News of senate

Election showed Brazil's far-right was sold short, say analysts

06-10-2022 01:20 Jair Bolsonaro was not the only one to have a surprisingly strong night in Brazil's elections: the far-right incumbent's allies also outperformed expectations in key congressional and governor's races.

Supreme Court justice slams bid to impose ‘judicial populism’

30-04-2022 01:25 Former leader of nation’s highest tribunal Ricardo Lorenzetti criticises ruling coalition, proposal to raise number of Supreme Court to 16.

Council of Magistrates reform bill clears Senate

08-04-2022 23:47 Government advances with Council of the Magistrates reform, leaving out the Supreme Court.

Congress greenlights debt deal – ball now in IMF’s court

18-03-2022 21:46 US$45-billion agreement signed into law by president; Deal now needs approval by IMF’s Executive Board.

Fernández de Kirchner hits out at ‘paradoxical’ attack on her Senate office

11-03-2022 16:40 Vice-president and Senate chief expresses dismay at "paradoxical" attack on her Senate office during protests against government's International Monetary Fund debt bill.

Senate prepares to debate IMF deal after lower house backs bill

11-03-2022 16:25 Upper house to begin debate on bill on Monday, with government seeking approval before start of following week, when US$2.9-billion maturity is due.

Esteban Bullrich bows out of Congress with emotional speech

10-12-2021 23:15 Senator Esteban Bullrich delivers an emotional farewell speech in upper house after confirming his resignation due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

New deputies, senators take seats in Congress, shifting balance of power

10-12-2021 23:13 The 127 deputies elected last November 14 were sworn into their seats for the next four years; 24 new senators take benches in upper house.

Government seeks approval for 116 decrees, prompting opposition walkout

19-11-2021 03:01 Little sign of post-election dialogue as Juntos por el Cambio refuses to support debate on 116 presidential decrees. Ruling coalition wants DNUs approved by Senate before new lawmakers are sworn-in.

Chile President Sebastián Piñera survives impeachment vote

17-11-2021 12:42 Chile's Senate declines to impeach President Sebastián Piñera over a business deal revealed in the Pandora Papers leaks, refusing to go along with the lower house of Congress in opening proceedings against him.

President vows to send ‘multi-year economic programme’ to Congress

15-11-2021 13:12 President Alberto Fernández announced Sunday night that he will send a bill to Congress outlining a “multi-year economic programme” for Argentina – and he says it has the “full support” of his coalition, including Vice-President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.

by Lorena Rodríguez

Argentina's bonds climb as president promises new plan after vote

15-11-2021 12:32 Bonds gain after voters rejected the government’s handling of the economy in midterm elections and President Alberto Fernández promised to cooperate with opposition lawmakers on a new agenda.

Fernández calls for dialogue with opposition after election defeat

14-11-2021 22:44 In a new way of acknowledging defeat, President Alberto Fernández broadcasts a recorded message from the Olivos presidential residence in which he calls for dialogue with the opposition.

With these results, Cristina loses control and quorum in the Senate

14-11-2021 22:12 Preliminary results confirm PASO losses in La Pampa, Chubut and Santa Fe. Add in the seats lost in Córdoba and Corrientes and Frente de Todos has just 35 senators to play with.

by Gabriel Ziblat

Ten races to watch in Argentina’s midterm elections

14-11-2021 08:57 Two issues will attract the most attention as Sunday night’s results come in: what happens in the provinces and whether Kirchnerismo loses quorum in the Senate. The results in Santa Fe, Chubut and La Pampa will be crucial.

by Gabriel Ziblat

President under pressure as polarised nation heads to polls

14-11-2021 08:14 President Alberto Fernández faces a crunch 24 hours as Argentina heads to the polls for crucial midterm legislative elections. Frente de Todos could lose control of Congress, in a vote already looking ahead to 2023.

Brazil Senate committee recommends 10 pandemic charges against Bolsonaro

20-10-2021 13:20 Senate committee in Brazil recommends that President Jair Bolsonaro face at least 10 charges, including crimes against humanity, over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The case for streamlining Congress

16-10-2021 00:01 Streamlining Congress would establish criteria of austerity, meritocracy and transparency in the use of human resources, but has not been considered for the past two decades.

by Gabriel C. Salvia

Creditors now split over Buenos Aires Province's restructuring offer

22-07-2021 15:54 Buenos Aires Province's creditors are now divided over a US$7.1-billion debt restructuring proposal, signalling that Argentina’s largest province still has work to do to emerge from default.

Chile senators approve gay marriage bill; one step left

21-07-2021 15:21 Senators in Chile passed a long-awaited bill Wednesday authorising same-sex marriage in what gay campaigners hope will be the penultimate step to its final approval.