Latest news of Buenos Aires Times

Farmers protest the Mercosur deal in Brussels on December 18, 2026.

Mercosur wants on-the-fence EU to know it has other options

Today 08:48 As the European Union struggles to complete a trade deal with Mercosur, competitors eyeing South America’s consumer market and vast mineral resources are taking note.

EX-PRESIDENT’S HEALTH

Fernández de Kirchner rushed to hospital, has surgery for appendicitis

Today 08:08 Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, currently serving jail time under house arrest, rushed to Hospital Otamendi after suffering “appendicitis with localised peritonitis”; Ex-president has “no complications” after surgery, says medical report.

Panama's President José Raúl Mulino, Argentina's President Javier Milei, Paraguay's President Santiago Peña, Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Uruguay's President Yamandú Orsi and Bolivia's Foreign Minister Fernando Aramayo pose for a family photo during the Mercosur Heads of State Summit at the Iguazu Falls in Foz do Iguaçu, Paraná State, Brazil, on December 20, 2025.

MERCOSUR SUMMIT

Lula, Milei clash over Venezuela at Mercosur summit

Yesterday 20:11 President Milei again calls for flexibility on Mercosur's trade rules in speech to regional summit; Argentina's leader clashes with Brazilian leader Lula over US President Donald Trump's approach to Venezuela.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Europe stumbles in its attempt to bypass Trump’s world order

Yesterday 14:12 The ongoing failure to ratify the accord is a blow for the EU, which wants to use the transatlantic agreement as evidence that it could be a global power.

Crime & Security

Olympic sailor’s former coach sentenced to six years in sex abuse case

Yesterday 08:57 Court sentences Leandro Tulia, former coach of Olympic sailing medallist Eugenia Bosco, to six-and-a-half years in prison for sexual abuse; Case came to light after Bosco went public with her experience, prompting other victims to come forward.

Guests dress up in Regency-era costume for an event celebrating Jane Austen at the British Ambassador's Residence in Buenos Aires.

Diplomatic beat

British Embassy hails Jane Austen’s enduring legacy on anniversary

Yesterday 08:43 UK Ambassador David Cairns leads event celebrating 250 years since the birth of beloved author.

Editorial

'cause I’m the Taxman

Yesterday 08:02 In restricting government to ever narrower circles, Milei is misreading the results of the last midterms. But Milei’s conclusion is that sister knows best.

As I see it

The intifada comes to Bondi Beach

Yesterday 07:48 Those who feel that the land they live in has been taken over by foreigners who despise it and them may be a deplorably reactionary lot, but in democracies what they feel does not lack importance.

by James Neilson

Analysing Argentina

Wide open field for Milei

Yesterday 07:44 A libertarian but not a “libertidiot,” as he likes to say, Milei seems to have picked security rather than risk for the new stage of his administration. It is a good choice.

by Marcelo J. García

CAMPAIGN COMMENTS

Is Kast caste?

Yesterday 07:31 While Bolivia, Honduras and now Chile have all swung right in recent voting, Trump’s pet candidate in each nation had problems riding the crest of the wave.

by Michael Soltys

The Garrahan Children’s Hospital in Buenos Aires.

HEALTHCARE

Health alert as ‘super flu’ variant detected in Argentina

19-12-2025 18:56 Argentina’s top public health laboratory says experts are investigating three cases of a potential “super flu” strain, after genomic sequencing confirmed the detection of influenza A (H3N2).

Chile’s president-elect José Antonio Kast speaks to the press as he leaves the Casa Rosada government palace after meeting Argentina’s President Javier Milei, in Buenos Aires, on December 16, 2025. The two right-wing leaders met at the Casa Rosada shortly after midday, according to television images, with no details released by the government.

the week in review

Stories that caught our eye: December 12 to 19

19-12-2025 18:26 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

Argentina's Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, Paraguay's Foreign Minister Ruben Ramirez, Brazil's Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira, Uruguay's Foreign Minister Mario Lubetkin and Bolivia's Foreign Minister Fernando Aramayo, pose for a family photo of the Mercosur Economic Bloc Foreign Ministers Meeting in Foz do Iguacu, Parana State, Brazil, on December 19, 2025. Representatives of the South American Mercosur trade bloc began meeting Friday in Brazil after plans to sign a long-delayed deal with the EU fell through.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Mercosur meets in Brazil, EU eyes January 12 trade deal

19-12-2025 17:35 Deal, which has been under negotiation for more than 25 years, met with fierce opposition from farmers and has now been postponed to January.

A Vicentin factory at San Lorenzo dock in San Lorenzo, Argentina.

AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY

Grassi clears hurdle to take over distressed soy giant

19-12-2025 17:28 Grassi SA, one of Argentina’s top grain brokerages, cleared what could be the last hurdle to take over distressed exporter Vicentin SAIC.

Protestors hold signs reading 'No to Mercosur' and France's main farmers union FNSEA (Federation Nationale des Syndicats d'Exploitants Agricoles) and Jeunes Agriculteurs (JA, Young Farmers) flags near the European Parliament at the Place du Luxembourg, during a farmers' protest to denounce the reforms of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and trade agreements such as the Mercosur, in Brussels, on December 18, 2025.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Lula paves way for postponement of EU-Mercosur trade deal signing

18-12-2025 16:51 After call with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Brazil president says will present proposed EU trade deal postponement to Mercosur at weekend summit.

Protest organised by the CGT at Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires on December 18, 2025, against the labor reform promoted by Argentina’s President Javier Milei

POLITICS & LABOUR

CGT leads first rally against Milei’s labour reform bill

18-12-2025 16:43 Demonstration called by labour federation draws thousands to Plaza de Mayo.

This view shows a base of the mining project as seen from San Jorge Hill in Uspallata, Argentina on December 6, 2025.

MENDOZA MINING PROJECT

Cradle of Malbec wine is warming up to copper mining

18-12-2025 16:34 Swiss-backed venture seeking to build first large copper mine in province better known for winemaking is considering financing offers in key test case for fledgling industry.

US President Donald Trump and Venezuela's leader Nicolás Maduro.

CRISIS IN VENEZUELA

Brazil, Mexico seek to defuse US-Venezuela crisis

18-12-2025 16:10 United Nations Security Council will meet next Tuesday at the request of Caracas – backed by China and Russia – which urged an urgent meeting over the "ongoing US aggression.”

POLITICS & CONGRESS

Key reforms up for debate as Milei begins Congress push

18-12-2025 15:48 Lawmakers open debate on Milei’s 2026 Budget bill, a labour reform package and controversial changes to the National Glaciers Law.

Lower House Speaker Martín Menem leads a session in the Chamber of Deputies.

POLITICS & CONGRESS

Milei’s Budget clears lower house – but without repeal clauses

18-12-2025 14:31 President Javier Milei’s ruling party secures passage of the government’s 2026 Budget bill through the lower house – but without clauses repealing state university and disability laws.

A Vista Energy oil and gas field on the Vaca Muerta shale deposit in Neuquén,

ENERGY & GAS

Vista to propose new Argentina shale acquisition to shareholders

18-12-2025 11:53 Vista has called a shareholder meeting for January 27 where it will propose carrying out one or more acquisitions, according to a regulatory filing.

This photo illustration shows banknotes of 20,000 pesos, 10,000 pesos, 2,000 pesos, 1,000 pesos, 500 pesos, 200 pesos, 100 pesos and 100 USD banknotes in Buenos Aires on January 13, 2025.

ANALYSIS: SHOCK THERAPY

Milei stymies wild peso swings as he resets Argentine FX policy

18-12-2025 01:34 The Central Bank’s FX desk is about to play a more prominent role as President Javier Milei seeks to accumulate reserves.

Claudio 'Chiqui' Tapia and Gianni Infantino.

POLITICS & SPORT

Tapia distances himself from AFA’s negative headlines at home

18-12-2025 01:18 AFA says Milei “has chosen it as a target of his political ambitions” as Bullrich files corruption complaint with CONMEBOL against football governing body’s chief and treasurer.

MARKETS

S&P lifts Argentina rating, sees nation more able to repay debt

18-12-2025 01:14 S&P’s score for Argentina is now on a par with Moody’s Ratings and Fitch Ratings.

An oil drum owned by state energy firm YPF.

ENERGY & GAS

YPF seeking US$12.5-billion financing from JP Morgan for LNG project

18-12-2025 00:55 State energy company negotiating the entry of a new partner to replace Shell with a target of 18 million tons LNG projection. Next year, investment will jump to US$6 billion despite lower crude oil prices.

by Eugenia Muzio

Juan Sebastián Verón at the Madre de Ciudades stadium in Santiago del Estero on December 13, 2025.

PROFILE

Verón, AFA’s adversary, takes Estudiantes to Clausura triumph

18-12-2025 00:19 The sporting success of 'El Pincha' is not the only reason ‘La Brujita’ Verón has been in the spotlight of late.

SOCIETY

Argentina climbs Pornhub rankings as women overtake men in viewing

18-12-2025 00:00 Adult content platform's 2025 report shows Argentina rising to 13th globally, with women accounting for a majority of traffic and spending longer on the site than men.

GUEST COLUMN

Milei's law for (removing) glacier protection is a regressive reform

17-12-2025 23:56 The bill to amend the National Glacier Protection Law, would dismantle the minimalist regime which today protects glaciers and the periglacial perimeter, Argentina’s most important strategic water reserves.

Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva at the Planalto Palace in Brasilia, on July 9, 2025.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Lula tells EU it’s now or never for Mercosur trade deal

17-12-2025 16:51 EU has been racing to finalise the accord with Mercosur ahead of a signing ceremony tentatively scheduled for Saturday.

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Argentina needs a robust plan of national consensus

17-12-2025 16:28 Without an internal national consensus, assistance from the west is futile. With it, Argentina could become a success story once again.

NEW APPOINTMENT

Darío Wassermann named new president of Banco Nación

17-12-2025 13:01 New head of leading public bank closely linked to Presidential Chief-of-Staff Karina Milei and Economy Minister Luis Caputo;

Central Bank Governor Santiago Bausili at the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange.

MONETARY POLICY

Milei gives in to IMF pressure and opens door to inflation risk

17-12-2025 12:50 Economic team has relinquished price deceleration as its overriding priority in an effort to break through the floor of Argentina’s country risk rating, but new strategy faces market scepticism over government’s financing capacity.

by Eugenia Muzio

Dolores Fonzi and Camila Plaate in 'Belén.'

ACADEMY AWARDS

Argentina’s ‘Belén’ joins Brazilian feature on Oscars foreign film shortlist

17-12-2025 12:15 Argentine legal drama 'Belén' and Brazilian political thriller 'O Agente Secreto' have made it onto the shortlist for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Italy says 'premature' to sign EU-Mercosur deal

17-12-2025 10:21 Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said her government is not ready to sign a massive trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc, publicly joining France’s opposition and casting doubt on the pact’s future.

José Antonio Kast speaks while deaparting the Casa Rosada after meeting with Javier Milei, not pictured, in Buenos Aires on December 16, 2025.

LATIN AMERCIAN POLITICS

Milei embraces Chile's president-elect Kast, cementing right-wing alliance

17-12-2025 10:14 Argentina's president is eagerly embracing José Antonio Kast as another partner in a right-wing project he sees himself as commanding across the region.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen arrives to attend a debate at the European Parliament, in Strasbourg, eastern France, on November 26, 2025.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Mercosur deal gets boost after lawmakers back farmer protections

16-12-2025 22:12 EU lawmakers and member states are rushing to finalise the deal with the Mercosur bloc – Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay – before a potential signing ceremony on Saturday.

BONDS & MARKETS

Argentina moves closer to bond market return with peso pivot

16-12-2025 22:08 Central Bank will begin to gradually unwind the tight grip it keeps on the currency starting January; Officials also say they’re going to start buying dollars to boost the Central Bank’s cash stockpile.

economic indicators

Economy grew less than expected in third quarter

16-12-2025 21:57 Argentina’s economy expanded less than expected in the third quarter in the face of a market sell-off and sluggish activity.

POLITICS & CONGRESS

Milei sends Glacier Protection Law reform bill to Congress

16-12-2025 21:30 Argentina's government targets approval by end of year, despite environmental pushback; New rules would loosen projections for glaciers and pass responsibility for mining projects to provincial administrations.

This handout photo taken and received from the NSW Premier's Department on December 15, 2025 shows Ahmed Al Ahmed, the man who tackled and disarmed one of the Bondi beach attackers, talking to New South Wales Premier Chris Minns at St George Hospital in Sydney. A father and son killed 15 people at Bondi Beach on December 14, targeting a Jewish festival that marked the start of Hanukkah. Footage showed Ahmed ducking between parked cars as the shooting unfolded and then wresting a gun from one of the assailant's hands.

ATTACK IN AUSTRALIA

Ahmed al Ahmed and an indelible message to the world

16-12-2025 21:17 Ahmed al Ahmed had no obligation to risk his life as he did; he wasn't a police officer or a civil servant. He was simply a "true believer" in the human values of life, regardless of colour, sex, or religion.

by Martín A. Morgenstern

The Olivos presidential residence on the outskirts of Buenos Aires.

Crime & Security

Soldier found dead at Quinta de Olivos presidential residence

16-12-2025 12:30 Twenty-one-year-old soldier found dead at one of internal security posts at the Olivos presidential residence, where President Javier Milei lives. Victim identified as Rodrigo Gómez, who was on security duty at the site.

Juan Pazo has resigned from his position as the head of ARCA.

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Milei names new chief as head of ARCA tax bureau resigns

16-12-2025 08:21 Juan Pazo, head of ARCA (ex-AFIP) tax bureau steps down to return to private sector; Government names head of DGI tax inspectorate, Andrés Edgardo Vázquez, as replacement.

Chilean voters have elected José Antonio Kast, the most right-wing president in 35 years of democracy.

ANALYSIS

Chile follows Latin American neighbours in lurching right

16-12-2025 07:49 Leftist leaders have not won a single presidential election in Latin America this year as voters opt for change.

Economy Minister Luis Caputo and Central Bank Governor Santiago Bausili.

CENTRAL BANK ANNOUNCEMENT

Argentina to adjust peso's exchange rate bands in line with inflation

15-12-2025 23:13 President Javier Milei’s government says it will adopt a new monetary framework, adjust the peso’s trading bands in line with inflation and build up Central Bank’s international reserves.

Argentina’s Central Bank in Buenos Aires.

MONETARY POLICY

Argentina to loosen currency policy and build reserves

15-12-2025 16:22 Beginning in 2026, the peso’s trading bands will expand at the same rate as monthly inflation, announces Argentina’s Central Bank.

Chile's President Gabriel Boric shakes hands with Chile's president-elect José Antonio Kast at La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago, on December 15, 2025.

CHILE ELECTION 2025

President-elect Kast faces hard choices as Chile enters new era

15-12-2025 16:12 Chile's hard-right president-elect José Antonio Kast will inherit a stalled economy, high crime rates and a fractured Congress.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Chilean hard-right victory stirs memories of Pinochet dictatorship

15-12-2025 15:49 The election of José Antonio Kast in Chile's run-off revives the ghosts and the deep scars of Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship.

Chile's presidential candidate José Antonio Kast, of the Partido Republicano party, and his wife María Pía Adriasola wave as they celebrate the results of the presidential run-off election in Santiago on December 14, 2025.

CHILE ELECTION 2025

Chile shifts right as Pinochet fan Kast wins election run-off by landslide

15-12-2025 15:32 Voters elected José Antonio Kast, the most right-wing president in 35 years of Chilean democracy, with a thumping 58 percent of vote in run-off against Jeannette Jara.

This photograph shows European flags fluttering in front of the Berlaymont building, the EU Commission headquarters in Brussels on December 2, 2025.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Showdown looms as EU-Mercosur deal nears finish line

15-12-2025 13:47 European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen due in Brazil on Monday for talks to finalise landmark pact with Mercosur blocof Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.

Lionel Messi attends an event during his GOAT Tour at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi on December 15, 2025.

MESSI IN INDIA

Messi mania peaks in India's pollution-hit capital of New Delhi

15-12-2025 13:18 Football superstar Lionel Messi ended his whirlwind tour of India on Monday with a lap of honour in New Delhi.

An aerial view of Stanley, Falkland Islands (Malvinas) on October 7, 2019.

DIPLOMACY

Argentina rejects 'illegal' British-Israeli offshore drilling project off Malvinas

14-12-2025 11:51 Foreign ministry denounces “unilateral and unlawful decision” to move forward with the Sea Lion project without Argentine authorisation and threatens legal action.

Estudiantes de la Plata club president and former player Juan Sebastián Verón celebrates among fans after the team won the penalty shoot-out of the Argentine Professional Football League 2025 Clausura Tournament final match between Racing and Estudiantes at the Madre de Ciudades stadium in Santiago del Estero, Argentina on December 13, 2025.

Football in Argentina

Estudiantes crowned Clausura champions after penalty shoot-out win over Racing

14-12-2025 10:14 Estudiantes crowned champions of Clausura tournament after beating Racing 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the Madre de Ciudades stadium in Santiago del Estero; Adrián ‘Maravilla’ Martínez opened the scoring with a fine finish, before Guido Carrillo headed home a dramatic equaliser. In the shoot-out, Uruguay international Muslera was the hero for the Pincha.

fifagate

United States drops bid to preserve FIFA bribery convictions

13-12-2025 21:14 Prosecutors told the US Supreme Court they wanted to end their fight to preserve the convictions of Hernan Lopez and Argentine sports marketing firm Full Play.

OBITUARY

Veteran actor Héctor Alterio dies in Madrid aged 96

13-12-2025 14:38 Héctor Alterio has died in Madrid at the age of 96; Veteran performer’s seven-decade career spanned theatre, television and film on both sides of the Atlantic; He remained professionally active until his passing.

HEALTH & GOVERNMENT

Mendoza government takes parents to court for vaccination avoidance

13-12-2025 10:04 Province becomes first in Argentina to file civil lawsuits amid measles and whooping cough resurgence; Authorities say action against 15 parents is “just the beginning.”

WINE INDUSTRY

Women sommeliers are cracking male-dominated wine world open

13-12-2025 09:52 Long a male stronghold, the world of sommeliers is now opening widely to women, who are making their mark with distinction, despite the obstacles that persist in a male-dominated environment.

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Argentina, too big to fail?

13-12-2025 09:37 The sceptic in me wonders whether, given Trump’s personality and lust for sycophancy, the message could simply be: “Milei, too big to fail.”

by David Smith

Karina Milei and Javier Milei: Curtain falls on opening Congress sessions.

CAMPAIGN COMMENTS

The curtain falls … and rises

13-12-2025 09:17 The new Senate has no less than 13 caucuses but the big picture has 21 senators responding directly to the Javier Milei administration, 26 in the Kirchnerite orbit, 14 in the centre-right and 11 heeding purely provincial interests.

by Michael Soltys

Security personnel try to control the crowd as Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi departs from the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on December 13, 2025. Thousands of fans packed into a stadium in eastern India on December 13 to cheer on Lionel Messi as the football legend unveiled a 21-metre (70-foot) statue of himself.

MESSI IN INDIA

Mess for Messi in Kolkata as fans vandalise India stadium after abrupt exit

13-12-2025 08:35 Angry spectators break barricades and storm pitch at a stadium in Kolkata, India after brief appearance by Lionel Messi, who is on a three-day tour of the country, at a stadium.

Editorial

Halfway to heaven?

13-12-2025 06:30 The Milei Presidency at its halfway mark can most charitably be described as a work in progress.

As I see it

Trump the crusader goes into battle

13-12-2025 06:29 Trump and the people surrounding him evidently think that Europe is on its deathbed.

by James Neilson

Maduro, Machado, Trump – explosive combination.

LATIN AMERICA & GEOPOLITICS

Machado, Trump and the contradictions of removing Maduro by force

13-12-2025 05:18 What kind of guarantees can a region with a history of far-right military dictatorships get from a United States that has shelved the democracy agenda in favour of throwing around its economic and geopolitical might?

by Agustino Fontevecchia

Molten copper is cast into copper anodes in a furnace at the Glencore Canadian Copper Refinery (CCR) in Montreal, Quebec, Canada on Tuesday, August 12, 2025.

MINING & INDUSTRY

BHP, Rio advance projects in boost to Argentina mining ambitions

12-12-2025 21:37 Argentina’s push to become a major producer of critical minerals got a boost this week as the world’s two biggest miners advanced plans in the country.

A farmer in a wheat field near Rosario, Argentina

AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY

Top banks bet on farming boom with Milei cutting taxes

12-12-2025 19:34 Two major banks in Argentina are seeking to open up more credit for farmers as President Javier Milei cuts export tariffs for growers.

President Javier Milei at the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo.

THE WEEK IN REIVEW

Stories that caught our eye: December 5 to 12

12-12-2025 19:04 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

The Plaza de Armas in Cusco, Peru on November 20.

GEOPOLITICS IN AMERICAS

Trump to name Peru a major non-NATO ally amid anti-drug push

12-12-2025 18:25 Trump has been looking to rally more governments in Latin America to back his drug-fighting agenda. In Peru, the status offers to boost a new leader who has pledged to be tough on crime.

Commuters cross promotional posters and veiled statue of Inter Miami's Argentine forward number 10 Lionel Messi, on the eve of his visit, in Kolkata on December 12, 2025. Lionel Messi will unveil a 70-foot statue of himself in India on December 13 as he embarks on a three-day trip of the country that has sparked a fan frenzy.

ARGENTINE SUPERSTAR IN ASIA

Messi to unveil 21-metre statue of himself on India 'GOAT' tour

12-12-2025 18:21 Lionel Messi will virtually unveil – due to security reasons – a 21-metre (70-foot) statue of himself in India on Saturday as he embarks on a three-day tour of the country.

FOOTBALL IN ARGENTINA

Ex-team-mates Milito and Verón lead boyhood clubs into Clausura final clash

12-12-2025 02:02 Racing’s clash against Estudiantes to decide the second champion of the year is full of nostalgia for fans of early 21st century football, but it is also a testament to the talents of two stars who were able to make it through the toughest of transitions.

by Dan Edwards

FOOTBALL

New development in AFA-Sur Finanzas case as court orders search of Pilar neighbourhood

11-12-2025 17:51 The Federal Police searched two properties owned by Luciano Pantano and Ana Lucía Conte, singled out as the alleged fronts for “Chiqui” Tapia and formal owners of the investigated mansion in Pilar, which used to belong to Carlos Tévez. This comes after the searches of over 15 Argentine football clubs.

President Javier Milei greets supporters at the ruling party's La Libertad Avanza headquarters.

POLITICS & ECONOMY

Milei wants to define governance ground rules with ‘fiscal stability bill’

11-12-2025 17:36 Proposed legislation would punish officials not heeding to Milei norms – including with the possibility of prison sentences.

A shopper browses products at a grocery store in Buenos Aires.

ANALYSIS

Inflation picked up more than expected after key vote

11-12-2025 16:37 Inflation accelerated for the third straight month even after President Javier Milei’s midterm victory.

A worker unloads sides of beef from a truck at Mataderos neighbourhood in Buenos Aires, on December 5, 2025.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Warning sign for Milei as inflation creeps up to monthly 2.5%

11-12-2025 16:29 Disappointment for Milei as INDEC data shows hikes accelerated last month, led by increases in food and non-alcoholic beverages; Prices up 27.9% in first 11 months of the year, 31.4% year-on-year.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

France seeks to delay EU-Mercosur accord, risking deal’s collapse

11-12-2025 14:53 France seeks to delay accord over agricultural concerns; Paris wants to postpone signing until at least early next year.

Mercosur leaders and invited guests: (Left to right, back row) Ecuador's Vice-President María José Pinto, Panama's President José Raúl Mulino, and Chile's Foreign Minister Alberto van Klaveren; (Left to right, front row) Paraguay's President Santiago Peña, Brazil's President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Argentina's President Javier Milei, Bolivia's President Luis Arce Catacora and Uruguay's President Yamandú Orsi, wave as they pose for the family photo during the 66th Summit of Leaders of Mercosur and Associated States at the Palacio San Martín in Buenos Aires.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

Mercosur leaders to meet December 20, ready to sign EU trade deal

11-12-2025 14:49 December 20 is the deadline set by the European Commission for a green light from European states on the agreement that has met with opposition from France.

Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado laughs as she addresses a press conference at the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway, on December 11, 2025.

CRISIS IN VENEZUELA

Finally in Oslo, Nobel laureate Machado vows to return to Venezuela

11-12-2025 14:06 María Corina Machado reportedly took three days to make it out of Venezuela and reach Norway, wearing a wig and a disguise, crossing seas, dodging checkpoints and the risk of arrest. It also took the help of the United States government.

President Javier Milei delivers a speech on Veterans' Day in Argentina, marking the 42nd anniversary out the outbreak of war in the South Atlantic.

FOREIGN POLICY & DIPLOMACY

UK denies Milei's claim over lifting of Argentina arms sales

11-12-2025 12:34 President tells British newspaper he intends to visit the United Kingdom in April or May next year and claims talks are ongoing over lifting of weapons ban in place since Malvinas conflict; London denies any "specific talks" over relaxing of arms export controls.

President Javier Milei signs the text of his labour reform bill, which was sent to Congress on Thursday.

POLITICS & CONGRESS

Milei begins labour reform battle, sends bill to Congress

11-12-2025 10:42 President returns from Norway trip and inks text of sweeping labour reform bill; Proposals, which are likely to face resistance from unions, will be discussed first by Senate.

WORLD HERITAGE HONOUR

UNESCO grants heritage status to Córdoba’s cuarteto

10-12-2025 23:46 Córdoba’s emblematic genre becomes Argentina’s fourth cultural expression recognised by the UN agency.

REGIME CHANGE IN VENEZUELA?

Analysis: How far will Trump go on Venezuela?

10-12-2025 23:26 US President Donald Trump has deployed thousands of US troops to the Caribbean and warned of strikes on Venezuelan soil. How far could Trump go, and what would be the result?

Pedestrians walk through Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

RETURN TO MARKETS

Government stages market comeback with local dollar bond sale

10-12-2025 22:53 Demand for the US$1-billion sale reached US$1.42 billion; Deal seen as dry run for Argentina's eventual resumption of overseas borrowing.

MILITARY & DEFENCE

‘Guardian angels’: Milei, Petri defend F-16 fighter jet purchase

10-12-2025 18:09 F-16 continues to be the most popular fighter plane in 2025, with a presence in over a score of air forces and a renewed role after the arrival of some of its units in Argentina.

A worker walks into the Economy Ministry building in Buenos Aires on December 10, 2025.

MARKETS & BONDS

Argentina’s dollar bond sale tests foreign demand under Milei

10-12-2025 15:39 A bond sale planned for Wednesday may be a small step for Argentina’s government at home, but a major move toward a potential return to international debt markets.

This aerial view shows Argentina's National Congress building in Buenos Aires on December 10, 2025.

POLITICS & CONGRESS

Milei kicks off second half of term with stronger hand in Congress

10-12-2025 15:20 President has gained ground in Congress after October’s midterm elections but lacks firm majorities; Key reforms still hinge on delicate negotiations with governors and rivals.

Italian farmers gather with their tractors during a protest in Cuneo, Piedmont, on January 31, 2023.

EU-MERCOSUR TRADE DEAL

EU vows stricter controls for imports ahead of Mercosur deal vote

10-12-2025 14:38 To verify that products comply with EU standards, the European Commission promised to increase the number of controls abroad by 50 percent over the next two years.

Jorgen Watne Frydnes, chair of the Norwegian Nobel Committee, left, and Ana Corina Sosa Machado, daughter of Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado, right, at the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize presentation ceremony.

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

Nobel winner Machado secretly left Venezuela and hit bad weather

10-12-2025 13:46 Nobel Peace Prize winner María Corina Machado secretly left Venezuela in a bid to get to Oslo in time to accept her award but was forced to miss the ceremony because bad weather delayed her journey.

Protesters demonstrate against mining at Independence Square in front of the provincial Legislature in Mendoza, Argentina, on December 9, 2025.

MINING IN MENDOZA

Thousands protest as Milei-backed mining bill wins approval in Mendoza

10-12-2025 11:39 Provincial lawmakers back US$500-million copper venture despite widespread demonstrations and warnings from environmental groups; Activists from across the province protest against the San Jorge mining firm project.

Number crunching as the clock ticks down.

SECOND ANNIVERSARY

Two years of Milei in five economic and social indicators

09-12-2025 18:30 Two years into President Javier Milei’s government, a look at five key indicators and what they tell us about Argentina under the libertarian leader.

by Agustina Bordigoni

President Javier Milei delivers a speech to Congress on September 15, 2024.

POLITICS & CONGRESS

Milei lines up seven bills for summer Congress sessions

09-12-2025 17:42 Government publishes bills it will seek to pass in Official Gazette; Budget and labour reform top the list.

INTELLIGENCE SERVICES

Intelligence services adrift and under uncertain leadership

09-12-2025 17:05 In a region beginning to convulse due to the presence of United States troops in the Caribbean, with a latent threat from Iran against the country, the reshuffle at Argentina’s SIDE intelligence services once again lays bare an agency riddled with internal strife.

by Walter Curia

Javier Milei, Argentina's president, waves during a swearing in ceremony at the National Congress in Buenos Aires.

POLITICS & ECONOMY

Milei readies major reforms while markets await currency shift

09-12-2025 15:28 Argentina currently allows the currency to trade within a strict set of bands, a policy that has helped keep inflation in check. But analysts say it has also created an overvalued peso that is weighing on the economy.

Officers carry out a raid at offices belonging to Racing Club.

GRAFT INVESTIGATION

Police raid offices of Argentina football federation in corruption probe

09-12-2025 14:58 Judge ordered searches at Argentine Football Association (AFA) headquarters and at more than a dozen football clubs in relation to a criminal complaint filed by the country’s tax agency against Sur Finanzas.

The headquarters of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in Buenos Aires City.

CORRUPTION IN SPORT

Police raid AFA offices, top clubs in Sur Finanzas money-laundering probe

09-12-2025 14:53 Headquarters of the Argentine Football Association (AFA) and up to 17 clubs raided as part of money-laundering investigation into Sur Finanzas; Raids carried out at Racing, San Lorenzo, Independiente, Banfield, Los Andes, Barracas Central and Acassuso, among others.

A combine harvester cuts through a field of soybean plants at a farm in San José de la Esquina, Santa Fe Province.

AGRICULTURE

Argentina trims export duties for agricultural products

09-12-2025 14:28 Economy Minister Luis Caputo announces “permanent reduction” in export duties for soybeans, maize, wheat and other crops, including derivatives.

Trucks carrying grain for export from wheat fields near Rosario, Argentina.

AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY

Milei cuts export taxes on Argentine soy, corn and wheat

09-12-2025 14:15 President Javier Milei’s government has reduced export duties on soybeans, corn and wheat.

Chilean presidential candidate José Antonio Kast of the Partido Republicano delivers a speech behind bulletproof glass during his closing campaign rally in Concepción, Chile, on December 6, 2025.

CHILE ELECTION 2025

Chile to vote for president with hard-right Kast tipped to win

09-12-2025 14:03 Leftist candidate Jeannette Jara and far-right leader José Antonio Kast will go head-to-head in Chile's presidential run-off this Sunday.

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

Questions over Machado's whereabouts as Nobel event postponed

09-12-2025 10:12 Nobel officials delay press conference with Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado in Oslo Tuesday; Unclear if she is in the Norwegian capital or not.

A picture shows a traditional dish from northern Italy 'I Casoncelli' in the kitchen of the 'Trattoria Sant'Ambroeus' in Bergamo's upper city, on June 16, 2020. Italy is waiting for a final decision by UNESCO, on December 10, 2025, regarding the recognition of Italian cuisine as an 'Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.'

WORLD HERITAGE

Argentine dance to Yemeni poetry among UNESCO heritage bids

09-12-2025 09:48 UNESCO is weighing 68 nominations to add to its intangible cultural heritage list.

Foreign relations & diplomacy

Milei to attend Machado’s Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo

08-12-2025 19:29 Argentina’s President plans a brief but symbolic trip as tensions with Venezuela rise.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado holds a Venezuelan national flag as she gestures from atop a truck during a demonstration to protest over the presidential election results, in Caracas on August 3, 2024.

NOBEL PEACE PRIZE

Machado family, heads of state in Oslo to fete elusive Nobel laureate

08-12-2025 19:09 María Corina Machado has indicated she will accept her award in person on Wednesday at Oslo's City Hall, despite the risk of being declared a fugitive for leaving her country.

Argentina's President Javier Milei sits on one of the six new F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, next to his sister and General Secretary of the Presidency Karina Milei (R), Defense Minister Luis Petri and Argentina's Air Force Chief of the General Staff Gustavo Valverde (L) during an official ceremony at the 'Area de Material Rio IV' in Río Cuarto, Córdoba Province on December 6, 2025.

MILITARY & DEFENCE

Milei hails arrival of first F-16 fighter jets at Río Cuarto ceremony

07-12-2025 22:26 President presents F16 fighter jets bought from Denmark, proclaiming them the"guardian angels" of Argentina’s airspace.