FUNERAL OF POPE FRANCIS A simple funeral for Pope Francis becomes conduit to see Trump Today 14:26 Funeral for Pope Francis risks being turned into high-profile stage for international diplomacy at a moment of geopolitical turmoil.
REMEMBRANCE Everyone needs to go to Auschwitz-Birkenau Today 14:00 At this potentially dark hour, the Holocaust should serve as a message of what could lie ahead, if we continue fan the flames of hatred and fear. by Agustino Fontevecchia
THE PONTIFF & POLITICS A political Pope – probing Francis’ ties with Argentina’s presidents 23-04-2025 11:52 The man formerly known as Jorge Bergoglio recognised himself as being a political figure, long before his arrival in Rome. He once declared: "Christians should not be apolitical." A look at his links with Néstor Kirchner, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Mauricio Macri, Alberto Fernández and Javier Milei.
GUEST COLUMN Malaysia’s capital control (cepo) success – a journey beginning in Buenos Aires 19-04-2025 06:03 Malaysia’s success highlights the importance of policy credibility, clarity of purpose and exit strategy in the use of capital controls.
POLITICS & ECONOMY – ANALYSIS Milei dreams of re-election – with IMF's help 19-04-2025 06:00 Whether signing an IMF deal represents a “day of liberation” or one of mourning, it lifts a cloud of uncertainty and allows the political ecosystem to focus on upcoming elections. by Agustino Fontevecchia
As I see it Milei goes low in an effort to get high 19-04-2025 06:00 To get the big electoral majority he is after, Milei will have to persuade such people that he is the man, as was Juan Domingo Perón in his moment and after him, Carlos Menem and Néstor Kirchner. by James Neilson
Analysing Argentina Milei and the bicycle temptation 19-04-2025 06:00 The Milei government is confident it can make it to the midterm elections in October without major volatility. But this relative calm — won by force of debt — should not obscure the storm that was brewing before the cash injection. by Marcelo J. García
Campaign comments First day of the rest of the year 19-04-2025 06:00 Economists have hailed the exit from the cepo as a milestone but this columnist hesitates to consider it an electoral game-changer – there is both too much and too little time for that. by Michael Soltys
GEOPOLITICS & DIPLOMACY Trump’s China trade war is forcing Latin America to pick a side 15-04-2025 14:02 Intensifying battle between world’s two largest economies has left governments grappling with the reality that their days of doing big business with Beijing without serious blowback from Washington are numbered.
ARGENTINA & THE IMF Another IMF loan: for Argentina, it’s Groundhog Day 12-04-2025 15:24 Generations of Argentines feel their country is trapped in a recurring cycle: yet another loan from the International Monetary Fund to rescue a volatile economy.
POLITICS – ANALYSIS Milei gains 'breathing room' from his ties with Trump 12-04-2025 11:54 The support President Milei has garnered from the Trump administration stands in stark contrast to the mounting challenges on the home front. by Pablo Varela
As I see it Trump has China in the crosshairs 12-04-2025 05:41 The 19th century belonged to the United Kingdom, the 20th to the United States. And the 21st? by James Neilson
Global politics – Analysis Trump, Milei and how to lose the trust of markets and voters 12-04-2025 05:37 Trump stepped back from the edge, at least momentarily, even though he is keeping his finger on the trigger. by Agustino Fontevecchia
Analysing Argentina Careful Javier, the ‘caste’ smells blood 12-04-2025 05:29 Legislators who had until now been cooperative or aloof toward confrontation with Milei are changing their tune, in line with what they hear from their constituencies. by Marcelo J. García
Campaign comments And so it begins 12-04-2025 05:22 This year’s midterm voting begins tomorrow in the major province of Santa Fe with the constituent assembly elections. by Michael Soltys
POLITICS – ANALYSIS Milei launches new economic phase, with nod to middle class 11-04-2025 23:56 Casa Rosada expresses satisfaction as alignment with Trump bears fruit and secures an unprecedented initial disbursement from the International Monetary Fund.
EURO TRADE PLANS EU races to expand two-trillion-euro trade network as US links sour 11-04-2025 13:49 The European Union is racing to clinch trade deals with countries around the world in an effort to diversify away from an increasingly protectionist United States.
ECONOMY – ANALYSIS IMF deal fine print could disrupt China swap renewal 10-04-2025 05:36 In June, the grace period China granted Javier Milei expires. Washington is already pressuring Buenos Aires over the currency swap, with US$6.5 billion remaining frozen. by Eugenia Muzio
BLOOMBERG - ANALYSIS Milei needs rush of soy dollars to calm peso sell-off in Argentina 09-04-2025 17:42 Like his predecessors, President Javier Milei is depending on the soy harvest to manage one of the word’s most volatile currencies.
POLITICS – ANALYSIS Axel advances elections, disobeying CFK – has a new Peronist leader been born? 09-04-2025 14:42 As in any risky play, the decision has an effect of uncertainty and could expose the governor to undesired consequences.
BLOOMBERG - FEATURE Milei tries erasing Argentina’s history to lure foreign investment 08-04-2025 09:04 Argentina’s president is desperate to woo foreign investors. But he's had more success tearing down physical symbols of the old guard than untangling the web of red tape it left behind.
OPINION & ANALYSIS Milei's private dinners, cash and political transparency 07-04-2025 11:09 What's at stake in a US$20,000-steaks case...
BEYOND THE HEADLINES Midterms North and South 05-04-2025 06:48 Midterm results have tended to be adverse in both the United States and Argentina, from a government standpoint. In the former, a mere two of those 10 contests have gone the way of the presidential party – in the latter, the margin is narrower. by Michael Soltys
As I see it Sailing blithely into the maelstrom 05-04-2025 06:15 Like Donald Trump with his error-prone minions, Javier Milei is accompanied by an entourage which includes far too many individuals who are unsuited for high office. by James Neilson
Analysing Argentina Can Cristina Fernández de Kirchner be the next Donald Trump? 05-04-2025 06:13 It is difficult to imagine a Fernández de Kirchner comeback à la Trump. Or rather, her comeback has already happened, no matter how much she denies it by Marcelo J. García
POLITICS & ECONOMY – ANALYSIS Milei: a tourist in Mar-a-Lago 05-04-2025 06:10 As Donald Trump rattles up the world with his tariffs, things are heating up domestically for President Javier Milei. by Agustino Fontevecchia
POVERTY ASSESSMENT ‘Not much to celebrate’ despite fall in poverty, says expert 01-04-2025 13:13 Leading poverty expert Agustín Salvia, of UCA’s prestigious social debt observatory, digs into the figures after INDEC reports dramatic fall in numbers of poor.
POLLING & SURVEYS Latin Americans split on retaliation as Trump’s tariffs loom 01-04-2025 12:19 Half of Mexicans, Argentines and Brazilians want their governments to retaliate to Trump’s tariffs, with slightly smaller shares of Colombians and Chileans saying the same.
POLITICS: MIDTERMS 2025 Who’s who: The candidates heading lists for Buenos Aires City midterms 30-03-2025 10:01 Main candidates are already defined for the Buenos Aires City midterms in May – Silvia Lospennato, Leandro Santoro, Manuel Adorni, Horacio Rodríguez Larreta and Ramiro Marra are the names that head the highest-polling options.
Analysing Argentina Will Elon Musk’s plumber pay for Milei’s trips abroad? 29-03-2025 06:11 There is reason behind the IMF’s decision to throw its weight behind President Milei, which means partnering with his political objectives too. by Marcelo J. García
POLITICS – ANALYSIS Tales of the blue (dollar) 29-03-2025 06:11 Milei and Caputo have promised to lift the 'cepo' currency controls. It won’t signal the end of the 'blue,' but it should reduce its importance and the wild fluctuations that voraciously mint millionaires and, at the same speed, erase their fortunes. by Agustino Fontevecchia
BEYOND THE HEADLINES Towards a smarter state 29-03-2025 06:11 The libertarian government seems intent on cutting back a bloated state to its right size without having any clear idea what that size might be. by Michael Soltys
IMF DEBT PROGRAMME Argentina says its new IMF programme will total US$20 billion 27-03-2025 15:00 The economy minister added that funds combined from the IMF, World Bank, Inter-American Development Bank and regional bank CAF would put Argentina’s Central Bank reserves near US$50 billion.
ANALYSIS How many dollars does Luis Caputo need to reach the midterms? 27-03-2025 00:39 The market is spotlighting fresh funds. The blend could be a bargaining-chip for exchange rate intervention. Central Bank reserves back to levels of late 2023. by Eugenia Muzio
ANALYSIS: SHOCK THERAPY Traders bet on weaker peso as Milei’s IMF deal looms 26-03-2025 21:39 Investors see Argentina’s peso on the verge of devaluation again, but for Javier Milei, such a step could prove costly – especially ahead of midterm elections in October.
BEYOND THE HEADLINES 'Cepo' in review 22-03-2025 07:53 It might well be argued that the ‘cepo,’ the seemingly endless set of currency and capital controls, has been a bane of Argentina’s existence. by Michael Soltys
As I see it The old order is fighting back 22-03-2025 07:45 Milei has managed to apply a much-needed corrective to a political order that, until he took over, seemed to have been programmed to destroy both itself and the country. by James Neilson
ANALYSING ARGENTINA Autumn is coming for Javier Milei 22-03-2025 07:41 Last week, we discussed how an electoral agreement with the governor of Chaco signalled a possible pattern. This week, Chaco Governor Leandro Zdero received a 120-billion-peso transfer from the federal government. Just don’t tell the IMF. by Marcelo J. García
POLITICS – ANALYSIS Political hegemony turning to pathetic circus 22-03-2025 07:14 Market jitters have pushed the government into a defensive posture, in which Economy Minister Luis ‘Toto’ Caputo appears to have involuntarily flamed the fans of devaluation. by Agustino Fontevecchia
BOOK REVIEW Will we always have Paris? 21-03-2025 11:11 ‘Buenos Aires, The Biography of a City’ by James Gardner, St. Martin’s Press, New York, 2015, 245 pages. by Michael Soltys
ypf nationalisation case Burford met with silence from Milei over US$16-billion YPF judgment 21-03-2025 10:33 Argentina faces a US$16-billion court judgment over its nationalisation of oil company YPF. But the firm that won the case says President Javier Milei won't talk to them.
POLITICS Rodríguez Larreta confirms midterms run after PRO expulsion talk 18-03-2025 21:58 Former Buenos Aires City mayor confirms run in May 18 City midterms; He will likely do so under a new banner – a reaction to reported move by PRO members to expel him. by James Grainger
ECONOMY – ANALYSIS Argentina disinflation stalled despite strength of the peso 15-03-2025 10:52 Economists surveyed by Argentina’s Central Bank expect year-on-year inflation to plunge to 23% this year.
AS I SEE IT Demography should help the US keep China at bay 15-03-2025 07:46 Despite the fact that demography has always been China’s not so secret weapon, in recent years it has become a major problem that seems certain to put a premature end to the imperial dreams of Xi and his immediate successors. by James Neilson
OPINION & ANALYSIS Is Donald Trump good for Argentina? 15-03-2025 07:40 Trump’s new transactional and short-term economic order overlaps with a new gangster-style and hyper-materialistic political order. by Jorge Fontevecchia
POLITICS Chaco and Milei’s electoral strategy for October 15-03-2025 07:36 Chaco shows that Milei is willing to seal alliances with the local political establishment — a.k.a. “the caste” — as it best suits them. And the Casa Rosada has leverage in this negotiation with the governors: cash. by Marcelo J. García
POLITICS – ANALYSIS Violence and institutional informality 15-03-2025 07:29 There are serious questions as to what happened on the streets outside Congress, but it clearly helped to distract the attention away from what was going on inside Congress and in the troubled port city of Bahía Blanca. by Agustino Fontevecchia
BEYOND THE HEADLINES The Ides of March 15-03-2025 07:21 While conspiracy theories are wildly fashionable in today’s world, accidents can also happen. by Michael Soltys
FOOTBALL & POLITICS Football fans put rivalries aside to stand up for pensioners 13-03-2025 00:39 As this week’s protest against President Javier Milei's government proves, supporters are willing to put aside their differences to fight a perceived injustice. by Dan Edwards
ANALYSIS: SHOCK THERAPY Argentines ditch dining out as Milei’s policies strengthen peso 12-03-2025 13:58 President’s self-titled “shock therapy” of economic policies are making the country’s currency so expensive it’s doubled dinner tabs at restaurants that were booming not so long ago.
Tragedy in Bahía Blanca The politics of distance 11-03-2025 13:07 Not even a symbolic gesture of accompaniment at a time when the population feels abandoned. by Eduardo Reina
OPINION & ANALYSIS Transportation electrification is coming, but will it spark a broader shift? 11-03-2025 11:19 From the heart of Buenos Aires to remote corners of Patagonia, the electrification of transportation is gaining momentum, driven by a convergence of innovation, government support and a broad push for modernisation. by Heliana Veronica Higbie
ANALYSING ARGENTINA Exit rigging, enter RIGI 08-03-2025 06:00 Argentina has, many times in its recent past, seen long-term sustainability ruined by short-term objectives. by Marcelo J. García
Football in Argentina Vélez Sarsfield: From success to staggering slump 08-03-2025 06:00 The reigning Liga Profesional champions are sinking without a trace in 2025 with little sign of respite on the horizon for now. by Dan Edwards
POLITICAL ANALYSIS Challenging Milei’s ‘iron triangle’ 08-03-2025 06:00 The Donald holds the keys to Milei’s future. by Agustino Fontevecchia
BEYOND THE HEADLINES Distaff dismantled 08-03-2025 06:00 Female suffrage arrived in Argentina in 1947 with Law 13,010, more commonly known as the “Ley Evita” after Eva Perón who announced it in person, with women voting for the first time in the 1951 elections. by Michael Soltys
AS I SEE IT Alarm bells ringing in Europe 08-03-2025 06:00 Have the Europeans stumbled into the dependency trap? Trump and his cronies evidently think they have and therefore deserve to be treated like the supplicants they are. by James Neilson
INTERVIEW / PERIODISMO PURO Marcelo Longobardi: ‘Milei’s conduct with journalists identical to Kirchners’ 08-03-2025 06:00 Veteran reporter, radio presenter and host Marcelo Longobardi – whose incisive criticism led both the Kirchner and Milei governments to force him off the air – offers a critical analysis of the state of journalism in Argentina. by Jorge Fontevecchia
CRIME & SECURITY Crime fears offer opening to conservative leaders 07-03-2025 18:06 Crime and drug-trafficking surpass corruption and the economy as top issues for Latin American voters, giving hard-on-crime conservatives a boost in the upcoming election cycle.
ANALYSIS: SHOCK THERAPY All the currency, capital controls Milei needs to end this year 05-03-2025 12:00 Javier Milei has taken several steps to ease restrictions during his first year in office, but he entered 2025 with few indications that there will be a quick unwinding of the rules.
POLITICS: CORRIDORS OF POWER Santiago Caputo’s consecutive errors, government accelerates campaign mode 05-03-2025 10:25 Run of missteps by Javier Milei’s star spin doctor causes problems for the President. by Ramón Indart
GUEST COLUMN The month of Ramadan: a new opportunity for reconciliation 04-03-2025 16:57 Let us not forget in our thoughts and prayers those corners of the globe where fasting is not a choice, but an imposition and the consequence of war. by Marwan Gill
Global trade Trump escalates global trade war, sparking tit-for-tat tariffs 04-03-2025 12:27 Confirmation of the levies lays to rest doubts Trump would actually follow through on his repeated threats to upend global economic ties to counter what he casts as imbalanced trade.
ANALYSIS Milei feels the heat of the $LIBRA scandal 01-03-2025 07:18 Milei is doubling down. Not only does he deny any wrongdoing, he’s also trying to push forward with his own agenda. by Agustino Fontevecchia
As I see it Hail to the chiefs 01-03-2025 06:15 Much of the world is reverting to an older formula in which it is taken for granted that everything depends on the whims of a handful of big men. by James Neilson
Analysing Argentina Flooding the zone might drown the Milei administration 01-03-2025 05:24 The fragility of Argentina’s economy demands sobriety and steadiness — something that zone-flooders may lack as they attempt to sow confusion. by Marcelo J. García
BEYOND THE HEADLINES State of the nation 01-03-2025 05:13 Milei has been riding the crest of the wave of this summer although the resulting hubris has caused him to fly into a cryptocurrency black swan. by Michael Soltys
POLITICS ‘La ruta del dinero Karina’? Probing the reports of dirty Milei money 28-02-2025 10:00 Javier Milei’s government is undergoing its worst crisis yet, with questions and speculation over ‘Cryptogate’ and reports of shady characters wanting cash for access to the President. Behind the La Libertad Avanza leader, there is one person who runs everything related to him: his sister, Karina. by Juan Luis González
BEYOND THE HEADLINES Hidden by crypto 22-02-2025 06:59 The Once train crash was technically a railway accident far more frequently dubbed a tragedy and a crime in not a few eyes – few transport disasters have been so heavily politicised even if two previous rail accidents had claimed more lives. by Michael Soltys
‘Cryptogate’ scandal $LIBRA: Javier Milei’s black swan moment 22-02-2025 06:59 The case is scandalous from all angles and while Milei will probably manage to survive and even thrive in its aftermath, the reputational damage is done. by Agustino Fontevecchia