Milei's 'Make Argentina Great Again' Turns Roads into Death Traps: Echoes of Trump's Crumbling America

 "Folks, you wouldn't believe what's happening down in Argentina. Javier Milei, the chainsaw-wielding president, is hacking away at the very roads we drive on. That's right, while he's busy ranting about 'liberty' and 'markets,' our highways are falling apart.

According to reports from Perfil and confirmed by Vialidad Nacional's own website, Milei's administration, under the 'watchful' eye of Economy Minister Luis 'Toto' Caputo, has slashed funding for road maintenance by a staggering 58% in 2024. That's not a typo, folks. 58%! (Source: Perfil). And what does that mean? Well, 9,342 kilometers of our national roads—roads that carry 80% of our country's traffic—are left to rot. (Source: Vialidad Nacional).

Remember when Trump promised to 'rebuild our crumbling infrastructure'? Well, Milei seems to be taking notes, but instead of rebuilding, he's demolishing. Just like Trump's empty promises, Milei's 'economic miracle' is leaving us with potholes the size of Buenos Aires.
And get this, with concessions expiring on crucial routes like the 'Mercosur Highway' (Route 12), at least 500 families are now jobless, caught in the crossfire of Milei's 'shock therapy'.

Vialidad Nacional, the very agency supposed to fix this mess, is being gutted. Their own director is reportedly planning to axe 30% of their workforce. So, who's going to fix the roads, Javier? Ghosts?

The Workers' Union of Vialidad (STV) reports that the agency is missing 350 billion pesos. That's enough to patch up 3,424 kilometers of road and maintain 26,250 kilometers of shoulders. (Source: Perfil). But hey, who needs safe roads when you can have 'freedom'?
And if that wasn't enough, Milei is privatizing another 8,500 kilometers of roads, including vital routes like National Route 33. Because, you know, private companies always care more about public safety than profit, right?

Guillermo Francos, Milei's Minister of the Interior, tells us to call a hotline or use WhatsApp if we have a road emergency. Yeah, because that's going to fix a pothole the size of a small car.

So, next time you're driving on a road that feels like a lunar landscape, remember Milei's 'Argentina First' policy. It's not about making Argentina great; it's about making Argentina a giant, crumbling pothole. Just like Trump's America, but with more tango."

Used Machinery Flood: Will Argentina’s Farm Industry Survive?

Argentina’s agricultural machinery sector is sounding the alarm over a new government decree allowing the unrestricted import of used equipment. 

The Argentine Association of Tractor Factories (Afat), representing major global brands like John Deere, Case IH, and New Holland, warns this move could have a "devastating impact," threatening local manufacturing, jobs, and even the future of farming productivity

Why the Panic?

Afat argues that flooding the market with outdated, discounted machinery from subsidized foreign economies will:

Crush local production – 60-75% of new equipment sales rely on trade-ins, now at risk.

Kill innovation – Over 70% of Argentina’s harvesters are already older than 10 years; new tech boosts productivity by 25%.

Risk phytosanitary disasters – Used imports could introduce pests like the corn leafhopper, which caused $2 billion in losses last season.

The China Comparison: Two Opposite Economic Models

While Argentina struggles with deindustrialization and reliance on imported second-hand goods, China’s economy thrives on the exact opposite strategy:

🇨🇳 China: Heavy investment in cutting-edge manufacturing, automation, and export-driven growth. It produces and sells machinery globally, including to Argentina.

🇦🇷 Argentina: Policy swings risk turning the country into a dumping ground for outdated tech, weakening domestic industry.

China’s success lies in protecting and scaling its industrial base—something Argentina’s erratic policies undermine. If Buenos Aires doesn’t reverse course, it may trade long-term growth for short-term bargains, widening the gap with global powerhouses.

Final Thought:
Argentina wants cheap fixes; China builds the future. Which model wins? 🚜 vs. 🏭

MILEI'S ARGENTINE MELTDOWN: A TRUMP-ESQUE DISASTER UNFOLDS

Folks, let me tell you, as someone who's seen the sausage get made in Argentine politics, this Milei situation? It's a full-blown dumpster fire, and it's got "Made in the USA" written all over it.

Think of it as a Michael Moore documentary in real-time.

These Milei siblings, they swaggered into power promising to drain the swamp, right? But what we're seeing is a freak show worthy of a Trump rally:

• A president stammering through speeches about the Falklands, then groveling for a photo-op with Trump at Mar-a-Lago, desperate for an IMF bailout.

• An economy minister, Luis Caputo, a self-proclaimed "total rockstar," steering the country straight into an iceberg with his Wall Street-approved voodoo economics.

• A Senate flipping the bird to Milei's crony judge picks, showing just how thin his skin really is.

• An economy teetering on the edge of a cliff thanks to Trump's trade war, with an overvalued peso and a central bank emptier than a politician's promise.

• And to top it off, the Peronist party, their opposition, is in a full-on cage match, with Cristina and Kicillof duking it out for control while the country burns.

It's a circus of horrors, folks! Milei's insults and tantrums are just background noise to the real disaster unfolding. Caputo's "chainsaw" economics are gutting the country.

But there's a flicker of hope in Axel Kicillof, the only Peronist with the guts to challenge Cristina and offer an alternative to this mess. But it's gonna be a bloody fight.

The battle for the soul of Peronism is on, and it'll decide Argentina's fate. Can they learn from their mistakes and build a better country? Or are they doomed to repeat history?

Americans, this ain't just some foreign soap opera. This is a cautionary tale. This is what happens when you elect a reality TV star who thinks he's a CEO. This is what happens when you let Wall Street run the show.

Don't let this happen at home.

Rodrigo De Paul and his message to Tini Stoessel: "It gives me great pride to see you shine".

Tini Stoessel performed on Thursday, December 22 at the Campo Argentino de Polo and one of the surprises she gave to her audience was the presence of Rodrigo De Paul whom she invited on stage to perform the Argentine National Anthem together with Airbag.

It was obviously a very emotional moment for the young couple and when the show ended, Rodrigo De Paul dedicated a heartfelt message to Tini Stoessel. From his official Instagram account, the athlete shared a postcard where he has his girlfriend over his shoulders and expressed: "I ADMIRO YOU".

"It makes me very proud to see you shine, thank you for letting me be part of it. You are number one, but above all for the love you put into what you do," added the Argentina National Team player, revealing the admiration he feels for his partner.

Argentine government releases the details of the bond issue for US $ 16,500 million to pay the holdouts

In the Official Bulletin of the Argentina national government resolution providing for the issuance of bonds totaling US $ 16,500 million to pay the holdouts are published today. The measure is signed only by the minister, Alfonso Prat Gay, who led the negotiations with Casa Rosada vulture funds.

The annexes to the resolution 146/2016-more than 1,000 pages long the interest rate and maturity date of the four types of "International bonds of Argentina in US dollars" -given its name officially detailed, they are issued.

2019. Bonus Shares to 3 years are issued for US $ 2.75 billion with an interest rate of 6.25 percent annually.

2021. Bonus Shares to 5 years are issued for US $ 4.5 billion with an interest rate of 6.875 percent per annum.

Bono 2026. The 10-year bonds issued by US $ 6.5 billion with an interest rate of 7.5 percent annually.

Bono 2046. The 30-year securities issued by US $ 2.75 billion with an interest rate of 7.625 percent per annum.

The underwriters of the securities were appointed Deutsche Bank, HSBC, JP Morgan, Santander, BBVA, Citi and UBS, who will receive a commission of 0.18 percent. In addition, he was appointed The Bank of New York Mellon as settlement agent, trustee and paying agent and listing agent in Luxembourg.

Argentinske regjeringen utgivelser detaljene i obligasjonslånet for US $ 16 500 millioner for å betale holdouts

I Official Bulletin of Argentina nasjonale regjeringen oppløsning gir for utstedelse av et obligasjonslån på US $ 16 500 millioner for å betale holdouts blir publisert i dag. Tiltaket er signert bare av statsråden, Alfonso Prat Gay, som ledet forhandlingene med Casa Rosada gribbefond.

Vedleggene til vedtak 146/2016-mer enn 1000 sider lang rente og forfall av de fire typer "Internasjonale obligasjoner av Argentina i amerikanske dollar" -given navnet offisielt detaljert, de er utstedt.

2019. bonusaksjer til 3 år utstedes for US $ 2,750,000,000 med en rente på 6,25 prosent årlig.

2021. bonusaksjer til 5 år utstedes for US $ 4.5 milliarder med en rente på 6,875 prosent per år.

Bono 2026. Den 10-årige obligasjoner utstedt av amerikanske $ 6500000000 med en rente på 7,5 prosent årlig.

Bono 2046. Den 30-årige verdipapirer utstedt av US $ 2750000000 med en rente på 7,625 prosent per år.

Garantistene av verdipapirene ble utnevnt Deutsche Bank, HSBC, JP Morgan, Santander, BBVA, Citi og UBS, som vil motta en provisjon på 0,18 prosent. I tillegg ble han utnevnt til The Bank of New York Mellon som oppgjørsagent, bobestyrer og betalingsagent og listing agent i Luxembourg.

The Argentine government will pay 7% annual interest payment by China to strengthen their monetary reserves

The reserves of the Central Bank of Argentina closed the week at u $ s 28.268 million, and did not fall over because they would have posted a $ 700 million arrivals from China under the bilateral agreement.

Argentina should enable the conversion or currency swap with China to strengthen reserves, preferring to pay a higher annual interest rate of 7% for the central bank to remain above the 28,000 million dollars. Reserves closed the week at $ 28,268,000 s, and did not fall because they have posted over 700 million arrivals from China in yuan, under the bilateral agreement, since Argentina had imported fuels and maturities debt by more than $ 150 million.

 The first disbursement of currency conversion agreement signed last July between the Central Bank and the People's Bank of China and were recorded this week in the stock of reserves. It happened on Tuesday, when stocks stopped falling despite the adverse scenario in the exchange market led blue dollar to 15.10 pesos.

 Although the Central Bank made ​​payments to international organizations and disbursements for energy imports by 150 million dollars, to which were added 50 million in wholesale sales, reserves increased by eight million in the week. Thus, the arrival of the first yuan swap only allowed to hold the stocks, and not increase.

All at the cost of further deteriorating the equity of the BCRA, which pay high interest in dollars. The swap with the People's Bank of China could reach 11,000 million dollars, and the BCRA, Juan Carlos Fabrega, shall administer to allow Cristina Kirchner finish his term without major upheavals. The currency swap involves the simultaneous purchase of one currency for another, the future commitment to reverse the operation in twelve months at a rate of between 6 and 7 percent, and compensate for price differences.

 The arrival of silver from China oxygenates reserves while backing the settlement of grain exporters, who took a third the usual foreign income at this time.

3 relatives of Pope Francis died in a car accident and his nephew is in serious condition

Pope Francisco is suffering after receiving the bad news of what happened to his family in Argentina.

The mayor of Villa María, Córdoba, where Emanuel (nephew of Pope), is hospitalized said "Unfortunately we found this event in the morning, we were accompanied to all hospital authorities who intervened to save the life of Emanuel Bergoglio the rapid intervention they did was key, "

Meanwhile, the head of intensive care at the hospital in Villa María, Luciano Caponseli confirmed that Emanuel was Bergoglio undergo surgery due to bleeding in the liver. The young man is connected to a ventilator.

Speaking to channel the doctor explained that the aim of the operation was to "compress the liver to no blood." "The biggest problem is the liver, the spleen was removed because it had a tear in the vein, but can live without it smoothly," he added.

Asked how serious having the pope's nephew, professional remarked how delicate it is. "Gravity has is nine points because it has a trauma to the abdomen and thorax face trauma, do not know how it will evolve also has two broken ribs and permanently on a ventilator. "

"The degree of survival is difficult to estimate it. Favor What is it age. Is a healthy young boy, but are complicated wounds has" acknowledged

U.S. expert says the ruling of Judge Griesa is crazy

U.S. economist James Henry harshly questioned the stance of Justice and the Executive of his country in the proceedings leading vulture funds against Argentina.

 "It's completely crazy that a judge says, 'To pay your creditors, you must first enter default'" said Henry, an economist at the NGO Tax Justice Network, an organization that advocates for transparency in the financial system.

 "I have been disappointed that the Obama administration did not influence this dispute through a stronger opinion, especially considering the damage it does to the relationship between the U.S. and Argentina. It is really amazing," he added.

And he compared: "China was here last week, so did Putin, all the BRICS countries have met and all supporting Argentina's position on this."

 "The best economists around the world, as the Nobel laureate Joseph Stiglitz, have spoken in favor of Argentina. Each academic economist who glances at the subject realizes that it is absolutely crazy to send an entire country to a default of 144 billion or maybe even 500 billion depending on how contabilices debt forward, "he said in dialogue with the daily Tiempo Argentino.

In American economist view, "anyone who looks at this from an economic point of view of U.S. foreign relations, national security since, realizes how ridiculous the decision of a judge who is out of focus."

 However, "the fact is that U.S. judges have enormous power to interpret the law, especially under the Supreme Court," said Henry.

 Asked about the impact the ruling will Griesa internationally, predicted that "most countries will be very reluctant to voluntarily submit to the jurisdiction of the Court in New York anymore. It sets a very bad precedent for Wall Street as a financial center. "

 Finally, the AML expert said the vulture fund NML "is rooted in the Cayman Islands, we do not even know who these investors are, who knows, maybe even have Argentine investors." 

More Information: http://www.taxjustice.net/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Cefid-Ar-2014-Vulture.pdf 
Original Source: http://www.diariobae.com/notas/26810-experto-norteamericano-dice-que-el-fallo-es-una-locura.html

Argentina: Uncertainty three days of an eventual default

Spokesmen for the ruling party and the opposition does not agree on the magnitude of the impact it will have on the local economy if the country falls into default, although all agreed that it will not be as tragic as the default 2002.

The country entered this week in the countdown to reach an agreement with the holdouts to avoid falling into a new default on the public debt, but uncertainty prevailed about the steps the government will send a delegation to whether the United States has to follow the bargaining or if you limit the contact telephone conversations.

In this context, concerning the government and the opposition disagreed about how much impact it will have on the local economy if the country falls into default, although all agreed that it will not be as tragic as the default in 2002 under an economic and social crisis.

On Wednesday expire grace period that Argentina had to avoid getting into technical default, since no effective on payment of due interest on the debt to bondholders restructured that operated on June 30 because Judge Thomas Griesa ordered to return the country money that the government had deposited for that purpose in the accounts that the Bank of New York Mellon (BONY) with the Central Bank.

The two meetings held last week by the team headed by Finance Secretary, Pablo López, with attorney Daniel Pollack, appointed by Griesa as mediator in the conflict week were unsuccessful, and that the judge said the stay (injunction) to unlock that payment.

The stay allows the government to claim payment at regular bondholders and avoid technical default, to rescind momentarily failure Griesa ordered to pay her 1,330 holdouts million in a lump sum in cash.

On the official side, Deputy Héctor Recalde downplayed the consequences of an eventual default by stating "not going to have tragic consequences because we are not in 2002, and the domestic market will continue much as at present, will not to be changes. "

He explained that "in January widely recover negotiation possibilities for not applying to us the clause" Rufo (for its acronym in English) that prevents offer holdouts voluntarily a higher price than that received by bondholders who entered the debt swap 2005 and 2010.

Instead, the president of Banco Ciudad, Rogelio Frigerio, warned that "what will happen is that the problems with which the Argentine and lived long and we worry, insecurity, inflation, unemployment, lack of dollars are going to increase, "while predicted that" recent months also transition this government will be less relaxed than it might have been. "

"We are on the cutting edge, we're playing with a lot of risk because we do not have much time. At this point, the only thing that can save us from default is that the same funds litigating against Argentina today asked the judge to allow you to pay this that expires at the end of this month, "Frigerio estimated.

The economist said in dialogue with Mitre radio that "there is any chance of that," because neither the holdouts "suits them into the Argentina default".

Meanwhile, the national deputy Hermes Binner considered that the Government has reached this stage of conflict with the holdouts that "has given little thought to the claims of Justice New York," and remarked that the default "absolutely negative for the country. "

"It's a situation where there is presumed difficulties in exporting, importing trouble. Even with the candles at half mast in the economy, I hope we have the great opportunity to go ahead and aspire to better times," said Binner.

Argentina: Usikkerhet tre dager etter at en eventuell standard

Talsmenn for regjeringspartiet og opposisjonen blir ikke enige om størrelsen på effekten det vil ha på den lokale økonomien dersom landet faller inn i standard, selv om alle var enige om at det ikke vil være så tragisk som standard 2002.

Landet inngikk denne uken i nedtellingen til å nå en avtale med de holdouts å unngå å falle inn i en ny standard på den offentlige gjelden, men usikkerheten rådet om trinnene regjeringen vil sende en delegasjon til om USA har å følge lønnsforhandlinger eller hvis du begrense kontakttelefonsamtaler.

I denne sammenheng, om regjeringen og opposisjonen var uenige om hvor mye innvirkning det vil ha på den lokale økonomien dersom landet faller inn i standard, selv om alle var enige om at det ikke vil være så tragisk som standard i 2002 i henhold til en økonomisk og sosial krise.

På onsdag utløper utsettelsesperioden at Argentina måtte unngå å komme inn i teknisk standard, ettersom ingen effektiv på betaling av forfalte renter på gjelden til obligasjonseierne omstrukturert som opererte den 30. juni fordi dommer Thomas Griesa beordret til å returnere landet penger at regjeringen hadde avsatt til dette formålet i regnskapet at Bank of New York Mellon (BONY) med sentralbanken.

De to møter avholdt i forrige uke av teamet ledet av Finanssekretær, Pablo López, med advokat Daniel Pollack, oppnevnt av Griesa som megler i konflikten uke var mislykket, og at dommeren sa oppholdet (pålegg) å låse opp at betaling.

Oppholdet gjør regjeringen for å kreve betaling med jevne obligasjonseiere og unngå teknisk standard, for å oppheve et øyeblikk svikt Griesa dømt til å betale henne 1330 holdouts millioner i en lump sum i kontanter.

På den offisielle siden, vise Héctor Recalde bagatellisert følgene av en eventuell mislighold ved å si "ikke kommer til å ha tragisk utfall fordi vi ikke er i 2002, og det innenlandske markedet vil fortsette mye som i dag, vil ikke å bli endringer. "

Han forklarte at "i januar allment gjenopprette mulighetene for ikke å søke til oss klausulen forhandling" Rufo (for sin akronym på engelsk) som hindrer tilbod holdouts frivillig en høyere pris enn det som mottas av obligasjonseierne som kom inn i gjeldsbytte 2005 og 2010.

I stedet, president i Banco Ciudad, Rogelio Frigerio, advarte om at "hva som vil skje er at problemene med som den argentinske og levde lenge og vi bekymre, usikkerhet, inflasjon, arbeidsledighet, mangel på dollar kommer til å øke, "mens spådd at" de siste månedene også overføre denne regjeringen vil være mindre avslappet enn det kunne ha vært. "

"Vi er i forkant, vi spiller med mye risiko, fordi vi ikke har mye tid. På dette punktet, er det eneste som kan redde oss fra standard at de samme midlene søksmål mot Argentina i dag ba dommeren til å tillate deg å betale dette som utløper i slutten av denne måneden, "Frigerio anslått.

Økonomen sa i dialog med Mitre radio at "det er noen sjanse for at" fordi verken de holdouts "passer dem inn i Argentina default".

I mellomtiden, den nasjonale nestleder Hermes Binner mente at regjeringen har nådd dette stadiet av konflikt med holdouts som "har gitt liten tanke til krav fra Justis New York", og bemerket at standard "absolutt negative for landet. "

"Det er en situasjon hvor det er antatt vanskeligheter i eksport, import trøbbel. Selv med lysene på halv stang i økonomien, håper jeg vi har stor mulighet til å gå videre og håpe på bedre tider," sier Binner.

Abortion: The Catholic Church against the Argentinian Supreme Court

In the provinces of Argentina, the bishops are seeking to stop the implementation of hospital protocols. And in National Congress there are already plans to hinder non-punishable abortions. They even seek to provide grants to women who carry out the pregnancy in cases of rape.



By Mariana Carbajal

The Catholic Church seeks to neutralize the impact of the historic Supreme Court ruling on non-punishable abortions. On the one hand, to stop in the provinces to implement hospital protocols for the care of abortions in cases of rape. The main church unfolds in front of Tucumán, where the local archbishop, Monsignor Alfredo Zecca, try pushing the governor José Alperovich (FPV) to set the procedure to be followed by a decree or other regulation. But the strategy has another face, pointing parallel to enact laws that hinder the legal termination of pregnancy and to promote women to go ahead with the pregnancy forced through a rape-as mere incubators, and given up for adoption after the creature. In the House of Representatives and there were two projects in that sense, they were drawn to the Committee on Family, Women, Children and Adolescents, which is scheduled to begin debate, and which provide even give them an incentive to cash change to complete these pregnancies.

One proposal is a draft Law on Protection of Human Rights of Pregnant Women and Unborn Child. But under the umbrella of an initiative to protect women during the gestational period, it seeks to introduce clauses "antiabortion" to prevent the interruption of pregnancy even in the circumstances permitted by Article 86 of the Criminal Code.

In the first article, the initiative states that "the term 'unborn child' every human being from the moment of conception or fertilization of the egg to the birth of their cash." In the fourth article stipulates that "the unborn child is entitled to equal opportunities and be protected against any discrimination or selection because of their genetic, developmental stage, physical, biological or any other . Neither will it be because of the circumstances of their conception or the qualities or characteristics of their parents and family. " The law considered particularly offensive, harmful and discriminatory to rate unborn children as "unwanted" or "unwanted". And later in the same article states that "when the pregnancy came from a crime against sexual integrity, she will claim, from the moment of conception and throughout the gestational period, a special allowance equivalent to a salary of Grouping category E of National System of Public Employment (Sinep). If the woman decided to take the child's upbringing, the allocation will continue to pay until he turns 18 years old. If she decides not to take over the upbringing of the child after birth, immediately provide the necessary and urgent measures for their protection, favoring its adoption by a family or guardian, in which case the allocation will be perceived by the adoptive family or keeper from the time when it is done by the child until he reaches 18 years of age. " In the seventh article provides that "shall be considered as a paradigmatic case of violence against women with all outside interference, whether state or private, which is intended to induce or persuade a woman who takes a pregnancy, to interrupt the course of that pregnancy through the practice of abortion. "

The project was launched on March 23, ten days after the judgment of the Court on legal abortion, with 15 signatures, more conservative exponents of different blocks, as the deputies in July Ledesma (ex denarvaísta), Federal Power of Thought , the Salta macrista Alfredo Olmedo (the jacket of yellow, known for his homophobic expressions), Graciela Camano, the Federal Peronism, the Democratic Omar Mendoza de Marchi, the dissident Peronist San Luis Ivana Bianchi, the San Juan's Front for Victory Margarita Ferra of Bartol, among others. Subsequently, another 13 more deputies also signed. Originally, this proposal had entered in 2010 in the House of Representatives, but lost parliamentary status in December untreated. Actually, this is an initiative promoted by the Federal Family Network, an alliance "antiderechos" of Catholic and evangelical groups ", which repudiated the judgment of the Court in cases of legal abortion and that since the passage of equal marriage is gathering signatures to present a popular initiative in Congress to repeal it.

Members of the network last year lobbied Missions to the family of a 14 years old, who had become pregnant when a guy raped her, in retaliation for telling that he had abused his sister, 'to desist in their claim of the abortion that was entitled by law. "Do not kill the child, dénnoslo us," demanded the "antiderechos" in a statement at that time.

Another project in the Lower House, pointing in the same line. In April, Rep. San Luis Bianchi, also fervent opposition to equal marriage and the decriminalization of abortion, introduced a bill to promote the adoption of babies conceived in rape. It also blends into an initiative of "comprehensive care to pregnant women victims of crimes against sexual integrity". "In recent years, have initiated specific programs to assist victims of sex crimes in different cities, but none is part of a comprehensive plan, which envisages taking," says Bianchi on the basics. In the third article, the legislative proposal states that "should be streamlined registration adopters, whether women victimized by crimes against sexual integrity and will stay pregnant, decides to give her child up for adoption at birth, after a waiting period ".

The agenda for last Tuesday's meeting of the Committee on Family, Women, Children and Adolescents of the House was scheduled to begin discussing the two projects, but the call was finally suspended.

Big Blue March in Buenos AIres