tensions with President Alberto Fernández.

As I see it

A culture of irresponsibility

07-05-2022 00:02 Much as many dislike the idea, elected politicians have to take full responsibility for managing the country’s economy.

by James Neilson

And that reminds me

Javier Milei: Might right make right?

07-05-2022 00:01 Some local pollsters and overseas media already tip Javier Milei as a presidential dark horse, but does his support extend beyond an echo chamber for anti-system politics?

by Michael Soltys

Immigrants arriving in Argentina. Now it is possible to consult an online registry to find out the ship of arrival and professions of over four million immigrants.

Ancestry Archive

New ancestry archive allows Argentines to track ancestors’ arrival

06-05-2022 18:10 The Centre for Latin American Migration Studies (CEMLA) has created a database spanning 160 years, helping Argentines discover how their ancestors arrived in the country.

A blood sample labelled Hepatitis Virus C.

Severe Acute Hepatitis

Eight suspected cases of severe hepatitis of unknown origin in children in Argentina

06-05-2022 16:01 The Ministry of Health reported Friday that these are isolated and unconnected cases. It also confirmed that "this is not an outbreak" since similar cases are reported every year.

Aerial view of combine harvesters harvesting a soy field in Lobos, some 100 kilometres southwest of Buenos Aires, on April 29, 2022.

HARVEST BOOM

Global grain shortage an opportunity for Argentina's 'green gold'

06-05-2022 15:48 Soybean harvest will be smaller than last year, but it will bring in record prices as a result of Russia's attack on Ukraine. Agro-industrial exports could reach as high as US$41 billion this year, according to experts.

Colombia Elections 2022

Colombia's military bristles at rise of leftist presidential hopeful Gustavo Petro

06-05-2022 11:18 Historically aligned to a succession of right-wing governments, Colombia's top military echelon breaks a long-standing rule of political neutrality to lash out against Gustavo Petro, former guerrilla fighter and a perceived leftist threat.

Products are displayed with their prices in US dollars at a store in Caracas on April 22, 2022.

Inflation & Currency

Closing the 'escape valve' – Venezuela pursues de-dollarisation

06-05-2022 10:45 Venezuela is now trying to re-energise its own currency, the bolívar, which has been crippled by devaluation in recent years.

FOOTBALL IN ARGENTINA

Much-maligned Copa de la Liga Profesional reaches decisive phase

06-05-2022 09:55 Two teams in each group are assured of their place already in the play-offs, while the remaining challengers must wait until Saturday or Sunday evening to find out whether they will be joining them in next week’s quarter-finals.

by Dan Edwards

People leave a Polling station in North Belfast, after voting on May 5, 2022, as voting is underway to elect a new Assembly in Northern Ireland.

BRITISH POLITICS

Johnson's Conservatives lose key councils in UK local elections

06-05-2022 09:27 UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's Conservative party lost control of key councils in London, according to partial results from local and regional elections on Friday.

BLOOMBERG

MercadoLibre posts record revenue, braces for macro jitters

06-05-2022 09:08 Latin American e-commerce retailer grew its revenue more than forecast in the first quarter; Company plans to invest some US$10 billion across the region this year.

BLOOMBERG

Argentina slams brake on crypto, banning purchases through banks

06-05-2022 08:39 Central Bank bans financial institutions from offering clients any operations involving unregulated digital assets, effectively banning engagement with cryptocurrencies.

Carcasses of dead goats lie on the ground in the camp for internally displaced people of Farburo 2 in the village of Adlale, near the city of Gode, Ethiopia, on April 6, 2022. About 2,700 families live in Farburo 2 camp, which was set up three months ago. Small branch huts support a patchwork of fabrics that provide shade in a temperature of around 40°C. The worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa for 40 years is pushing 20 million people towards starvation, according to the UN, destroying an age-old way of life and leaving many children suffering from severe malnutrition as it rips families apart.

Climate Crisis

Earth's degraded land at 'breaking point,' warns UN expert

06-05-2022 00:23 Decades of unsustainable agriculture have depleted soils worldwide and accelerated both global warming and species loss, says UN official Ibrahim Thiaw.

Luciano Laspina, pictured during an interview with Perfil's Jorge Fontevecchia.

INTERVIEW / PERIODISMO PURO

Luciano Laspina: ‘The ideas Argentina needs today are similar to those pushed by Milei’

06-05-2022 00:01 Rosario-born economist and national deputy Luciano Laspina on Javier Milei, the Mauricio Macri government and the reforms Argentina needs to undertake.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

Argentina's Ambassador to the United States Jorge Argüello unveils the new photography exhibition marking the AMIA terror attack.

AMIA ATTACK

US working ‘very closely’ with Argentina to seek justice for AMIA attack

05-05-2022 23:24 Senior government official in Washington says United States is working with Argentina on quest for justice over 1994 AMIA terror attack.

PROPERTY PRICES

Survey: Buenos Aires is third most expensive city in region for real estate

05-05-2022 16:49 Santiago de Chile and Montevideo top ranking of most expensive cities for real estate in Latin America, according to a new survey.

A pedestrian walks past non-scalable fencing after it was installed overnight around the U.S. Supreme Court Building amid ongoing abortion-rights demonstrations, May 5, 2022.

Abortion Debate

After abortion, gay marriage? Fears US court may target other rights

05-05-2022 13:51 With the US Supreme Court poised to roll back half a century of abortion rights, activists fear conservatives will set their sights on other constitutional freedoms like same sex unions.

Ex-Tucumán governor and senator José Alperovich.

COURTS

Ex-Tucumán governor José Alperovich indicted on sex abuse, rape charges

04-05-2022 21:40 Former national senator and governor of Tucumán Province José Alperovich formally indicted by courts for alleged sexual abuse and rape. Complaint made by his niece and ex-personal assistant.

A man arrives at the Brazilian Central Bank building in Brasilia.

BRAZILIAN ECONOMY

Brazil hikes key interest rate 10th straight time

04-05-2022 21:13 Brazil's Central Bank raises key interest rate for the 10th straight time, trying to tame surging inflation that has proved tough to slow for policy makers.

Brazilian former president (2003-2011) Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, delivers a press conference at the metalworkers' union building in São Bernardo do Campo, in metropolitan São Paulo, Brazil, on March 10, 2021.

LATIN AMERICA

Brazil's Lula says Ukraine leader Zelensky shares blame for war

04-05-2022 21:11 Brazilian presidential front-runner Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva tells 'Time' magazine that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin bear equal responsibility for the war in Ukraine.

CORRUPTION & THE COURTS

Fernández de Kirchner, over 100 businessmen acquitted in branch of 'Cuadernos' case

04-05-2022 16:36 Acquittal covers denunciations of the “cartelisation of public works” branch of ‘Cuadernos’ graft case; Vice-president remains on trial for core part of this case, as well as others stemming from the suspected payment of bribes during her government.

Madrid, Spain, is the most-searched destination by Argentines for travel between June and August, 2022.

TRAVEL & TOURISM

Revealed: Top 20 travel destinations most searched for by Argentines

04-05-2022 16:33 Google publishes list of destinations Argentines are searching for, with Madrid taking first place in the ranking.

Reporters without Borders (Reporter sans frontieres - RSF) Director of Operations and Campaigns Rebecca Vincent shows the new 2022 World Press Freedom Index map during the Reporters Without Borders press conference, at Royal Overseas League, in London on May 3, 2022.

PRESS FREEDOM

Online media fuelling divisions, global tensions, says new report

04-05-2022 16:03 Unregulated online content has spread disinformation and propaganda that have amplified political divisions worldwide, fanned international tensions and even contributed to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders warns.

ENVIRONMENT

Brazil responds to less than 3% of deforestation alerts, study reveals

04-05-2022 16:02 An environmental monitor said Tuesday that President Jair Bolsonaro's government has responded to less than three percent of deforestation alerts, a sign that "impunity reigns" in the destruction of Brazil's forests.