News of argentina

MONETARY POLICY

Central Bank cuts key rate to 29% as peso depreciation slows

Yesterday 23:43 Central Bank cuts benchmark interest rate by 300 basis points to 29%.

Football in Argentina

Time will tell if money talks in top flight

Yesterday 23:38 One of the joys of this league, after all, is its ability to constantly surprise us.

by Dan Edwards

POLITICS

Government attempts to cool backlash to Milei’s Davos remarks

Yesterday 20:54 Presidential Spokesperson Manuel Adorni denies President Javier Milei branded homosexuals as paedophiles in his World Economic Forum speech as activists prepare to rally for LGBT+ rights.

Politics

Karina’s influence evident as La Libertad Avanza expels Ramiro Marra

Yesterday 18:47 La Libertad Avanza announces one of the party’s longest-serving members, Ramira Marra, has been expelled from its caucus in City Legislature after voting for “unacceptable” tax increase.

SELf-SERVICE FUEL

Unions warn new self-service fuel pump rules will mean job losses

Yesterday 16:55 President Javier Milei’s government issues decree allowing self-service fuel pumps at service stations across Argentina; Union warns as many as 70,000 jobs could be lost.

FOREIGN POLICY & SECURITY

Argentina may send Armed Forces to beef up Triple Frontier security

Yesterday 00:35 Border clampdown takes Brazil by surprise, with officials learning of move via media; Security, Defence Ministries fine-tuning details to determine number of troops and where they will be deployed.

NEW LEGAL BEAGLE

Santiago María Castro Videla named as new Treasury legal chief

29-01-2025 15:37 Presidential Spokesperson Manuel Adorni confirms administrative law specialist and Austral University professor Santiago María Castro Videla has been named as new Treasury attorney-general, replacing departing Rodolfo Barra.

GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

Milei wants right-wing forum as restarts ‘chainsaw’

28-01-2025 11:27 La Libertad Avanza leader wants to be the beacon for a movement of right-wing leaders with whom he shares ideological common ground. He will deepen the “cultural battle” in Argentina and move forward with deeper cuts at public companies, prompting a new wave of redundancies in time for the October midterms.

by Juan Pablo Kavanagh

ECONOMY – ANALYSIS

Argentina and the IMF – scenarios for a possible new agreement

28-01-2025 10:04 Milei government and IMF continue to fine-tune a future agreement which is likely to include a remittance of some US$11 billion to bolster Central Bank coffers, allowing Argentina to remove the ‘cepo’ currency and capital controls.

by Gonzalo Martínez

TOURISM & TRAVEL

Argentina’s rich neighbours cut back on visits due to strong peso

28-01-2025 09:38 Tourists visiting from Uruguay and Chile fell at least 30% in December from a year ago, according to INDEC.

BORDER ROW

Milei plans to build Argentina-Bolivia border wall, citing crime

28-01-2025 09:29 Salta Province plans to build short fence near the Bolivian border as part of a crackdown on drug-trafficking and contraband.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Argentina wins upgrade from Moody’s in boost for Milei

26-01-2025 23:40 Argentina’s credit rating raised by Moody’s Ratings to 'Caa3,' the third-lowest level of junk and on par with Ecuador, Bolivia and Ethiopia.

Literary Award

Writer Guillermo Saccomanno wins Alfaguara Novel Prize

25-01-2025 18:00 Argentine author Guillermo Saccomanno wins prestigious Spanish-language literary prize and US $175,000 for his novel of "rare intensity."

POLITICS

Milei tells top legal official Rodolfo Barra to resign

25-01-2025 10:15 President Javier Milei has sacked Rodolfo Barra, the attorney general of Argentina’s Treasury.

Analysing Argentina

Milei’s learning curve

25-01-2025 06:48 Milei’s learning curve should take note from his predecessors: too much orthodoxy or unorthodoxy leads to trouble.

by Marcelo J. García

Editorial

A star is born(e)

25-01-2025 06:33 President Javier Milei returns home today from a stellar week abroad, but yet again Milei has wasted chances to promote overseas investment at an international forum.

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Milei and Trump: On Nazis, outsiders and politicians

25-01-2025 06:21 Trump’s re-election blows wind into the sails of the new right, which is seeking to absolutely dismantle progressivism.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

The Week in Review

Stories that caught our eye: January 17 to 24

24-01-2025 16:06 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

POLITICS

Government wants to remove femicide from Argentina's Penal Code

24-01-2025 15:48 President Javier Milei's government wants to strip femicide from Argentina's Penal Code, eliminate non-binary IDs and remove quotas for disabled and trans people.

Liga Profesional de Fútbol

New season, more teams, new stars, same dream

24-01-2025 06:40 After a lively start to the transfer window in Argentina, there’s certainly no shortage of contenders for this year’s title(s).

by Dan Edwards

AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY

Argentina slashes export taxes to rescue drought-hit farmers

23-01-2025 23:25 Argentina slashes taxes on major crops, assisting farmers wrestling with a drought and low global prices.

AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY

Government temporarily reduces export duties in boost for farmers

23-01-2025 23:19 Economy Minister Luis Caputo confirms that Argentina will temporarily lower export duties.

ENERGY & GAS

Shale spurs Argentina’s largest energy trade surplus since 2006

23-01-2025 16:34 Argentina scored its widest annual energy trade surplus in nearly two decades in 2024 thanks to booming oil and gas production.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Watchdog takes government to court over medicine for sick children

23-01-2025 01:09 State watchdog for children files court injunction to force Argentina’s government to provide missing medication for sick youngsters, including some undergoing cancer treatment.

ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

Dollar, IMF, tariffs – how Trump’s measures will impact Argentina

23-01-2025 00:35 US President’s protectionist policies clash with the free-market creed of President Javier Milei’s government. Argentina’s quest for support with the IMF, the negative effects of the "super dollar" and uncertainty as to the commercial dynamics.

by Martín Fernández Nadale

WORLD ECONOMIC FORuM

Milei praises Trump at Davos, but seeks deeper ties with China

22-01-2025 16:37 President indicates he has shifted stance on China, describing the nation as a "great trade partner," and showers praise on US President Donald Trump.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Milei would leave Mercosur if needed for US-Argentina deal

22-01-2025 15:09 President Javier Milei says he would leave Mercosur if necessary to cement a free-trade agreement with the United States.

FOOTBALL IN ARGENTINA

World champions, big names sign up for Argentina’s top flight

22-01-2025 14:45 New footballing season set to kick off with 30 teams battling it out for glory.

NEW ERA IN AMERICA

Trump on Latin America: 'We don’t need them – they need us'

22-01-2025 11:10 US president's remarks indicate his forthright approach to future policy; Trump insists he will regain control of Panama Canal, sends troops to Mexican border, but Marco Rubio’s eye will remain on wider region.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Abuelas de Plaza de Mayo announce discovery of 'grandchild number 139'

21-01-2025 12:26 Human rights group announces press conference at the Casa de la Identidad to reveal details of latest discovery.

ARGENTINA-US RELATIONS

Milei meets new US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at black-tie gala

21-01-2025 10:53 President Javier Milei meets Marco Rubio at a black-tie gala following Donald Trump's inauguration.

BLOOMBERG - ANALYSIS

Milei back in Davos after racking up victories in Argentina

21-01-2025 09:39 Argentina's president has achieved what few considered possible just a year ago. Will he be able to overcome even bigger challenges in 2025?

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Argentina recorded record trade surplus in 2024

20-01-2025 22:48 Argentia recorded its biggest-ever trade surplus in 2024 – partly due to a drop in imports caused by recession.

AGRICULTURE & ECONOMY

Rainfall falters for Argentina’s baked soybean and corn farms

20-01-2025 14:57 Rains that were forecast to fall on farmland over the weekend largely failed to materialise, leaving the region continuing to suffer from dryness.

INTERNATIONAL MONETARY FUND

IMF to send team to Argentina after ‘excellent’ Milei meeting

20-01-2025 09:21 IMF Managing Director Georgieva meets President Javier Milei in Washington and highlights "tremendous progress" of Argentina’s economy. An IMF team will travel to Buenos Aires next week to accelerate talks over a new programme.

DEATH OF ALBERTO NISMAN

Milei government remembers Nisman, describes death as ‘murder’

19-01-2025 09:08 President’s Office reaffirmed its “commitment to seek justice for the victims of AMIA” bombing in statement marking 10th anniversary of late prosecutor Alberto Nisman’s death.

POLITICS & CONGRESS

Government renews push for 'Ficha Limpia' anti-graft bill

18-01-2025 13:40 President Javier Milei sends so-called 'Clean Record' bill to Congress; If passed, the bill would block former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner from seeking office in 2025 midterms.

ECONOMIC POLICY

Milei touts 'promises kept' after rare budget surplus

18-01-2025 10:21 Economy Minister Luis Caputo confirms Argentina's budget surplus, which amounted to 0.3% of GDP, was the first since 2010.

Editorial

Brave new world or tempest?

18-01-2025 06:49 Slaying the inflationary dragon is both the cornerstone of Milei’s economic policy and the key to electoral success, but the sequence between lower inflation and electoral triumph is not so linear.

Analysing Argentina

Latin America ducks and covers for Trump – except Milei

18-01-2025 06:37 With expected good access to the new White House, it will be up to Milei and his team to distinguish personal ideology from national interest and act accordingly.

by Marcelo J. García

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

Milei's Marxist culture wars

18-01-2025 06:33 The rise of characters such as Donald Trump in the US, and Milei here in Argentina, is directly tied to their level of political incorrectness and they’ve become equally savage in pushing culturally as far as they can in the other direction.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

US-ARGENTINA RELATIONS

Trump and Milei: An ideological match, but can they work together?

18-01-2025 06:32 The ideological romance between the presidents of Argentina and the United States has already matured. But will it ripen?

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Argentina posts fiscal surplus after Milei’s budget cuts

17-01-2025 18:49 President Javier Milei made good on his promise to deliver a fiscal surplus in his first year, achieving a feat not seen in over a decade in Argentina’s deficit-prone economy.

THE WEEK IN REIVEW

Stories that caught our eye: January 10 to 17

17-01-2025 16:57 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

Football in Argentina

Summer football has forsaken its spiritual home

17-01-2025 11:54 (Disclaimer: The following column is full of unabated nostalgia and old-man-yells-at-cloud aimless ranting. When asked for an explanation, the author professed that it is very hot in Buenos Aires right now and that has him in a foul mood. For actual up-to-date information, please consult elsewhere in today's newspaper)

by Dan Edwards

CENTRAL BANK MANOUEVRES

Argentina takes steps to dollarise and holds key rate

17-01-2025 11:49 Argentina’s Central Bank said payment intermediaries will have to enable debit card transactions in US currency by February 28, marking a key step in President Javier Milei’s pledge to dollarise the economy.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

World Bank forecasts 5% growth for Argentina in 2025

17-01-2025 09:52 After two years of recession, President Javier Milei’s government will see approximately five percent in GDP this year, followed by a further 4.7 percent in 2026, predicts World Bank.

WAR IN MIDDLE EAST

Milei 'eagerly' awaiting release of Israeli-Argentine hostages

17-01-2025 09:28 President Milei says he hopes US president-elect Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are "successful" in securing the release of hostages.

TRUMP'S INAUGURATION

Milei to join far-right leaders, tech moguls at Trump's inauguration

16-01-2025 19:23 Along with the president's usual travelling crew, one unexpected Argentine will also be in attendance: San Juan Province Governor Marcelo Orrego.