Coronavirus pandemic A year on from first Covid-19 case, virus crisis far from over 03-03-2021 15:58 On 3 March 2020, the first case of Covid-19 was detected in Argentina. One year on, more than 2.11 million have been infected and 52,000 people have lost their lives.
VIP VACCINE SCANDAL Thousands take to streets to protest 'VIP vaccinations' scandal 28-02-2021 08:59 Anti-government demonstrators rally in cities across the country in protest at the 'VIP vaccines' scandal; President Fernández condemns small group of protesters who attach mock body bags to the gates of the Casa Rosada.
MEET THE (NEW) MINISTER Carla Vizzotti takes up reins of Health Ministry 27-02-2021 07:21 Former health access secretary, 48, is a vaccine specialist best known for being the public face of the government’s daily coronavirus briefings.
VIP VACCINE SCANDAL Government struggles to contain ‘VIP vaccine’ scandal 27-02-2021 07:06 Opposition leaders pile on pressure over “vaccinations of privilege,” accusing ruling Peronist coalition of seeking to “vaccinate a Kirchnerite oligarchy.”
'VIP vaccination' scandal President fights back as 'VIP vaccine' scandal grows 23-02-2021 14:09 Peronist leader says that while he rejects the “irregular” vaccinations, it had already cost the resignation of his health minister Ginés González García and did not amount to a crime.
VIP VACCINE SCANDAL Vizzotti sworn in as health minister amid 'VIP vaccine' scandal 21-02-2021 08:40 Carla Vizzotti sworn in as Argentina's new health minister, following the resignation of her predecessor Ginés González García.
COVID-19 VACCINES Buenos Aires Province begins vaccinating those aged 70+ 18-02-2021 13:58 Provincial government begins to give first shots of Sputnik V vaccine to citizens aged over 70, using schools and other sites as temporary vaccination centres.
PRICE CONTROLS Government to investigate food companies amid price clampdown 17-02-2021 14:28 Production & Development Ministry plans to investigate several food companies for not “increasing production to its highest level of installed capacity” and ensuring proper delivery.
INTERVIEW: PERIODISMO PURO Marcela Losardo: 'Alberto Fernández has been preparing all his life for this job' 30-01-2021 07:46 Throughout the last 40 years, nobody has spent more time close to the president than his Justice Minister Marcela Losardo, his chief confidante. by Jorge Fontevecchia
Coronavirus Pandemic Authorities crack down on illegal parties amid struggle against Covid-19 27-01-2021 10:24 With summer in full swing, officials have ramped up their efforts to stop illegal parties across Buenos Aires Province, breaking up two large gatherings over the weekend.
Coronavirus Pandemic Parents demand return of face-to-face classes at schools 16-01-2021 17:39 Group of parents pressure government, organising themselves via social media to demand restoration of face-to-face classes and a meeting with Education Minister Nicolás Trotta.
AND THAT REMINDS ME... Grain means pain, corn meets scorn 16-01-2021 09:13 Maize in a maze would be as good a way as any of describing the government’s slapdash suspension of corn exports early in this new year. by Michael Soltys
GLOBAL PANDEMIC Global Covid-19 death toll passes two million 16-01-2021 07:37 The global death toll from Covid-19 passed two million on Friday, with the WHO urging mass vaccinations.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC Officials preach ‘prevention and care’ as fatalities surpass 45,000 16-01-2021 07:15 More than 200,000 citizens now vaccinated against Covid-19, says Health Ministry; Second flight carrying doses of Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine due to arrive in Buenos Aires today.
AGRO TENSIONS Shift to protectionism riles Argentina’s farmers 09-01-2021 07:47 Farm associations call for three-day halt on trading after government slaps ban on maize exports.
GLOBAL REACTION Fernández joins world leaders in condemning 'assault on US democracy' 06-01-2021 23:27 World leaders and governments react with shock to events in United States, as pro-Trump mob breaches US Capitol. President Alberto Fernández condemns "serious acts of violence" in Washington DC.
DIPLOMACY Ecuador angered by CFK's 'intervention' into 'domestic affairs' 09-12-2020 18:33 Ecuador's Foreign Ministry protests "inopportune statements" made by Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, after Argentina's vice-president expressed concern over a presumed lack of democracy in the country.
Coronavirus pandemic Guzmán, Pesce, Massa in isolation after IMF officials gets Covid-19 15-11-2020 20:55 A number of government officials – including Martín Guzmán, Miguel Pesce and Sergio Massa – went into preventative isolation on Sunday, after a member of a visiting IMF mission tested positive for Covid-19.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC Government ramps up plans for massive vaccination programme 14-11-2020 08:33 Government wants to vaccinate 11 million against Covid-19 next year, with three frontrunners most likely to arrive on market first.
Bloomberg Argentina goes all-in to cut record gap with parallel peso 12-11-2020 16:42 Argentina is resorting to all necessary means to reduce the gap between its official and parallel exchange rates.
CABINET CHANGE María Eugenia Bielsa out as housing minister, Ferraresi to replace her 12-11-2020 00:22 The first Cabinet change in 11 months of the Alberto Fernández presidency materialised Wednesday with the resignation of Housing Minister María Eugenia Bielsa, following several days of rumours.
BLOOMBERG Argentina turns to orthodox policy signals to ease dollar craze 06-11-2020 09:12 After tightening capital controls several times, Argentina's government has surprised investors by altering its tack in what appears to be an incipient effort to restore confidence.
FINANCIAL TURMOIL Economy Ministry to halt Central Bank advances until end of 2020 03-11-2020 12:53 Economy Ministry says it will not ask the Central Bank for temporary advances of cash in November and December and would target local capital markets for financing instead.
BLOOMBERG Government mulling incentives for job growth, says Labour minister 27-10-2020 13:16 Argentina is considering fiscal incentives to encourage companies to hire workers after unemployment spiked to the highest in at least 16 years amid the pandemic, says Labour Minister Claudio Moroni.
IN FOCUS Economy Ministry takes steps to relieve pressure on currency markets 21-10-2020 18:59 Economy Ministry unveils new measures designed to reduce the pressures on volatile currency markets and ward off devaluation.
BLOOMBERG Argentina bond rout blows up the template for debt restructuring 19-10-2020 20:40 Investors are giving up on Argentina, just six weeks after the government pulled off a US$65-billion restructuring.
BLOOMBERG Argentina’s currency woes show no sign of easing 10-10-2020 08:31 Argentina’s hodge podge exchange rate regime is running out of steam.
MERCOSUR Felipe Solá: Argentina won’t stop or reject EU-Mercosur trade deal 01-10-2020 19:59 Foreign minister says country has “changed stance” on free-trade agreement and will debate it in Congress when concerns over environmental by Fermin Koop
Bloomberg Government mulls temporary cut on some crop export taxes 29-09-2020 17:16 Government weighing temporary reduction on some export taxes to boost dollar inflows, Bloomberg reports.
Bloomberg Pesce, Guzmán split over curbs on dollar purchases 17-09-2020 16:19 Argentina's economic team split on latest crackdown, as well as how long new rules should remain in place.
ECONOMIC POLICY Central Bank optimistic over post-bond swap future 25-08-2020 19:20 Central Bank Governor Miguel Ángel Pesce says closure of the debt swap deal would relieve pressures on exchange markets and improve economic expectations.
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.
FOOTBALL & CORONAVIRUS Football clubs granted permission to restart training by government 06-08-2020 14:50 Health Ministry confirms safety protocols for returning of football training, with clubs due to play in Copa Libertadores set to restart first.
BLOOMBERG - OPINION Mohamed A. El-Erian: Argentina's debt proposal deserves support 07-07-2020 01:35 It would be in neither side's long-term interest to allow the theoretical best to be the enemy of the attainable good – what is now on the table warrants support by both Argentina and its creditors.
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC Argentina records highest number of Covid-19 fatalities in single day 04-07-2020 08:14 Health Ministry officials confirm deaths of 52 individuals – Argentina’s highest daily toll to date. With 2,845 people having tested positive over the last 24 hours, infections are continuing to accelerate.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS INDEC: Economy contracted by 5.4% in first quarter of 2020 23-06-2020 20:37 Unemployment rose to 10.4% in the first three months of the year, before the coronavirus lockdown kicked in, national statistics bureau reveals.
EXPROPRIATION OF VICENTIN Vicentin’s expropriation and how to break bad news 20-06-2020 09:26 A Peronist expropriation, and maybe even nationalisation, sounds like the best way to burn a lot of money straight into inefficient bureaucracy and corruption. by Agustino Fontevecchia
Coronavirus Pandemic Officials debate future of quarantine, likely to limit public transport 15-06-2020 16:10 National, Buenos Aires City and provincial health ministers meet to debate future of quarantine and preventative steps to tackle Covid-19, as officials in Chaco announce return to stricter lockdown in province.
BLOOMBERG Argentina would ease currency controls if debt talks are successful 29-05-2020 14:56 Central Bank leaders implemented new controls Thursday night, restricting companies’ access to the foreign exchange market to pay for obligations overseas in dollars or other currencies.
MINISTRY POSITIONS Production in a context of reduction 02-05-2020 10:58 Although always working with centre-left administrations, Kulfas has no political militancy or factional loyalty with his presence in the Cabinet entirely due to his personal links to President Fernández, as a leading member of his Grupo Callao think tank. by Michael Soltys
Investigation in Brazil Bolsonaro names allies to head police, justice ministry in Brazil 28-04-2020 11:50 But in blow to far-right leader, Supreme Court of Brazil authorises investigation of allegations of illegal interference of the police agency by the outgoing justice minister.
CORONAVIRUS QUARANTINE Nationwide lockdown: Limited resumption of activities starting Monday 18-04-2020 09:10 Government to allow select activities in provinces without ‘viral circulation,’ confirms Cabinet Chief Santiago Cafiero; BA Province Governor Kicillof tests negative for coronavirus.
Sex and coronavirus Health Ministry expert recommends 'virtual sex' for locked-up lovers 17-04-2020 16:59 Things got spicy at the daily Health Ministry briefing on Friday, as Dr José Barletta told citizens not to have shag strangers during the shutdown and to wash their hands thoroughly after a little sexy time at home.
MINISTRY POSITIONS Social policy collides with scandal 11-04-2020 10:42 Born in the Greater Buenos Aires district of Morón, Social Development Minister Daniel Fernando Arroyo has made social policy his exclusive focus since starting his university studies (UBA) more than three decades ago. by Michael Soltys
CORRUPTION & THE COURTS Ex-VP Boudou, jailed for corruption offences, granted house arrest 07-04-2020 18:44 Court granted house arrest to Boudou, who was vice-president during the second presidential term of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner from 2011 to 2015.
Food-purchase scandal Government under fire for overpaying on food purchases 07-04-2020 17:12 Social Development Minister Daniel Arroyo asks official responsible for overpaying for foodstuffs to resign, amid fierce criticism from opposition.
Coronavirus pandemic Government postpones local debt payments due in dollars until end of year 06-04-2020 09:23 The government has issued a decree to defer close to US$9.8 billion in local dollar-denominated debt payments until 2021.
MINISTRY POSITIONS Science joins global hunt for vaccine 28-03-2020 10:48 The Science, Technology and Productive Innovation Ministry was created on the very first day of the Cristina Fernández de Kirchner presidency in 2007. In the ensuing eight years of that controversial regime, it is difficult to find any initiative of hers which commanded approval across so wide a spectrum. by Michael Soltys
Coronavirus pandemic Virus death toll rises to six with fatalities in Mar del Plata, Chaco 24-03-2020 15:19 71-year-old, who returned to country from Spain on March 9, dies in Mar del Plata; Chaco records second death from Covid-19 after 53-year-old passes away in Resistencia.
Coronavirus outbreak Schools will remain open 'for the moment,' says education minister 13-03-2020 12:38 As the government introduces emergency measures to tackle the coronavirus pandemic, Nicolás Trotta confirmed today that schools will remain open – for now.