COLOMBIA ELECTIONS 2022 Jubilant Gustavo Petro elected Colombia's first leftist president 20-06-2022 14:35 Ex-guerrilla Gustavo Petro elected Colombia's first ever left-wing president after defeating millionaire businessman rival Rodolfo Hernández in run-off.
Latin America Ex-guerrilla takes on maverick in race to be Colombia's president 18-06-2022 01:20 A former leftist guerrilla and a millionaire businessman will go head-to-head on Sunday hoping to become the new president of Colombia.
Colombia Election 2022 Colombians set to vote in high stakes presidential run-off 17-06-2022 18:22 Colombians vote Sunday in a presidential run-off. Opinion polls have leftist Gustavo Petro and businessman Rodolfo Hernández neck-and-neck.
DEBT RESTRUCTURING Argentina formalises debt repayment deferment with Paris Club 31-05-2022 13:07 President Alberto Fernández's government reaches a deal with the Paris Club to postpone payments on more than US$2 billion of debt for more than two years.
COLOMBIA ELECTIONS 2022 Colombian outsider makes run-off with real shot at presidency 31-05-2022 11:18 Rodolfo Hernández, who was little known at the start of the year, surged into Colombia’s presidential run-off – and he now has a real chance at winning against leftist rival Gustavo Petro.
BLOOMBERG Colombia’s number one banker has no fear of leftist front-runner 19-05-2022 08:00 Luis Carlos Sarmiento Gutiérrez would figure to be one of the people fretting the most about the looming election of the first left-wing leader in Colombia’s modern history. But, at least publicly, he betrays little angst about the outcome of the vote this month.
POLITICS Milei lets rip after Juntos por el Cambio rules out electoral alliance 30-04-2022 01:15 Meeting of Juntos por el Cambio’s leaders ends in agreement that no political force will be added to coalition without unanimous approval, putting to bed rumours that outspoken libertarian economist could be asked to join.
JUDICIARY Senator presents bill to reform Supreme Court 26-04-2022 16:28 Río Negro senator and former governor Alberto Weretilneck presents bill to reform Supreme Court, proposing 16 justices, gender equality and greater federalism.
ELECTIONS 2023 María Eugenia Vidal: 'I would like to be Argentina's president' 25-04-2022 17:44 National lawmaker reignites speculation over opposition's 2023 candidate by admitting that she would like to be Argentina’s president.
INTERVIEW / PERIODISMO PURO Sergio Massa: ‘I stopped basing my politics on articles or opinion polls a long time ago’ 25-03-2022 12:00 Lower House speaker on tensions in the ruling coalition, the approval of the IMF debt deal and whether he’ll run for the Presidency in 2023. by Jorge Fontevecchia
PARIS CLUB DEBT Postponement of Paris Club debt payment gives breathing room 23-03-2022 15:39 Argentina's government has secured an extension of an agreement with the Paris Club group of rich nations that allows it to postpone an imminent payment of about US$2 billion.
DEBT RESTRUCTURING Argentina extends Paris Club talks over US$2 billion to June 30 23-03-2022 14:02 Argentina reaches an agreement Tuesday with a group of wealthy nations known as the Paris Club to finalise by June 30 a repayment programme on US$2 billion of debt.
IMF DEBT DEAL Congress greenlights debt deal – ball now in IMF’s court 18-03-2022 21:46 US$45-billion agreement signed into law by president; Deal now needs approval by IMF’s Executive Board.
POLITICS Government admits to growing tensions within Frente de Todos 18-03-2022 21:18 Vote on IMF debt deal exposes split within ruling coalition; Government spokesperson Gabriela Cerruti admits to tensions between President Alberto Fernández and Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
IMF DEBT DEAL Senate approves IMF deal, now goes to board vote 18-03-2022 09:10 In a 56-13 vote with three abstentions, senators approve legislation underpinning Argentina’s latest IMF programme.
IMF DEBT DEAL PROTESTS Fernández de Kirchner hits out at ‘paradoxical’ attack on her Senate office 11-03-2022 16:40 Vice-president and Senate chief expresses dismay at "paradoxical" attack on her Senate office during protests against government's International Monetary Fund debt bill.
LAWMAKERS DEBATE DEBT DEAL IN CONGRESS Senate prepares to debate IMF deal after lower house backs bill 11-03-2022 16:25 Upper house to begin debate on bill on Monday, with government seeking approval before start of following week, when US$2.9-billion maturity is due.
IMF DEBT DEAL Lower house prepares to vote on IMF deal, approval likely 10-03-2022 23:16 Argentina's lower house on track to approve government's deal to restructure its US$45-billion debt with the International Monetary Fund in a session just after midnight; Senate still to vote; Protesters clash with police during demonstrations against deal outside Congress.
IMF DEBT DEAL Government to change IMF bill to get opposition backing 09-03-2022 21:42 Ruling coalition agrees to change the bill that underpins the government’s agreement with the IMF in exchange for the opposition to support it.
IMF DEBT DEAL Deputies to start debating IMF deal as key week gets underway 07-03-2022 10:23 After months of negotiation between the government and the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Argentina's Congress will finally begin to officially debate a bill outlining the new financing programme this week.
IMF DEBT DEAL IMF bill reaches Congress to a backdrop of uncertainty 04-03-2022 23:32 Bill outlining agreement between Argentina and the IMF sent to lower house; Doubts persist over support from Kirchnerite lawmakers in ruling coalition; Opposition says it will wait to hear presentation from Guzmán.
NEW CONGRESS SESSIONS Fernández slams Macri in speech to Congress, prompting opposition walkout 04-03-2022 23:07 Opposition PRO party lawmakers walk out on speech to Congress after president once again attacks Macri for agreeing an “unpayable foreign debt” with IMF.
IMF DEBT DEAL Government posts IMF bill documents ahead of Congress debate 04-03-2022 22:58 Argentina on Friday released the text of a memorandum of understanding and accompanying documents that are part of the agreement it has reached with International Monetary Fund.
EDITORIAL Look back in anger 04-03-2022 21:13 The main reproach for Tuesday’s words to open Congress is not the almost 100 minutes of soft soap, clichés and wishful thinking – the reproach is rather that the softest soap was reserved for the situation in Ukraine.
IMF DEBT DEAL Details of the IMF agreement that the government has sent to Congress 04-03-2022 18:22 Agreement foresees Argentina registering inflation of up to 48% this year, economic growth of 4.5% and receiving IMF disbursements of more than US$24 billion until end of 2022.
IMF DEBT DEAL Argentina’s draft IMF agreement heads to Congress 02-03-2022 23:46 Sources close to Lower House Speaker Sergio Massa confirm to local media outlets that a bill outlining Argentina’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund will be sent to Congress this Thursday.
IMF DEBT DEAL Argentina has reached a deal with IMF staff, says president 01-03-2022 22:01 President Alberto Fernández announces government has reached an agreement with the staff of the International Monetary Fund on details needed to refinance the country’s loan with the Washington organisation.
IMF DEBT DEAL President likely to outline details of IMF deal in Congress speech 25-02-2022 18:33 Alberto Fernández expected to reveal outlines of Argentina’s agreement with the International Monetary Fund during next Tuesday’s speech to Congress.
POLITICS President seeks unity ahead of Congress speech, IMF debt bill 25-02-2022 18:12 Alberto Fernández tells Peronist youth that Frente de Todos is “weak” when “divided,” as he seeks to build support for the IMF debt refinancing deal ahead of speech opening new congressional year.
IMF DEBT DEAL 'Act of good sense' – President praises opposition support for IMF deal 12-02-2022 21:26 President Alberto Fernández praises opposition coalition's support for new IMF financing programme. saying he considered it to be an "act of good sense."
IMF DEBT DEAL Government, opposition tell IMF Argentina is ready to ‘meet its obligations’ 12-02-2022 09:59 Rare signs of unity as Frente de Todos and Juntos por el Cambio indicate they will support IMF agreement in Congress; Fund spokesman says staff are working closely with government officials to secure new financing deal "as quickly as possible." by James Grainger
INTERVIEW / PERIODISMO PURO Sergio Chodos: ‘The 2018 agreement left us Argentines with nothing’ 11-02-2022 00:01 Executive Director for the Southern Cone at the IMF explains in detail how the agreement was reached, anticipating some of the fine print and unfolding the government’s economic vision. by Jorge Fontevecchia
PRESIDENT'S FOREIGN TOUR President on IMF deal: ‘The majority of our political force will accompany us’ 08-02-2022 22:38 President grants Zoom interview to journalists from Barbados, the final stop of his foreign tour, offering a balance of his trip and revealing his conversation from Beijing with Cristina Fernández Kirchner. by Rosario Ayerdi
Central America Deal ends Honduran legislative crisis as rebel backs down 08-02-2022 13:57 A legislative crisis that threatened the presidency of Honduras' first woman president is resolved as rebel lawmaker signs deal to withdraw his claim to be speaker of Congress.
THE INSIDE TRACK Máximo’s post-resignation plans and IMF deal strategy 03-02-2022 22:25 Frente de Todos lawmaker will not obstruct debate of the government’s IMF bill in Congress. The orders to his troops in Congress and what comes next. by Rosario Ayerdi
Congress & Politics ‘Grateful’ president picks Germán Martínez as Máximo Kirchner’s successor 03-02-2022 16:03 Close to former cabinet minister Agustín Rossi, Santa Fe deputy has been sitting in Congress since 2019. Germán Martínez belongs to the Corriente Nacional de la Militancia, a Kirchnerite grouping headed by Rossi in Rosario.
IMF DEAL: REACTION Opposition reaction to IMF deal: Juntos por el Cambio welcomes ‘positive’ agreement 28-01-2022 20:49 Argentina's main opposition coalition vows to check “fine print” of IMF financing programme in Congress, while welcoming “first step” towards avoiding “a costly default”
CENTRAL AMERICA Xiomara Castro to be sworn in as first woman president of Honduras 27-01-2022 08:01 Honduras' president-elect Xiomara Castro made a last ditch attempt late Wednesday night to solve a congressional crisis, just hours left before her inauguration as the country's first female leader is due to take place.
CRYPTOCURRENCIES IMF urges El Salvador to remove Bitcoin as legal tender 25-01-2022 18:45 The IMF on Tuesday called on El Salvador to change course and stop using Bitcoin as legal tender, citing "large risks" posed by the cryptocurrency.
CENTRAL AMERICA Honduras political crisis deepens ahead of president-elect's swearing-in 25-01-2022 18:18 Argentina's Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner due to attend president-elect Xiomara's Castro's swearing-in ceremony in two days.
BLOOMBERG – INTERVIEW Colombia presidential front-runner Gustavo Petro seeks global anti-oil bloc 17-01-2022 06:59 Colombia’s presidential front-runner Gustavo Petro is calling on ideological allies across Latin America and the world to join him in forming a new bloc to lead the economy away from fossil fuels.
BLOOMBERG Milei: Argentina's libertarians won’t support a deal with the IMF 29-12-2021 21:28 Argentina's liberal lawmakers will not support an agreement between the International Monetary Fund and the country, says Javier Milei.
EDITORIAL When budget rhymes with ‘fudge it’ 18-12-2021 07:32 In Argentina the budget continues to be something of a bad joke.
Politics Blow for government as 2022 budget bill is rejected in Congress 17-12-2021 17:07 In a blow to President Fernández, deputies in lower house reject ruling coalition’s proposal. Economy Minister Guzmán confirms government will extend current budget via decree.
BLOOMBERG Lower house unexpectedly rejects 2022 Budget bill 17-12-2021 14:55 Lower house of Congress unexpectedly rejects government’s 2022 budget proposal, a blow to President Alberto Fernández as he enters the second half of his presidency.
POLITICS 2022 Budget bill: Government suffers defeat in Congress 17-12-2021 14:50 Argentina's government suffered an embarrassing defeat on Friday as its 2022 Budget was rejected by Congress, underlining tensions over the country's economic policies.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS Guzmán forecasts 10% growth for Argentina's economy in 2021 14-12-2021 12:55 Martín Guzmán tells congressional committee that Argentina's economy will grow 10% this year.
NEW CONGRESS SWORN-IN New deputies, senators take seats in Congress, shifting balance of power 10-12-2021 23:13 The 127 deputies elected last November 14 were sworn into their seats for the next four years; 24 new senators take benches in upper house.
HUMAN RIGHTS China's Uyghur population control was 'genocide,' concludes report 10-12-2021 12:49 China committed genocide in the Xinjiang region by preventing births in the Uyghur population, an unofficial tribunal probing alleged human rights abuses has concluded.
HUMAN RIGHTS Chile President Piñera signs same-sex marriage law 09-12-2021 21:26 "Today the time has come for marriage equality in our country, the time has come to deepen the values of freedom and dignity," declares Chilean President Sebastián Piñera as he signs historic bill into law.