News of economy

Amnesty International slams rise of Argentina’s 'surveillance state'

Yesterday 22:24 Massive online surveillance is deterring the right to protest in Argentina, says Amnesty International NGO in latest report.

CHINA & LATIN AMERICA

China's Xi says supports Latin America in 'upholding independence'

Yesterday 14:35 "China supports Latin American countries in upholding independence and self-reliance," says Chinese leader as he hosts Ecuador's Daniel Noboa.

Commuters ride past a State Bank of India (SBI) branch in Bengaluru on August 11, 2026.

GUEST COLUMN

Viksit Bharat 2047: A road map for India to become a developed nation

Yesterday 10:55 India should become Viksit Bharat by 2047, which would be the 100th year anniversary of India’s independence.

Porteños wait for a public transport bus in Buenos Aires.

PERSONAL FINANCES

How families in Milei's Argentina sank deep into debt

Yesterday 09:50 Stagnant incomes, coupled with a cost of living crisis, have nudged household finances in Javier Milei’s Argentina to the brink.

Martín Varsavsky and an image from his Wamani compound.

SOCIETY

Wamani: Martín Varsavsky's Mendoza refuge for a hypothetical war

17-08-2026 16:33 Businessman Martín Varsavsky, a member of the Silicon Valley elite, caused a stir this week in the 'Financial Times' by declaring that "we're already in World War III." Working from that premise, the entrepreneur says that "it makes sense to have a refuge" and reveals details of Wamani, his retreat in the Mendoza foothills. But the site’s corporate paperwork conceals a geopolitical paradox.

by Nicolás González

ENERGY & GAS

Shale driller Vista Energy jumps as Peter Thiel logs stake

17-08-2026 14:14 Shares in Vista Energy, Argentina’s top oil exporter, jump after tech billionaire Peter Thiel reports a sizeable stake in the company.

A F-34 drilling rig at the Vista Energy Bajada del Palo Oil and Gas Field in Neuquén, Argentina.

ENERGY & GAS

Peter Thiel reports stake in Argentine shale oil exporter Vista

16-08-2026 10:38 Peter Thiel’s hedge fund acquires a sizeable stake in Vista Energy SAB, Argentina’s top oil exporter, increasing his ties to the country.

OPINION & ANALYSIS

The New Right redraws Latin America’s map

16-08-2026 07:23 Latin America has become fertile ground for outsiders who know how to turn resentment into votes.

Perfil's Jorge Fontevecchia interviews former Brazil president José Sarney.

INTERVIEW WITH EX-BRAZIL PRESIDENT

José Sarney: ‘President Milei is hostile to Brazil’

15-08-2026 13:28 Former Brazil president criticises disparaging remarks delivered by Argentina’s Javier Milei towards Lula and Brazil, describing them as inappropriate and a breach of diplomatic dignity. Calling on both nations to prioritise regional unity and resist external pressures, he declares that the bond between the Brazilian and Argentine people remains strong.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

Scenarios: Three possible paths to Argentina’s 2027 election

15-08-2026 10:22 Three scenarios, but one decisive factor: the economy.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

Editorial

Economic conundrums

15-08-2026 07:00 The Milei administration has yet to square the circle of taming inflation without recession.

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

And if the divided rule?

15-08-2026 06:15 Should the wheels come off for Trump, this would be another question-mark over Milei’s re-election chances.

by Michael Soltys

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

Campaign battle royale as outsiders and professionals face Milei

15-08-2026 05:33 Political campaigns in Argentina have been governed by fragmentation, negative voting and thin results in the last few presidential bouts. There’s also been big surprises.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

Fernando De Andreis and Cristian Ritondo arrive at the Casa Rosada for a meeting with La Libertad Avanza officials.

The Week in Review

Stories that caught our eye: August 7 to 14

14-08-2026 17:28 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

EDUCATION

Report: Only half of primary school kids have ‘satisfactory knowledge’ of language and maths

14-08-2026 11:50 Only 50% of schoolkids in Argentina reach sixth grade with ‘satisfactory knowledge of language and maths,’ finds NGO report, but 94 in 100 pupils reached sixth grade without dropping out or repeating a year.

CENTRAL BANK

Argentina eases post-2001 dollar loan curbs to boost economy

14-08-2026 09:18 President Javier Milei’s government seeks to boost credit and economic activity by easing longstanding restrictions on dollar lending.

ENERGY & GAS

‘Argentina LNG’ – YPF confirms massive US$51-billion RIGI production plan

13-08-2026 19:58 State energy firm announces largest RIGI scheme investment to date, worth over US $50 billion; Project envisages massive export of liquefied natural gas from Vaca Muerta, backed by ENI and XRG.

Cuban leader Raúl Castro attends the gala marking the 100th anniversary of his brother Fidel Castro's birth at the Karl Marx theatre in Havana on August 13, 2026. The 95-year-old and US-indicted Cuban leader Raul Castro received a standing ovation as he appeared in public for the first time in months on August 13, 2026, attending an event in Havana to mark the centenary of his brother Fidel's birth.

US PRESSURE ON CUBA

Indicted Raúl Castro reappears after months out of public view

13-08-2026 18:39 Brother of Fidel Castro, facing indictment in United States, last appeared in public at a May 1 event in front of the US Embassy in Havana, where he appeared frail, and was shown on state television at events in June.

US Ambassador to Argentina Peter Lamelas.

GEOPOLITICAL ROW

US ambassador warns Argentina over Chinese firms in Vaca Muerta

13-08-2026 17:10 Trump envoy Peter Lamelas says Chinese involvement in strategic sectors “will not help attract foreign investors” to Argentina’s shale oil and gas hub.

ANALYSIS

Inflation edged up last month on winter holidays

13-08-2026 17:00 Economy Minister Luis Caputo announces companies without earnings in dollars will now be able to borrow greenbacks.

A shopper consults a staff member at a supermarket in Buenos Aires.

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

Inflation ticks up slightly, rising to monthly 2.1%

13-08-2026 16:05 Consumer prices rose 2.1% in July, lifting annualised inflation figure to 33.8%; July figure slight acceleration on 1.9% recorded previous month.

Rescue workers search for survivors at the site of collapsed buildings after an earthquake in Cali, Colombia on August 12, 2026.

EARTHQUAKE TRAGEDY

Colombia enters 'final phase' of quake search as toll clears 265

13-08-2026 12:04 Magnitude 7.4 quake, the strongest to hit Colombia this century, has killed 265 people and injured more than 3,500, with almost 500 still missing, according to local authorities.

Hundreds of protesters gather in Buenos Aires to demand government restore funding for science and technology.

GOVERNMENT & SCIENCE

Scientists march against Milei's cuts wearing Albiceleste shirts

12-08-2026 23:23 Hundreds of protesters gather in Buenos Aires to demand government restore funding for science and technology; Protesters say research system has deteriorated since President Milei took office.

Economy Minister Luis Caputo speaks to the Bolsa de Comercio de Córdoba.

MINISTER SPEAKS

Caputo says ‘Argentina has been laid waste over last 25 years’

12-08-2026 17:08 Economy minister claims nation must be “rebuilt” after quarter-century of devastation; Flags arrival of new investment, talks up President Milei’s potential re-election during speech at Córdoba Stock Exchange.

Javier Milei at the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange, on July 16.

ANALYSIS: SHOCK THERAPY

Milei eases cash crunch to reignite economic growth

12-08-2026 14:02 Milei administration starting to shift its focus from solely crushing inflation to a more balanced approach.

Foreign nationals who are not resident in Argentina will have to pay for their medical treatment in public hospitals.

HEALTH & SOCIETY

Milei limits free hospital care for foreigners in Argentina

12-08-2026 12:59 Non-resident foreigners will have to pay for non-urgent care at federal hospitals or show proof of health insurance; Government says the measure targets “medical tourism.”

BEEF EXPORTS

USDA says Argentine beef that missed inspection is recalled

12-08-2026 11:10 Nearly 30,000 pounds of Argentine beef that wasn’t fully inspected before being distributed in Texas and Florida are being recalled.

Fishing in waters near the Malvinas Islands.

SPECIAL REPORT

From squid to oil: How UK is consolidating illegal exploitation of Malvinas waters through to 2047

10-08-2026 06:39 While preparing the Sea Lion oil project to begin production in 2027, the islands' government has extended the fishing rights of the main companies operating around the archipelago for another 25 years.

by Cecilia Degl'Innocenti

AT THE LIMITS OF ARGENTINE WATERS

Mile 201: The invisible line where fishing becomes environmental poaching

10-08-2026 00:19 A postcard of environmental disaster at first sight: hundreds of trawlers with lights blazing navigating at the edge of Argentine waters. This fleet flying the flags of distant countries seeks banks of the Illex squid, hake and other species. Specialists warn of the ecological damage from uncontrolled fishing.

by Enrique Garabetyan

Analysing Argentina

Quintela and the Peronists; Weird scarecrow strategy

08-08-2026 19:31 Most Argentines are telling pollsters that they would like something to change next year. But polls measuring voting intention still have Milei either in the lead or neck-and-neck with his main opponent.

by Marcelo J. García

BEYOND THE HEADLINES

Tears for fears and arrears

08-08-2026 19:18 A country historically living beyond its means is now a question of some of its families living beyond their means. Or so President Milei would like to see it.

by Michael Soltys

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

Milei’s weeks of fury

08-08-2026 19:16 Milei is following Trump’s lead, trying to erode Lula’s position ahead of the consequential vote scheduled for October 4.

The Israeli Company Navitas Petroleum has become embroiled in controversy over its participation in this oil exploration project off the Malvinas, the centre of a sovereignty dispute between Britain and Argentina.

Geopolitics

Diplomatic tensions over Malvinas oil

08-08-2026 14:51 Government's Malvinas oil silence tests ties with Israel, Chile; Navitas' Sea Lion project strains Argentina's ties

Senator Patricia Bullrich speaks with other senators at the National Congress in Buenos Aires on August 6, 2026, prior to the debate of the bill on the inviolability of private property.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Stories that caught our eye: August 1 to 7

08-08-2026 05:10 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino gestures during a press conference with the World Cup trophy on the eve of the opening match of the 2026 World Cup football tournament at Mexico city stadium in Mexico City on June 10, 2026.

POLITICS & SPORT

FIFA chief Infantino gets backing of AFA, South American football

08-08-2026 05:07 CONMEBOL, which has only 10 FIFA-affiliated members but includes iconic federations such as Argentina and Brazil, expresses concern but backs FIFA chief.

EDITORIAL

The law of the land

08-08-2026 05:02 This last week might well go down in any future history of the Milei administration as the one marking the limits of deregulation.

A demonstrator holds a national flag amid tear gas during protest outside the National Congress in Buenos Aires on August 6, 2026, as senators debate a bill on the inviolability of private property.

POLITICS & CONGRESS

Protesters clash with police in Buenos Aires over private property bill

07-08-2026 15:18 Thousands rally against Milei-backed legislation as unrest leaves at least three injured and 10 arrested.

Pipes are stacked for a pipeline while under construction on the Vaca Muerta shale deposit.

ENERGY & GAS

China alleges US meddling as Huawei courts Vaca Muerta

07-08-2026 15:11 US officials threaten to deny or revoke US visas for directors of power distributor CALF in Neuquén Province if they went ahead with Huawei deal.

POLITICS & CONGRESS

Milei retreats even further to pass property bill amid backlash

07-08-2026 15:08 Government forced to abandon another section of private property legislation reform.

Women touch an image of Saint Cajetan, patron saint of work and bread, as faithful pray at the Saint Cajetan Church in Buenos Aires on August 7, 2026. Every year on the feast of Saint Cajetan, thousands of Catholics visit the shrine to pay homage to the saint and pray for employment and prosperity.

SOCIETY & RELIGION

Thousands march on Day of San Cayetano, patron saint of bread and work

07-08-2026 04:49 Traditional pilgrimage to patron saint of bread and work doubles as protest against Milei’s austerity measures.

Flybondi didn’t fly a single plane for a roughly two-week stretch in July.

AVIATION & AIR TRAVEL

Discount airline Flybondi ghosts Boeing, slashes 75% of flights

06-08-2026 14:21 Low-cost airline Flybondi is on the brink of collapse, eight months after an ally of President Milei promised to invest US$1.7 billion in an attempted turnaround of the decade-old carrier.

BRAZILIAN POLITICS

Lula battles Trump, Milei over perceived election meddling

06-08-2026 04:44 President Lula's government accuses Trump’s administration of improperly intervening in Brazil’s affairs.

POLITICS & CONGRESS

Milei guts bill to ease property laws in face of public uproar

05-08-2026 19:02 Lawmakers water down legislation to ease limits on foreign land ownership in response to fierce backlash.

Brazil President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Brazil hits new diplomatic lows with United States and Argentina

05-08-2026 18:50 Two months before Brazil's election, diplomatic tensions are flaring between President Lula's administration and Argentina and the United States.

The Central Bank of Argentina in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

CURRENCY SWAP LINE

Argentina, China extend currency swap deal

05-08-2026 18:30 Central banks of Argentina and China renew US$19-billion bilateral currency swap.

The People's Bank of China headquarters in Beijing.

Currency deal

Argentina renews US$19-billion China swap for another five years

05-08-2026 18:24 Argentina's Central Bank renews US$19-billion currency swap with the People’s Bank of China for five years.

ANALYSIS

Milei’s money man shuns foreign markets after failed bond binge

03-08-2026 18:27 Luis Caputo previously tapped foreign bond markets again and again, earning the moniker “serial borrower” from his critics. But nowadays, he's not selling bonds overseas.

FOREIGN RELATIONS

Milei accuses Spain PM Sánchez of using immigrants to 'win votes'

03-08-2026 18:04 La Libertad Avanza leader, a fierce critic of Spanish leader, accuses Pedro Sánchez of encouraging immigration to win votes and help "perpetuate his tyranny." He presented no evidence for his claim.

CARS & AUTOMOBILES

Chinese EVs are everywhere in Argentina despite Milei’s MAGA ties

03-08-2026 06:44 Brightly lit BYD dealerships are popping up nationwide as part of a broader wave of new showrooms emblazoned with names like BAIC, MG and Chery.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Stories that caught our eye: July 25 to August 1

01-08-2026 19:31 A selection of the stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

Total (culture) war

01-08-2026 19:17 The “culture wars” Milei is so fond of are the cornerstone of his political construction.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

EDITORIAL

Blame it on Sao Paulo

01-08-2026 12:17 It might well also be asked whether meddling in the domestic politics of other countries belongs in any presidential work list.

Harold Hamm speaks during the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju, South Korea.

ENERGY & GAS

Oil billionaire Hamm seeks to expand in Argentina’s shale patch

01-08-2026 05:17 US shale pioneer Harold Hamm is moving to expand his footprint in Argentina’s Vaca Muerta oil basin.

President Javier Milei and South Korea's President Lee Jae Myung pose with a chainsaw during a meeting at the Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires on July 31, 2026.

BILATERAL RELATIONS

Argentina and South Korea announce critical minerals partnership

01-08-2026 04:58 President Javier Milei met his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jae Myung, in Buenos Aires on Friday as the two countries sought to deepen cooperation in critical minerals, energy and trade.

The Central Bank of Argentina in Buenos Aires.

ECONOMIC POLICY

Milei Central Bank reform would ban financing state spending

31-07-2026 22:43 Milei’s push to fortify the Central Bank contrasts with his campaign pledges in 2023 to dollarise the economy and definitively shutter the institution he described as “the worst garbage that exists on this Earth.”

Images from the alleged Chilean burglary network and some of its 'members' or crew.

INTERVIEW

'They don't have bosses': The detective hunting Chile's 'criminal tourists'

31-07-2026 06:40 After years tracking crews and gangs accused of targeting athletes and celebrities, Nassau County detective Jesús Bonilla explains how the crews recruit, operate and continue to expand.

SPECIAL INVESTIGATION

Criminal tourism: Inside the Chilean burglary network targeting sports stars

31-07-2026 06:40 How a gang accused of raiding Juan Martín del Potro's home fits into an international criminal network that has targeted elite athletes across the Americas and Europe.

by Federico Perez Vecchio

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva visits the Vaca Muerta shale formation.

ENERGY & GAS

IMF chief visits Vaca Muerta shale field

29-07-2026 11:38 IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva tours Loma Campana field, operated by YPF in Neuquén, during visit to Argentina.

A worker drinks from a traditional mate cup with metal straw.

IN FOCUS

Behind yerba mate craze, farmers bemoan Milei’s austerity

29-07-2026 11:05 Yerba mate is fast becoming the caffeine vehicle of choice for wellness-minded consumers far from its South American roots.

Dollar purchases

Argentina snaps dollar-buying streak day after IMF hailed policy

29-07-2026 10:57 Monetary authority didn’t buy greenbacks in Argentina’s currency market on Tuesday for the first time since January 2.

Argentina's President Javier Milei leaves the Peruvian National Congress building after the Peru's President Keiko Fujimori's inauguration in Lima on July 28, 2026.

REGOINAL TENSIONS

Milei's spokesperson plays down diplomatic spat with Brazil

29-07-2026 10:54 Argentina's government admits to "ideological and political differences" with neighbouring Brazil but says they won't affect bilateral trade.

An aerial view shows the financial district skyline in Buenos Aires in June.

MARKETs

Robeco’s US$18-billion stock picker bets on Argentina after hiatus

28-07-2026 11:17 It took nearly a decade for one of Europe’s biggest emerging-market investors to return to Argentine stocks.

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva looks on as Argentina's Economy Minister Luis Caputo waves upon her arrival for a meeting at the Economy Ministry in Buenos Aires on July 27, 2026.

Analysis

IMF chief visits Milei as Argentina’s US$57-billion bill comes due

28-07-2026 04:17 Eight years, three deals and US$57 billion since the last IMF leader came to Argentina, Kristalina Georgieva arrived Monday in Buenos Aires.

International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva leaves Argentina's Economy Ministry in Buenos Aires on July 27, 2026, after a meeting with Economy Minister Luis Caputo and heads to the Casa Rosada for talks with Argentine President Javier Milei.

IMF LEADER VISITS

IMF boss hails 'much sounder' Argentine economy under Milei

27-07-2026 18:42 International Monetary Fund director Kristalina Georgieva hails economic progress under President Javier Milei during visit to Buenos Aires.

Young workers at a factory in Buenos Aires Province.

EMPLOYMENT & JOBS

Over nine million workers now informally employed in Argentina

27-07-2026 14:58 Even though unemployment levels remain almost unchanged, the wear is beginning to show in job quality. Specialists warn involvement of young women is growing, but mostly in informal employment.

by María Lorena Rodríguez

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

ENERGY & GAS

Vista Energy joins Milei's RIGI investment incentive scheme

27-07-2026 05:06 Firm has pledged to plough US$5.8 billion into drilling 336 wells in over 10,000 hectares of the northern reaches of Vaca Muerta shale deposits with the aim of producing a daily 50,000 barrels of oil.

Argentina's President Javier Milei waves during the 138th annual La Rural agricultural exhibition in Buenos Aires on July 26, 2026.

POLITICS & ECONOMY

Milei outlines Central Bank reform bill aimed at monetary discipline

27-07-2026 04:49 President claims his planned overhaul would strengthen the Central Bank's independence and permanently curb inflation.

IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

IMF LEADER IN TOWN

IMF leader Georgieva to visit Milei in Buenos Aires

27-07-2026 04:31 IMF sources say Georgieva also plans to meet with Economy Minister Luis Caputo, Central Bank Governor Santiago Bausili and experts from the business world and academia.

ECONOMIC OUTLOOK

Caputo boldly claims Argentina will ‘reach zero inflation’

27-07-2026 04:12 Prediction comes after inflation fell sharply during President Milei's first two years in office.

Fans supporting Argentina at the World Cup final.

THE WEEK IN REVIEW

Stories that caught our eye: July 18 to 25

27-07-2026 04:00 A selection of stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.