News of senate

What we learned this week: September 12 to 19

19-09-2020 09:18 Stories that caught our eye over the last seven days in Argentina.

Fernández signs decree formalising removal of judges investigating CFK

17-09-2020 19:21 In wake of Senate vote boycotted by opposition, president signs three decrees to annul transfers of three judges involved in corruption cases against Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

BOLIVIAN POLITICAL CRISIS

Bolivia judge confirms Evo Morales cannot run for Senate seat

08-09-2020 09:13 Judge rules that former president is not eligible to run for a Senate seat in October's elections, given his current residence in Argentina.

POLITICS & THE PANDEMIC

Knocking on the Senate's door

29-08-2020 08:46 Military coups are a thing of the past, but presidents struggling to finish their mandates are not.

by Martín Gambarotta

JUDICIAL REFORM

Judicial reform bill clears Senate, heads to lower house

28-08-2020 18:04 Controversial proposal, which the opposition strongly rejects, passes to the Chamber of Deputies after early Friday morning vote along strict party lines.

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.

ALBERTO & HORACIO

Don’t hate the player, hate the game

22-08-2020 09:06 Pundits indicate that both coalitions are suffering from extreme tension, and the real question is how long will the acting leaders of each space last until either their will is dominated by the hawks or the groups balkanise.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

BLOOMBERG

Government wants Buenos Aires Province to be first to seal debt deal

10-08-2020 16:39 Casa Rosada wants Buenos Aires Province to be the first to resolve debt restructuring talks, according to sources, denying creditors chance to demand better conditions.

TELEWORKING LAW

Congress approves law to regulate teleworking

01-08-2020 09:49 Senate grants passage to legislation laying down rules for workers and employers in post-pandemic future , mostly along party lines.

DEBT RESTRUCTURING

Guzmán hints at deadline extension for debt talks with creditors

01-08-2020 09:42 Economy minister says government is “assessing all options,” with talks at an impasse as August 4 deadline nears.

DEBT RESTRUCTURING

Senate approves debt swap bill for bonds under Argentine law

31-07-2020 19:05 Unanimous approval did not exclude acrimonious debate in which each side blamed the other for the increase in debt.

CRISTINA & ALBERTO

Is she winning?

27-06-2020 08:23 The major shock to the president’s credibility, though, was the failed expropriation of agro-giant Vicentín. Not only are a lot more people against the measure, but also the sensation that it’s of Cristina’s making, not Alberto’s.

by Agustino Fontevecchia

100 DAYS OF QUARANTINE

Hibernation time

27-06-2020 08:09 The pandemic is a tremendous challenge for the metropolitan area. Only history will explain the true extent of economic devastation in the region.

by Martín Gambarotta

Congress & Covid-19

Historic session as Congress meets 'virtually' for first time

14-05-2020 09:12 In a historic session, Congress met 'virtually' for the first time on Wednesday, as lawmaking restarted for the first time since Argentina entered a mandatory nationwide lockdown on March 20.

Coronavirus pandemic

Congress online: Lawmaking set to restart with virtual sessions

13-05-2020 08:10 After trials and tribulations, Senate due to meet online at 2pm local time, with lower house Chamber of Deputies to follow at 6pm.

CONGRESSIONAL RETURN

Senate to return to activity on May 13 after CFK bends for opposition

05-05-2020 16:30 Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner chooses May 13 for the year’s first Senate session, following negotiations with the opposition over the rules for virtual procedure.

BLOOMBERG

Analysts: Buenos Aires Province bondholder offer headed for rejection

24-04-2020 17:08 Proposal by Argentina’s largest province to restructure US$7 billion of international debt draws immediate criticism from analysts.

CORRUPTION & THE COURTS

Ex-VP Michetti faces questions over renovation works at Senate

06-03-2020 14:01 Former vice-president Gabriela Michetti among three individuals accused of defrauding public administration in a criminal complaint related to unfinished renovation works.

ABORTION DEBATE

Thousands of women rally for 'Aborto Legal' in Argentina

20-02-2020 09:49 Thousands of women, with nearly all sporting the green scarves that have become the iconic symbol of Argentina's abortion rights movement, rally before Congress.

BILL FACES SENATE VOTE NEXT WEEK

Government’s bid to tackle debt crisis begins in earnest

01-02-2020 08:03 Bill to restructure foreign debt flies through lower house, faces Senate vote next week; Economy Ministry releases timetable – but Wall Street remains sceptical.

Trump Impeachment

What to watch as Trump's impeachment trial kicks off

21-01-2020 14:34 Impeachment trial set to begin today US in Senate. President Donald Trump faces trial for alleged abuse of power and obstruction of justice.

Trump Impeachment

Trump's impeachment trial begins, senators promise 'impartial justice'

17-01-2020 15:10 The trial, only the third such undertaking in US history, is unfolding at the start of the election year, a time of deep political division in the nation.

Bloomberg

Buenos Aires Province asks to delay debt payment

14-01-2020 08:06 Axel Kicillof's provincial government asks bondholders of its 2021 notes to delay a principal payment due later this month, as national government's talks with creditors gear up.

Buenos Aires Province

Kicillof accuses opposition of ‘robbing revenue' after tax reform changes

09-01-2020 15:28 Buenos Aires Province governor makes remarks after provincial legislature gives final approval to his tax reform package – but only after opposition senators amended original bill.

BLOOMBERG – ANALYSIS

Fernández secures sweeping powers to conduct debt talks

22-12-2019 22:29 President will now have more authority to negotiate with creditors, raise worker salaries and hike taxes. Government secured passage with concessions including lower export taxes on oil, gas and mining, and tax relief for small farmers.

Ley de Solidaridad

Fernández's economic emergency law wins approval in Senate

21-12-2019 09:13 Sweeping legislative package will include imposing tax increases on sectors of the upper and middle classes, as well as providing tax incentives for production and tax benefits to the most impoverished.

EMERGENCY BILL

Senate set to approve Fernández’s emergency bill

21-12-2019 08:20 After a marathon session, lawmakers in the Chamber of Deputies approve new president’s legislative project, sending bill to Senate.

TRUMP IMPEACHMENT

Trump wins Putin's backing as he's impeached for abuse of power

19-12-2019 07:53 By a 230 to 197 vote in the Democratic-majority House, the 45th US president became just the third occupant of the White House in US history to be impeached.

TRANSITION 2019

Peronist unification gives president-elect majority in Senate and quorum

30-11-2019 09:45 President-elect Alberto Fernández will enjoy an overall Senate majority and quorum, following the unification of the two main Peronist caucuses between election day and last week.

TUCUMÁN SENATOR

Alperovich requests leave of absence from Senate after abuse allegations

26-11-2019 16:02 Senator José Alperovich continues to deny all charges of sexual abuse against him, but requests leave of absence, saying he needs time to ‘repair his honour.’

IMPEACHMENT HEARINGS

Trump to face limits of his power in impeachment hearings

13-11-2019 12:22 House of Representatives launches first public hearing of Donald Trump’s impeachment investigation, an extraordinary process to determine whether the 45th president of the United States should be removed from office.

ELECTION 2019

Two party dominance in Congress – but not enough to help Fernández

02-11-2019 11:00 Senate under new government’s control but Macri’s comeback leaves Lower House hanging in the balance.

by Michael Soltys

LONG-TRAILED REFORM

Brazil Congress passes landmark overhaul of pension system

23-10-2019 07:32 The Senate voted 60-19 to adopt changes for civil servants and private-sector workers, handing President Jair Bolsonaro his first major legislative victory.

Congress

Senate approves Food Emergency law as demonstrators demand action

19-09-2019 10:35 Lawmakers in the upper house offer unanimous approval for the legislation, which will boost aid packages by roughly eight million pesos.

2019 Elections

Peronists set to dominate divided Congress

23-06-2019 16:53 While all eyes are on the presidential elections in Argentina, the race for the country's Congress is key to understanding what policy scenarios the next government will face.

by Gabriel Ziblat

UNITED STATES

US voters hand Democrats a check on Trump’s agenda

10-11-2018 11:04 Bolstered ranks in the House countered by GOP control of Senate.

POLITICS & PRAGMATISM

Will the real Mauricio Macri please stand up?

10-11-2018 10:07 Two things connect Macri’s negotiations in the Chamber of Deputies, the Senate, and with union leaders: Macri never led the conversation and in every case he was forced to pay to play.

by Agustino Fontevecchia