News of geopolitics

‘Davos of Latin America’ tests Lula’s regional clout

Yesterday 21:30 First gathering of regional heads of state since the United States captured Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, sparking outrage from Lula but praise from other leaders.

GEOPOLITICS & DIPLOMACY

Lula, Macron push for stronger UN to face Trump 'Board of Peace'

Yesterday 10:07 Brazil's Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and France's Emmanuel Macron call for "strengthening of the United Nations" in the wake of US President Donald Trump's creation of a "Board of Peace."

OPINION & ANALYSIS

The Davos rapture and Milei’s Nobel pitch

24-01-2026 07:38 The contours of a new world order are beginning to express themselves...

by Agustino Fontevecchia

As I see it

Europe hit by a butterfly’s wings

24-01-2026 07:09 Trump’s pathetic desire to win a prize that is awarded by people who despise him is reshaping geopolitics.

by James Neilson

multilateralism & geopolitics

Trump unveils 'Board of Peace', talks up 'New Gaza' plans at Davos

22-01-2026 17:55 Trump launches new 'Board of Peace' despite discord from allies; Argentina's Javier Milei, Russia's Vladimir Putin and Belarus' Alexander Lukashenko among leaders invited to join; France and Britain have expressed scepticism.

GEOPOLITICS & DIPLOMACY

Only Trump superfans come onboard for ‘Board of Peace’ signing in Davos

22-01-2026 16:08 The list of invitations for Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace' inauguration ceremony was long but the more notable list was the excuses made to avoid the event altogether.

MILEI @ DAVOS

Milei at Davos hails Argentina’s China ties in defence of trade

22-01-2026 15:17 President defends free trade in interview with Bloomberg on sidelines of Davos summit; Passes up opportunity to condemn Trump’s sidelining of Machado in Venezuela, but once again criticises Brazil’s Lula.

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Milei: Ally of the United States or of Trump?

21-01-2026 21:34 The relationship between the United States and Argentina is at a peak given the empathy between Trump and Milei. Argentina’s now-automatic alignment with Washington has given the government financial support and stability, but also prevented it from defining its own foreign policy agenda.

by Javier Calvo

GEOPOLITICAL ROW

Trump unloads on allies as Davos showdown looms

20-01-2026 09:53 In a flurry of Truth Social posts and comments to reporters a day before he leaves for the elite gathering on Wednesday, Trump leaked private text messages from French President Emmanuel Macron and the head of NATO.

INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS

Trump reveals Macron text in pre-Davos blitz on major US allies

20-01-2026 08:08 US president unleashes fresh social media attacks against European allies; Posting an AI image of him claiming Greenland, Trump fires off criticism of allies France, the UK and more.

INTERVIEW

Susana Malcorra: ‘The United States is no longer the beacon of democracy’

18-01-2026 00:01 Argentina’s former foreign minister on why she believes a woman should next head the United Nations, the increasing use of force as a prevailing method in geopolitics and a world in transition marked by the dispute between the United States and China.

Analysing Argentina

LatAm on the run (from Trump)

17-01-2026 07:04 Latin American leaders are scrambling to adapt to the new reality in which the United States can impose its will on the hemisphere.

by Marcelo J. García

GEOPOLITICS – ANALYSIS

Trump, the creator of chaos, takes the driver’s seat

17-01-2026 06:31 The might of the US military strength unleashed in Caracas serves as a powerful threat to Washington’s other geopolitical adversaries.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

ANALYSIS

In Argentina, Trump tests whether money, not force, can win over Latin America

15-01-2026 11:09 Argentina holds clues about how successful US President Donald Trump's so-called “Donroe Doctrine” may ultimately be.

VENEZUELA INTERVENTION

Trump says working well with Venezuela's new leaders, open to meeting

12-01-2026 11:26 Venezuela says that 116 political prisoners have been released since the government announced last week it would begin freeing those jailed under Maduro.

AS I SEE IT

Donald Trump is on a roll

10-01-2026 06:51 Though Trump and his aides insist that they have drawn up a plan to make Venezuela great again, they do not seem to be aware of the magnitude of the task they have undertaken.

by James Neilson

Analysing Argentina

Venezuela: Is Milei on the right or the wrong side of history?

10-01-2026 06:51 A Venezuelan comeback, especially if it entails large investments in rebuilding infrastructure, would be a direct regional competitor for Vaca Muerta, a development that has improved its production efficiency but still needs to streamline costs.

by Marcelo J. García

GEOPOLITICS IN AMERICAS

Trump plots offer to buy Greenland as NATO ally Denmark seethes

08-01-2026 14:17 French President Emmanuel Macron accuses United States of "breaking free from international rules" and "gradually turning away" from its allies.

MADURO OUSTED IN VENEZUELA

Trump snatches Maduro but leaves his regime in charge

04-01-2026 22:21 After Donald Trump stunned the world by saying the United States plans to “run” Venezuela, uncertainty over what that exactly means and who is in charge remains.

UNITED STATES POLITICS

Rubio seizes chance to remake Latin America in Venezuela gambit

04-01-2026 18:42 US Secretary of State Marco Rubio hopes to seize a long-awaited chance to try to shape Latin America in Washington’s favour.

GEOPOLITICS IN AMERICAS

Trump to name Peru a major non-NATO ally amid anti-drug push

12-12-2025 18:25 Trump has been looking to rally more governments in Latin America to back his drug-fighting agenda. In Peru, the status offers to boost a new leader who has pledged to be tough on crime.

GEOPOLITICS & SPORT

Football world braces for 2026 World Cup draw with Trump presiding

03-12-2025 09:53 Expanded 48-team tournament will be played across the United States, Mexico and Canada in June and July next year; Trump's attendance at the Kennedy Center ceremony underscores his rapport with FIFA chief Gianni Infantino.

As I see it

The world is becoming a more dangerous place

29-11-2025 05:02 Toeing the US line would be a simple matter if the man in charge knew where he was going and approached his goals in a consistent manner, but it so happens that hardly a day goes by without Trump changing his mind about something of strategic importance.

by James Neilson

INVESTMENT & GEOPOLITICS

Chinese investment in Argentina tops US$23 billion, defying Milei’s alignment with Trump

26-11-2025 15:04 An X-ray of the Asian country’s investments in Argentina. Beijing not only financed but also constructed and purchased assets in the sectors which today are the motor of Argentina’s recovery, from Vaca Muerta shale to lithium in the north.

by Eugenia Muzio

OPINION & ANALYSIS

Milei, Thatcher and the English Mamdani

25-11-2025 12:51 Zack Polanski – an environmental activist, gay, vegan and former actor – is gaining ground among young voters in the UK, making Britain’s Labour Party nervous as it watches Nigel Farage’s far-right Reform Party grow.

by Jorge Fontevecchia

Foreign policy & diplomacy

US warns South Africa not to issue G20 statement at summit

19-11-2025 16:47 Argentina, a close ally of the US, has pushed back on references to both climate finance and global climate accords, according to government sources.

Interview

Andrés Malamud: ‘Milei’s bet on the United States is crazy, but not stupid’

11-11-2025 14:18 Political scientist says President Javier Milei’s alignment with the United States is a high-risk gambit: “If it works out, it’s the goal of the year.”

by Jorge Fontevecchia

GEOPOLITICS

Milei halts Chinese radio-telescope project in Argentina’s west

04-11-2025 16:44 US-leaning administration of President Javier Milei ends a decade-long scientific cooperation project; Cancellation of the China-Argentina Radio Telescope in San Juan seen as part of foreign policy shift.

GEOPOLITICS & DIPLOMACY

Trump says he’d be ‘very upset’ by Chinese military in Argentina

14-10-2025 21:58 Trump’s comments about Chinese activity in Argentina come as President Javier Milei visits the White House.

GEOPOLITICAL ROW

China accuses US of bullying after Bessent’s Argentina comments

12-10-2025 09:05 Beijing's Embassy in Buenos Aires accuses Washington of Cold War-era intervention in Latin America after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent suggests President Milei is “committed to getting China out.”

FOREIGN POLICY

US Treasury chief issues second message of support for Milei's Argentina

02-10-2025 12:03 US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says Washington is "fully prepared to do what is necessary" in support of Milei as he confirms Argentina is key to “maintaining a US strategic interest in the Western Hemisphere.”

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

Milei: From rockstar to beggar

27-09-2025 06:05 Milei has gone from international political rockstar to beggar in less than two years, following a similar trajectory to Mauricio Macri – only that the latter got bailed out after winning the midterm elections.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

Milei slams 'overreach,' calls for UN reform in General Assembly speech

24-09-2025 13:33 Head of state calls for major UN reform and heaps praise on Donald Trump in speech to general assembly; President also reiterates claims to Malvinas Islands, demands release of Israeli hostages in Gaza.

TRADE WARS

Trump says he will double steel and aluminum tariffs to 50%

31-05-2025 10:35 US President Donald Trump says will double steel and aluminium import tariffs to 50% from next week.

‘Information war’

Experts and diplomats unite to fight disinformation threat

13-05-2025 10:40 European diplomats, journalists and fact-checking specialists sound the alarm at international forum on disinformation in Buenos Aires.

by Cecilia Degl'Innocenti

TRUMP'S TARIFF WAR

Trump’s priority list for tariff talks includes Argentina

11-05-2025 09:10 The Trump administration’s first trade talks involve an eclectic mix of major exporters and smaller economies.

ARGENTINA-CHINA RELATIONS

Chinese business interests await gesture from Milei towards Xi

01-05-2025 09:18 Over-enthusiasm for the United States has damaged links with China, hampering political moves towards investment and trade agreements. A presidential trip to the Asian power is the key to smoothing the acrimony.

by Eugenia Muzio

Geopolitcs & trade

Xi is trying to turn world against US as Trump cuts trade deals

29-04-2025 11:03 Beijing officials are racing to turn foreign governments against the United States inside a 90-day window Trump has granted all nations — except China — to strike trade deals during a tariff reprieve.

FUNERAL OF POPE FRANCIS

A simple funeral for Pope Francis becomes conduit to see Trump

25-04-2025 14:26 Funeral for Pope Francis risks being turned into high-profile stage for international diplomacy at a moment of geopolitical turmoil.

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

CURRENCY SWAP

Argentina renews part of China swap ahead of Bessent visit

10-04-2025 17:13 Argentina renews a portion of its US$18-billion currency swap line with China; Activated part being extended for another 12 months amounts to US$5 billion.

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

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.

GEOPOLITICS & DIPLOMACY

Gutting aid, US cedes soft power game to China

12-02-2025 14:52 Successive US administrations have vowed to wage a global competition with China. But by freezing nearly all US foreign aid, Washington has effectively ceded one of its main levers of influence.

Hidrovía Paraná-Paraguay

Paraná-Paraguay waterway a focal point for global security policy

10-01-2025 13:44 Ongoing tussle involving major dredging companies seeking to participate in Milei government's tender. Hidrovía Paraná-Paraguay is a naval highway for the trafficking of illicit drugs to the rest of the world.

GLOBAL LITHIUM TRADE

Stubbornly resilient lithium supply remains hurdle to recovery

08-01-2025 10:06 Lithium prices have plunged since late 2022 on oversupply and slower-than-expected growth in electric vehicle demand. Analysts see a surplus this year, although they forecast it will be smaller than in 2024.

As I see it

The return of the great disruptor

07-12-2024 06:07 Caught off-balance, progressives in the United States and movers and shakers in Latin America, Europe, East Asia, the Middle East and Africa are asking themselves what the return of the great disruptor could mean.

by James Neilson

Trade tensions

Lula’s embrace of Xi sets up a clash over Trump’s China policy

14-11-2024 12:37 Brazil’s President Lula is advancing a strategic partnership with China, pursuing infrastructure projects to boost Brazil’s economic ties with Asia, despite the risks of upsetting their other largest trade partner: the United States.

POLITICS – ANALYSIS

Move over Javi, the Big Boss is back

09-11-2024 06:24 The return of Donald Trump, the undisputed 'top dog' of the new right, will consolidate a global movement that, up until now, appeared to be somewhat disjointed.

by Agustino Fontevecchia