BEYOND THE HEADLINES Poverty lies under the mattress 05-10-2024 06:06 Idle capital amounting to over half of Gross Domestic Product surely goes a long way towards explaining why over half the population is poor. by Michael Soltys
FIGHT AGAINST MONEY-LAUNDERING Argentina at risk of falling onto FATF money-laundering ‘grey list’ 31-08-2024 05:54 President Javier Milei wants to introduce a ‘blanqueo’ whitewash amnesty for undeclared assets. But his plan could see Argentina fall foul of the Financial Action Task Force money-laundering watchdog. RIGI multi-billion dollar investment incentive scheme is also under scrutiny. by Ariel Maciel
POLITICS – ANALYSIS Milei under pressure for the first time 06-07-2024 05:59 If the doubts regarding Milei’s capacity to preside over Argentina were tied to governability risk, Caputo’s are connected to credibility risk: it’s difficult to see how the current policy framework can be sustainable in time. by Agustino Fontevecchia
CURRENCY IMPROVISATION La Rioja Province puts its own ‘quasi-currency’ in circulation 02-07-2024 16:01 New ‘chachos’ enter into circulation, currency honours local caudillo; Provincial Governor Ricardo Quintela announced the plan back in January, which won approval from local legislature a month later.
FEATURE Norberto Milei: The unknown story of the President’s father 25-05-2024 05:27 How President Javier Milei’s father went from being a bus-driver to businessman. His lost trials for tax evasion and the companies he formed with his daughter, Karina, to manage millions of dollars. The scenes of physical and psychological violence which distanced him from his son. by Juan Luis González
BILLS, BILLS, BILLS 10,000-peso banknote enters into circulation 07-05-2024 22:10 In a move that recognises runaway inflation of almost 290 percent, Argentina launches a new high-denomination banknote of 10,000 pesos – worth around US$11.
TAX-EVASION SCANDAL 'Panama Papers' trial to begin eight years after tax scandal 08-04-2024 09:20 Twenty-seven people in the dock for money-laundering as the "Panama Papers" case reaches trial, eight years after scandal first broke out.
EDITORIAL Prices out of the market 12-01-2024 15:24 President Milei wants to avoid the failures of Mauricio Macri’s gradualism but the shock approach might have too short a fuse.
BILLS, BILLS, BILLS Argentina to issue 20,000-peso bills as inflation eclipses 211% 12-01-2024 09:55 Argentina is preparing to offer larger denomination peso bills in an attempt to simplify daily transactions.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS Record money-printing: 9.439 billion banknotes in circulation as Fernández leaves office 04-12-2023 18:01 The money moving around "the street" has gone up 80 percent in the last four years. On average there are currently 2,050 banknotes per inhabitant in circulation, none worth more than US$2 each.
CURRENCY CLAMPDOWN Half-billion pesos seized, whistleblower arrested in exchange house raid 16-11-2023 18:23 Leonardo Fariña, whistleblower in “K money route” graft case, arrested when Federal Police and Customs officers raided illegal ‘cueva’ exchange house in Belgrano
'Yachtgate' scandal Almost US$600,000 seized by police from Sofía Clerici’s home 24-10-2023 16:51 US$569,700 confiscated by Federal Police from the home of model Sofía Clerici at the upmarket neighbourhood of Nordelta in the framework of the money-laundering and embezzlement case.
CRIME ‘Croat’ Ivo Rojnica arrested by police in Nordelta 24-10-2023 16:20 Ivo Rojnica, allegd boss of Nimbus Group parallel exchange house, arrested in the middle of 23 raids ordered by federal judge. Businessman Federico Pulenta and another financier also apprehended. The case is for money-laundering linked to alleged drug-dealing.
ELECTION 2023: ANALYSIS Money machine and fear were all it took to stop Milei’s surge 24-10-2023 12:34 All it took to shatter Javier Milei’s bubble was the Peronist machinery going into high gear and a jacking up of the fear factor.
CRISTINA & THE COURTS Supreme Court delivers judicial setbacks for Cristina Fernández de Kirchner 10-10-2023 18:37 Argentina’s highest court moves to dismiss different claims made by the former president’s defence team in the money-laundering and Iran memorandum cases.
ECONOMIC INDICATORS Government has printed equivalent of 18% of GDP since 2019 19-09-2023 09:33 New report says President Alberto Fernández’s administration has printed the monetary equivalent of 3% of GDP so far this year, most of it aimed at the repurchase of bonds to protect their price level.
CRISTINA & THE COURTS Double judicial setback for Cristina Fernández de Kirchner 18-09-2023 23:20 Federal Appeals Court orders reopening of two high-profile cases against Argentina’s vice-president: Hotesur-Los Sauces corruption probe and controversial Memorandum of Understanding with Iran. Beginning of both trials likely to be delayed due to additional appeals.
Political Scandals Colombian president's son arrested on money-laundering charges 31-07-2023 12:43 Nicolas Petro was arrested on July 29th, 2023, on charges of money laundering and illicit enrichment in a scandal linked to his father's election campaign, officials said.
INTERVIEW / PERIODISMO PURO Martín Guzmán: ‘Abandoning the currency never did anybody any good’ 10-06-2023 06:27 Argentina’s former economy minister on tackling inflation, unifying the exchange rate regime, the IMF debt deal he negotiated and what happens after the October election. by Jorge Fontevecchia
CRISTINA & THE COURTS Judge dismisses ‘Ruta K’ graft case against Fernández de Kirchner 05-06-2023 18:46 Federal Judge Sebastián Casanello, acting upon a request filed by the ‘Ruta K’ case’s lead prosecutor, dismisses charges against Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
BILLS, BILLS, BILLS Central Bank finally puts 2,000-peso bill into circulation 23-05-2023 12:53 Argentina begins circulating new higher denomination banknote as consumer prices continue to surge; New bill worth just US$8.50 at official rate and close to US$4 on parallel markets.
POLITICS & JUDICIARY ‘No evidence’ – Fernández de Kirchner attacks grounds for graft conviction 10-03-2023 20:40 Vice-President reignites her ongoing feud with Argentina’s Judiciary on Friday, comparing its members to the mafia and declaring that they seek to “ban” her from holding public office.
JOINT CURRENCY PLAN Brazil and Argentina are discussing whether to combine currencies 23-01-2023 09:31 Argentina and Brazil are in the preliminary stages of renewing discussions on forming a common currency for financial and commercial transactions, the leaders of the two nations reveal.
BLOOMBERG Rich investors pull out of Chile, leaving behind a US$50-billion hole 19-01-2023 14:45 Chile, Latin America’s stand-out economy for the better part of 50 years and a darling of Wall Street, is in many ways facing an existential moment.
‘FIFAgate’ graft scandal Defendants stand trial in New York in 'FIFAgate' corruption case 16-01-2023 16:18 Argentine-American Hernán López and Mexican-American Carlos Martínez, ex-employees of US giant 21st Century Fox, stand trial on corruption, bank fraud and money-laundering charges in US court.
Bloomberg Argentina must avoid ‘hot money’ pitfall, top economist says 28-12-2022 18:17 Influential Carlos Melconian details recommendations he is drafting for a more business-friendly government to enact following the 2023 elections.
Cristina & the courts Prosecutor calls for CFK Hotesur-Los Sauces acquittal to be overturned 11-11-2022 10:47 Prosecutor Mario Villar requests that last year’s court decision that paved way for acquittal of defendants without bringing the case to trial be overturned.
CURRENCY WOES Tourists pay with wads of cash as inflation nears 100% 27-10-2022 16:04 Paying with cash is becoming increasingly cumbersome in Argentina as inflation gallops toward 100%.