Stories that caught our eye: January 10 to 19

MILEI’S FUTURE SHOCK

President Javier Milei made his international debut at the World Economic Forum in Davos with a fiery speech warning the Western world of the perils of socialism with feminism and environmentalism thrown in as further dangers. The state was “the problem, not the solution,” according to his implacable defence of capitalism and free enterprise. On the fringe of the conclave Milei met British Foreign Secretary David Cameron (including a passing mention of the Malvinas issue) and International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. His speech was praised by multi-billionaire tycoon Elon Musk, who posted the message: “Good explanation of what makes countries more or less prosperous.”

OPPOSITION CONSPIRACY THEORIES

Radical caucus chief Rodrigo De Loredo on Monday warned of a “pact of impunity” between the government and Kirchnerism while rejecting the presidential insults aimed at those offering critical support for the omnibus bill “without excesses and without leaving the most vulnerable sectors like our pensioners defenceless.” De Loredo grounded his charge on the Anti-Corruption Office being relieved of the obligation to be plaintiff in graft cases and the continuation of officials of the previous administration in key posts. His charges drew no comment from the government beyond presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni remarking that they “drew his attention.” The fate of the 664-article omnibus bill still hung in the balance at press time amid intense negotiations.

NO MONEY FOR STRIKERS 

The government will dock the pay of all state workers adhering to next Wednesday’s CGT general strike, presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni announced in his daily press conference on Thursday morning. Adorni also commented on Economy Minister Luis Caputo giving dollarisation a lower priority than stabilising the economy at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he praised President Javier Milei’s performance as a beacon to the world, inspiring the enthusiasm of government chiefs and businessmen. 

PRICE HIKES

The minimum bus fare rose 45 percent at the start of the week, moving up from 52.96 to 76.92 pesos, with much more to come next month with a figure of 270 pesos projected as the government strives to slash subsidies and place metropolitan fares on a par with inland. Meanwhile the minimum train fare moved up from 37 to 48 pesos with 160 pesos looming for February. At the end of last year bus fares covered a mere six percent of costs and train fares 0.7 percent. Prices are rising on several fronts, including medicaments, with some drugs trebling in the last year (an average of 90 percent in the last two months alone) while consumption has slumped 19-20 percent. Pensioners and the chronically ill are especially hard hit.

BULLRICH TRUE TO TYPE

Security Minister Patricia Bullrich said last Tuesday that foreigners without permanent residence who commit crimes should be expelled from Argentina immediately. Her remarks were quickly echoed by her City counterpart Waldo Wolff, who posted on his X social network account: “Last year we in this city suffered over 4,000 crimes between robberies, drug-trafficking and gender violence at the hands of foreigners.” In 2021 the Alberto Fernández Presidency had quashed a 2017 decree by the Mauricio Macri administration aimed at speeding the expulsion of foreign criminals. The latest remarks were triggered by a turf war between Paraguayan and Bolivian squatters in La Matanza last weekend when five people were shot dead.

BA PROVINCE PAY HIKE

Buenos Aires Province Governor Axel Kicillof last Tuesday awarded provincial employees a 25 percent pay hike to compensate for last month’s inflation while offering them collective bargaining negotiation for next month. Kicillof attributed the hike to the “loss of purchasing-power” due to accelerating inflation in a dig at President Javier Milei, describing December inflation as “the highest in decades for our country.” There still remains a major backlog since 2023 collective bargaining totalled 148.35 percent as against an annual inflation of 211 percent. Instead of replying directly to the governor’s barbs, Milei took issue with a fake Kicillof social network account claiming superior economic studies to his, reminding the 2013-15 Economy minister of his failures with Paris Club debt and YPF nationalisation.

LA RIOJA’S FUNNY MONEY

The La Rioja provincial legislature on Wednesday approved the issue of a quasi-currency denominated Bocade (bonos de cancelación de deuda) to the tune of 22.5 billion pesos, to be used for the payment of 30 percent of provincial salaries and as legal exchange throughout the province.

SLOW BOAT TO CHINA

Foreign Minister Diana Mondino received Chinese Ambassador Wang Wei in her Ministry just before last weekend, patching up differences with Beijing over such issues as President Javier Milei’s campaign insults of the “Communist” superpower, withdrawal from BRICS and recent contacts with Taiwanese representatives. Mondino reiterated Argentina’s commitment to “one China” and pledged herself to boosting the bilateral relationship with the focus very much on trade since China “is the second destination of our exports and the first origin of the imports” according to Mondino. The government is also seeking to revive Chinese financing of Argentine infrastructure within the Belt and Road Initiative.

DOG DAY AFTERNOON

A man was almost lynched on Wednesday afternoon when several people mistook him for a thief and beat him up within an inch of his life for 10 minutes. The incident started at the corner of Viamonte and San Martín streets when a woman screamed that she had been robbed but when the man was finally rescued by the police, he was found to be empty-handed. The victim’s version was that he had never been mistaken for a thief but that his assailants were street pedlars who had made up the story to justify their aggression following an exchange of words.

SANTA TERESITA SLAYING BACK IN NEWS

One of the 16 defendants in the case of the New Year Day’s slaying of Tomás Tello in Santa Teresita last Tuesday broke silence to claim that the fight ending the youth’s life had been provoked by the victim. According to Diego Roberto Cejas, the fighting had started when Tello and his friends had beaten up and robbed Damián ‘El Kope’ Kopelián, the main suspect for the homicide, on top of having denied the defendants entrance to a pre-Christmas party. The prosecution charges that the attack on Tello was premeditated.

FIRST 2024 COVID DEATH

The first Covid-19 death of the new year was confirmed in Salta by the provincial Health Ministry last Thursday amid mounting reports of increased cases since the second half of December, as reported by national health officials. The Christmas celebrations of 2022 in closed spaces had previously proved to be a breeding-ground. The first week of this year was reported to have a daily average of 268 cases, rising to 472 in the second week, according to national officials. Apart from Buenos Aires City and Province, the provinces of Santa Fe, Formosa, Chaco, Jujuy and Salta were reported as having the most cases, mostly diagnosed as the subvariant JN.1. 

SCALONI TO SOLDIER ON

After prolonged doubts as to his continuity, Argentine football trainer Lionel Scaloni has embarked on preparing his squad for the friendly matches prior to June’s Copa America in the United States. But differences with AFA Argentine Football Association president Claudio ‘Chiqui’ Tapia persist with Scaloni seeking stiffer competition for the friendlies than contemplated by AFA.