ARGENTINA: A bill to repeal the abortion law & more – 15th Feb 2024

¡Buenos días from Greenway Parks! This is the Rorshok Argentina Update from the 15th of February twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Argentina.

The week evoked a sense of déjà vu reminiscent of pre-twenty twenty-one times, as a group of lawmakers aligned with President Milei’s party submitted a bill to repeal the abortion law, which was passed in December twenty twenty.

The proposed legislation from La Libertad Avanza not only aims to revoke the existing law but also proposes several criminal penalties for those involved in abortions even in cases of rape, including healthcare professionals. The president and his VP, both known for their opposition to abortion, previously hinted at efforts to amend the abortion law, but said the economy was the priority for the first months of government.

Naturally, the bill’s introduction has stirred widespread opposition from women’s rights activists and political figures, once again sparking debates over reproductive rights and government priorities.

This was not the only thing that fueled controversy and discord this week. Utilizing platforms like X and Instagram, the president engaged in over 200 online interactions, showcasing his dissatisfaction with the political establishment through symbolic imagery and biblical references. Mainly, the president described those who opposed his Omnibus bill as “traitors” and “criminals,” drawing accusations of incitement to violence and further escalating tensions over his combative online behavior.

This barrage of criticism and retorts took place while he was on tour, which included stops in Israel, Italy and the Vatican and ended on Tuesday the 13th.

First, he spent three days in Israel, which included a trip to Jerusalem’s Old City, meetings with families affected by Hamas’ recent raids and celebrations at the Wailing Wall, where the president’s tears garnered viral attention. He also met with Isaac Herzog, his Israeli counterpart, with whom he emphasized the global imperative to combat terrorism, comparing it to a form of Nazism and urging decisive action.

Immediately after, he paid a visit to Pope Francis, marking a notable shift from his prior public criticisms of the Argentine pontiff. During their meeting, Milei endeavored to mend relations and extend an invitation for Francis to visit the country. The meeting coincided with the canonization of Argentina’s first female saint, Mama Antula, a Jesuit laywoman during the period when the country was a Spanish colony. She is recognized as a champion of human rights and spirituality, which served as a poignant backdrop underscoring societal concerns amidst the president’s economic reform efforts and the country’s persistent social disparities.

Last but not least, Milei concluded his tour by meeting with the Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome, signaling a push for a “new stage” in bilateral relations between Argentina and Italy.

Moving on, Steve Forbes, the editor-in-chief of Forbes, issued an open letter of warning to President Milei. Done in video format, the letter praises Milei’s speech at the World Economic Forum and urges him to dollarize the economy, stating that “your freedom revolution is on the way to failure unless you immediately carry out the biggest plank of your election platform: replacing the peso with the US dollar.”

To watch the video, follow the link in the show notes.

Back to the topic of Israel, the Israeli special forces successfully liberated two Argentine-Israeli captives who had been captured by Hamas on the 7th of October. Emotions ran high at Israel’s largest medical facility as the families of the two men, aged sixty and seventy, shared tearful embraces upon their long-awaited reunion with their families.

Speaking of medical, the ANMAT, Argentina’s National Administration of Drugs, Foods, and Medical Technology, greenlighted a novel treatment option for a specific type of lung cancer. The treatment is based on amivantamab, a monoclonal antibody that holds promise for patients with a distinct mutation within the subtype known as “non-small cell lung cancer” in advanced or metastatic stages.

This breakthrough marks a turning point for individuals who previously had limited therapeutic alternatives beyond conventional chemotherapy. Its availability in Argentina offers new hope for patients affected by this prevalent and aggressive disease. According to estimates from the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Argentina has an average of 12,000 cases of lung cancer detected annually.

In other news, despite the efforts of over 300 firefighters, the wildfire at Los Alerces National Park in the province of Chubut continues to rage, consuming over 8,000 hectares of land. The latest report from the Unified Command of the Park and the Provincial Fire Management Service of Chubut highlights persistent high-intensity areas, posing challenges for complete containment. Firefighters are focusing on reinforcing the fire perimeter using manual tools and water lines to prevent further outbreaks, while aerial surveillance continues to monitor hotspots using drones and fixed cameras.

Despite the wildfire’s magnitude, tourist services in the area operate normally, though with restrictions on navigation in certain areas of Lake Futalaufquen and heightened caution urged for drivers on Provincial Route 71 due to emergency vehicle traffic.

On that note about fire, an explosion at a generating substation in the Caballito neighborhood in Buenos Aires left some 30,000 households without power. The incident is suspected to have been caused by a malfunction in an oil filtering machine, and firefighters had to battle the flames for over six hours. Luckily, there were no casualties, although many households are still without electricity and drinking water.

Moving to the Northeast, the provinces of Misiones and Corrientes are still under red alert for extreme heat. Besides that, much of the Northeastern region is under a yellow alert for storms, with potential meteorological phenomena including strong electrical activity, hail and intense gusts affecting the Formosa, Chaco, Misiones, Salta and Corrientes provinces.

In light of these conditions, the National Meteorological Service advises the population to take additional precautions, such as avoiding outdoor activities, clearing objects that may obstruct water flow, and staying alert to possible hailstorms.

From hail to snow (or rather, the Society of the Snow) the 38th Goya Awards shone the spotlight on Argentine talents Julio Suárez and Matías Recalt. Julio Suárez’s meticulous work crafting the wardrobe for the film’s characters earned him the prestigious award for Best Costume Design, while Matías Recalt’s portrayal of Roberto Canessa earned him the award for Best New Actor. During his speech, the 22-year-old actor urged support for Argentina amidst its delicate times, emphasizing the importance of preserving culture.

Another thing making the headlines is the annual Argentina Open tennis tournament, which is currently taking place. The biggest news is that Diego Schwartzman, a former top ten Argentine tennis player, hinted at retirement following his defeat to the Colombian player Daniel Galán. Expressing frustration with his form and struggling to find the physical and mental edge needed to compete, Schwartzman admitted to feeling disheartened by his recent results.

On top of the Argentina Open, the country is set to host another sporting event. The AFA, the Argentine Football Association, has confirmed that the final match of the Copa Libertadores will be held in Buenos Aires. This is the annual South American club football tournament, akin to the UEFA Champions League in Europe. It involves forty-seven clubs, with Brazil and Argentina dominating representation. The group stage is set to commence on the 2nd of April, with the final taking place in November.

What you won’t be able to see, though, is the two friendly matches that the AFA had organized in China. As we mentioned in a previous episode, the National Football Team was set to play against Nigeria and Ivory Coast in March, but China called it off. The issue, apparently, is that Lionel Messi was absent during a high-profile Miami Inter match in Hong Kong, which sparked disappointment among spectators. They demanded refunds and asked for explanations, which ultimately led to the cancellation of the upcoming albiceleste matches.

The good news is we have the under-23 team to cheer for, as they qualified for the Paris Olympics after eliminating Brazil. Plus, in Olympic football, each team is allowed to include up to three players over the age of twenty-three in their squad, meaning that we may see the likes of Messi and Di Maria joining the team this July.

That’s it for this week! Thanks for joining us!

Last week we asked you to fill in a survey to get to know you and we got quite a few replies, thank you so so much ! We are very excited, tons of great ideas! We’ll be sharing the link to the survey in the shownotes one more time this week in case you didn’t see it. All respondents will be entered in a lottery to win a cruise in the Mediterranean… just kidding, it's in the South Pacific, but we would love to hear from you! Don’t be shy!

¡Nos vemos la próxima semana!