News of crisis

Bartomeu resigns as Barcelona president, says club in for Euro Super League

Yesterdat 18:17 Josep Maria Bartomeu resigned as Barcelona president on Tuesday, along with his board of directors, and left with a bombshell admission that he had accepted a proposal for the club to play in "a future European Super League."

ANALYSIS

When nobody wants pesos: currency meltdown upends business

24-10-2020 05:51 Argentina’s battle to control its currency is upending its economy, wreaking havoc on everything from household finances to the production and sale of common goods.

BLOOMBERG

Creditors blast Argentina for post-restructuring bond blow-up

22-10-2020 22:22 Argentina Exchange Bondholders group and the Argentina Creditor Committee rip government for mismanaging the economy, saying country is headed for disaster just seven weeks after restructuring US$65 billion in debt.

56th IDEA colloquium

Fernández rules out devaluation, bank-deposit freeze at IDEA

17-10-2020 10:13 Peronist leader sticks to his guns over government policies, telling business leaders that his government is “convinced that this is the path.”

PERONIST LOYALTY DAY

Peronistas vs Camporistas

17-10-2020 08:44 Ahead of today’s historic 75th Peronist Loyalty Day, the movement’s various strands seem more concerned with jostling for space than making the most of a historic opportunity to overcome polarisation.

by Gustavo González

BOLIVIAN ELECTION

Economic headache awaits victor in Bolivian election

14-10-2020 23:27 Bolivians go to the polls to elect a new president on Sunday, in the midst of the country's biggest economic crisis for 40 years.

FINANCE

Analysts keep eye on reserves as uncertainty pushes blue dollar to 160

10-10-2020 10:05 Central Bank buys dollars for first time since mid-September, as uncertainty pushes blue dollar sky-high.

IMF TALKS

Fernández, Georgieva ‘confident’ Argentina will seal new IMF deal

10-10-2020 10:01 Officials on both sides say all the right things as first visit of IMF mission team passes off without incident. Kristalina Georgieva says Fund has "no intention of putting pressure on Argentina at this time."

THE WEEK

What we learned this week: October 3 to 10

10-10-2020 09:56 Our pick of the stories from the last seven days in Argentina.

EDITORIAL

Uncertainty amid the malaise

10-10-2020 09:41 Burning as all these problems are, literally so in the case of the fires and metaphorically in the case of the economic and monetary crisis and the coronavirus pandemic, none of them are really being faced by a government seeking or obsessed with another agenda.

POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC

Coalitions or collisions?

10-10-2020 09:27 It’s too early to tell if this stress will snowball into a breakdown leading to, say, a sweeping Cabinet reshuffle sponsored by the Kirchnerites, forcing out members of the president's inner circle.

by Martín Gambarotta

FOREIGN (AND DOMESTIC) POLICY

Venezuela: Argentina's old/new problem

10-10-2020 09:07 It doesn’t really matter whether Cristina is calling the shots, whether her henchmen are acting independently, or if Alberto is acting out of his own accord, trying to please his vice-president and keep his coalition united. The end result is the same: increased uncertainty, which ultimately feeds Argentina’s risk thermometer: the dollar-peso exchange rate.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

THE WEEK

What we learned this week: September 26 to October 3

03-10-2020 09:40 The pick of stories that caught our eye over the last seven days.

PERIODISMO PURO | INTERVIEW

Moisés Naím: 'Argentina is a world champion in political necrophilia'

03-10-2020 08:59 Arguably Venezuela’s most influential intellectual speaks about the crisis facing his country and the lessons it could teach other nations in the region: not to fall for the facile discourse of charlatans and to pay attention to sleeping authoritarianism in society.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

SPANISH FOOTBALL

Lionel Messi says it’s time for Barcelona to unite

30-09-2020 14:09 Lionel Messi wants to put his dispute with Barcelona behind him and called for the club and its fans to unite.

Political turmoil in Peru

Peru police search homes of officials in impeachment case

13-09-2020 09:26 Police in Peru raid homes of key government officials as part of an investigation into allegations President Martín Vizcarra obstructed a graft probe.

Political turmoil in Peru

Peru in renewed political turmoil as Vizcarra faces impeachment

13-09-2020 09:16 Some of Peru's lawmakers are calling for the dismissal of President Martín Vizcarra based on audios in which he is heard coaching two officials close to him for a congressional investigation into corruption.

DEBT DEAL DONE

Creditors overwhelmingly back government’s debt restructuring offer

05-09-2020 10:24 Argentina wins "massive" bondholder support to restructure overseas debt, exchanging 99% of debt held under international law.

AS I SEE IT

Down with development

05-09-2020 09:39 Alberto and the people surrounding him are determined to solve the country’s socioeconomic problems by levelling down, taking as much as they can from the more productive parts of society and giving it to the millions who rely on handouts.

by James Neilson

Argentine superstar

Lionel Messi confirms in interview he will stay at Barcelona

04-09-2020 13:39 Messi confirms he will stay at Barcelona, insisting he could never go to court against "the club of his life" and letting rip at Club President Josep Maria Bartomeu.

CRISIS IN VENEZUELA

Venezuela's Maduro pardons dozens of political opponents

31-08-2020 23:11 Venezuelan government pardons more than 100 people, including dozens of political opponents who are in prison, have taken refuge in foreign embassies in Caracas or fled the country.

RALLY IN ROSARIO

Newell’s Old Boys fans dream of an unlikely Messi homecoming

28-08-2020 00:17 Messi’s surprise decision to leave Barcelona has sparked unlikely dreams among the residents of Rosario that he may return to play to Argentina to play with Newell’s Old Boys.

MESSI: END OF AN ERA

Top European clubs circle as Messi calls time at Barcelona

26-08-2020 09:14 Lawyers for Argentine star sends club a fax confirming Messi's desire to rescind his contract by triggering a release clause, sending shockwaves throughout the world of football.

ARGENTINE SUPERSTAR

From Ballon d'Or to abject humiliation: why Messi seeks pastures new

26-08-2020 09:08 Barcelona have insisted in the past they had plans for coping with Messi's retirement, whenever it came, but the truth is their number 10 is irreplaceable.

Political controversy

Duhalde widely criticised after suggesting 'coup d'état' may be on cards

25-08-2020 22:00 Sparking outrage and controversy, former president queries if there will be midterm elections next year, anticipating a coup d’état since "Argentina is the world champion of military dictatorships." Politicians and human rights leaders condemn comments.

POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC

Protest or PRO test?

22-08-2020 10:10 The uproar surrounding the court system reform is another test of the national government's resolve.

by Martín Gambarotta

DEBT RESTRUCTURING

Creditors reiterate support for debt swap

22-08-2020 10:05 Ad Hoc Group of Argentina Exchange Bondholders says members will be entering Argentina’s debt swap proposal to the tune of almost US$5 billion on Monday.

AS I SEE IT

The opposition takes to the streets

22-08-2020 09:58 These days demonstrators are well-behaved men and women who wear facemasks not for fear of getting recognised by the cops, but because they have no desire to get infected by the coronavirus.

by James Neilson

JUDICIAL REFORM

Opposition applies pressure ahead of judicial reform battle

22-08-2020 09:53 Juntos por el Cambio calls on Fernández administration to withdraw its judicial reform bill, which is set to enter Congress next week.

A WEEK IN ARGENTINA

What we learned this week: August 15 to 22

22-08-2020 09:46 Stories that seized our attention and caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

EDITORIAL

It’s also the economy, stupid

22-08-2020 09:39 Why is anybody even talking about judicial reform? Putting the economy back on track evidently requires more than successful debt negotiations.

INTERVIEW

Joseph Nye: ‘Trump is the United States’ biggest problem’

22-08-2020 08:51 Harvard professor, ranked by one survey as the most influential international scholar in the world, says that Donald Trump is more of a threat to the United States than Beijing.

by Leandro Dario

SINO-ARGENTINE RELATIONS

Argentina’s ties with China deepen under Fernández

22-08-2020 08:27 Peronist leader leads charge to develop ties with Asian giant, which is now Argentina’s largest trading partner. Trip to Shanghai pencilled in for early November, with business, the pandemic and pork topping the agenda.

by Juan Luis González

DIPLOMACY

Argentina: ‘Electoral route is only way' to resolve crisis in Venezuela

17-08-2020 18:51 Government distances itself from statement from more than 30 groups calling for free general elections in order to establish transitional government.

EDITORIAL

A crisis of diagnosis

15-08-2020 11:10 Opposition to judicial reform is not enough – it must be accompanied by calls for state reform.

THE LAST SEVEN DAYS

What we learned this week: August 8 to 15

15-08-2020 11:05 Stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

IMF CREDIT-LINE

IMF: Argentina has not yet requested new financing programme

15-08-2020 11:00 President Fernández says in interview that he will not allow Fund to impose austerity measures as part of a new financing programme.

FOOTBALL IN ARGENTINA

Problem mount for Independiente as clubs return to training

15-08-2020 10:18 The case of El Rojo, one of the traditional 'big five' of local football, is emblematic of the struggles likely to become commonplace in this uncertain new world.

by Dan Edwards

JUDICIAL REFORM

In the oven

15-08-2020 09:59 What’s troubling, and could mark a complete breaking point between the ruling coalition and the opposition, is the president’s judicial reform bill.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

INTERVIEW / PERIODISMO PURO

Ricardo López Murphy: ‘Fernández inherited a much better situation than Macri did’

15-08-2020 09:49 Veteran politician, former economy and defence minister and 2003 presidential candidate Ricardo López Murphy on reform, inheritance, the deficit and why the coronavirus pandemic will produce the most severe recession in economic history.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC

Vaccine ventures

15-08-2020 09:44 It's difficult to gain any kind of momentum during a pandemic. Yet there are some signs the government is regaining the initiative.

by Martín Gambarotta

COPING WITH THE PANDEMIC

Slum priests, jack-of-all-trades in Buenos Aires’ villas

08-08-2020 09:59 Local church leaders take on all tasks, as they help to keep residents and their communities afloat during the coronavirus pandemic.

TIMELINE

How Argentina and its creditors reached a deal

08-08-2020 09:43 Agreement with bondholders brings months of negotiations to an end. Here’s how we got here.

LAST SEVEN DAYS

What we learned this week: August 1 to August 8

08-08-2020 09:31 Stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina

EDITORIAL

Debt deal – more relief than belief

08-08-2020 09:22 The quality of this haircut falling on interest rates way above recent levels rather than capital deserves praise, as does abandonment of the absurd three-year grace period exempting this administration from any payment.

DEBT, DEFAULT. DEAL

Goodbye default my old friend

08-08-2020 08:44 The ultimate question is if this agreement will spare Argentina the ordeal of holdout bondholders – Guzmán will have conjured a miracle if there are none to worry about once this deal is done.

by Martín Gambarotta

Venezuela in Crisis

Citgo oil executives, held two years, go to trial in Venezuela

07-08-2020 15:36 Six US oil executives were arrested on embezzlement charges in 2017. Now, this lingering case has taken on a new sense of urgency.

CRISIS IN VENEZUELA

Venezuelan coalition opposed to Maduro rejects upcoming vote

02-08-2020 18:52 Coalition of political parties in Venezuela led by Juan Guaidó says it won't participate in upcoming congressional elections called by officials loyal to President Nicolás Maduro.