ARGENTINA: Milei’s War against the Press & more – 8th May 2025

¡Buenos días from Greenway Parks! This is the Rorshok Argentina Update from the 8th of May twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Argentina.

It was a tough week for the press, as President Milei is framing journalists and media outlets as his new political enemy instead of targeting opposition leaders directly. In the past week, he’s gone after specific outlets like La Nación and journalists like Carlos Pagni, even threatening legal action and saying that people “do not hate journalists enough.” Influencers close to his camp have taken things further, calling for arrests and attacking critics online.

The push seems strategic, potentially crafted by adviser Santiago Caputo, to rally support by painting the media as corrupt and dishonest. Caputo recently confronted a photojournalist during a political event in Buenos Aires, where he blocked the camera with his hand, and snapped photos of the journalist’s credentials, then accused him of being out of line.

Milei and his allies show no concern for real violence against journalists, doubling down on aggressive rhetoric instead.

Also shaking things up, a powerful 7.4 magnitude earthquake hit the Drake Passage near the southern tip of South America on Friday the 2nd, sparking tsunami alerts in southern Chile and Argentina. The tremor, which struck between Ushuaia and Puerto Williams, prompted the evacuation of a number of coastal towns as a precaution.

Even though no injuries or damage were reported, authorities briefly suspended fishing and nautical activity in affected regions. Within a couple of hours, Chilean officials lifted the tsunami warning.

What did make waves was the release of El Eternauta, or The Eternaut. The Argentine sci-fi series just hit number one on Netflix’s global chart for non-English shows, racking up over ten million views in its first week. It landed in the Top 10 in eighty-seven countries, from Brazil to the US, and director Bruno Stagnaro called it a proud moment for Argentina’s creative community—especially as the local film industry struggles under government budget cuts.

If you have already watched the show and want to visit some of the locations where it takes place, the Buenos Aires Herald published a nice guide. Follow the link in the show notes.

On that note about budget cuts, bus drivers kicked off a nationwide twenty-four-hour strike on Tuesday the 6th after talks over pay broke down at the last minute. Most short- and medium-distance routes were out of service. While the UTA, the main labor union representing transport employees, has been trying to negotiate for weeks without getting a fair offer that matches inflation, the government slammed the strike as extortion and accused the union of holding commuters hostage.

While bus drivers are dealing with stalled wage talks, the national government has just secured fresh funding to tackle unemployment head-on. The World Bank has approved a new 230 million dollar loan for Argentina, aimed at boosting employment through training programs and job placement support for more than 800,000 people.

This funding is part of a broader twelve billion dollar package tied to Argentina’s International Monetary Fund deal and brings the total World Bank support for Milei’s administration to 1.5 billion dollars.

The plan includes expanding digital job-matching tools, training staff at local employment offices, and launching a labor market observatory.

Meanwhile, Luis Caputo, the Economy Minister, is focused on unlocking cash that’s already in people’s hands—specifically, the US dollars many Argentines stash away at home. He says the government is getting ready to roll out policies that will make it easier for people to spend the dollars they’ve been hoarding at home out of fear of scrutiny without having to explain where they came from.

Caputo argued that Argentina needs more money moving through the economy to drive jobs and wage growth, and since the government has stopped printing pesos, they’re now counting on dollar circulation instead.

Argentina’s health authorities are addressing a different kind of concern. The National Health Ministry has issued a warning after a typhoid fever outbreak in Ciudadela, a Buenos Aires suburb. The disease had not been seen in the country for over two decades, but it’s a serious bacterial illness that spreads through contaminated food or water and can cause high fever, abdominal pain, and other symptoms.

Health officials are urging the public to stay informed about prevention and seek treatment promptly to avoid serious complications.

From outbreaks to breakthroughs, the Canadian mining company Lundin Mining, in partnership with BHP Group, has just revealed the largest copper discovery in three decades at their Filo del Sol project in the west-central San Juan province. The undeveloped site holds at least thirteen million tons of copper, along with substantial amounts of gold and silver.

Ongoing drilling continues to expand the size of the deposit. However, the development of such mines is becoming increasingly expensive, which has led to mergers in the mining industry and predictions of copper shortages and higher prices.

Speaking of higher prices, Robert Garverick, a senior US trade official, recently visited Buenos Aires for discreet talks with Argentine officials about seeking exemptions from the trade tariffs imposed by Trump. Argentina aims to leverage its growing ties with Trump’s administration to reduce or eliminate tariffs on key exports, particularly targeting around fifty products.

Following these efforts to ease the burden of export tariffs, Argentina is also taking steps domestically. The government has announced plans to eliminate export duties on more than 4,400 items, representing 88% of industrial products, which could provide a much-needed boost to the industrial sector. This move aims to make products like auto parts, agricultural machinery and cosmetics more competitive abroad and drive exports.

Tensions are rising on another front. At a meeting organized by the Federal Investment Council, six provincial governors from various political parties called on the national government to revive public works projects and reform the country’s tax system. Governors like Axel Kicillof criticized the national government's economic policies, citing company closures and job losses, while others like Rogelio Frigerio emphasized the need for a unified approach to reduce the tax burden on the productive sector. They all agreed that a real federalism, with practical action, was essential for Argentina to move forward.

And while governors push for economic reforms and more investment in infrastructure, lawmakers in Congress are turning their attention to crime. Argentina’s lower house just took a step toward lowering the age of criminal responsibility from sixteen to fourteen, after a congressional committee backed the proposal. The bill, pushed by the ruling coalition, would allow courts to prosecute fourteen- and fifteen-year-olds for crimes like murder, rape, and armed robbery. It also includes plans for a broader support system to deal with young offenders. But not everyone’s on board. Various human rights groups slammed the move, saying it targets kids without addressing the deeper roots of violence.

Since we touched on human rights, Amnesty International raised serious concerns about Argentina’s human rights situation under President Milei, calling twenty twenty-four a year marked by what they described as an alarming backslide. In a report titled 12 months of administration, 12 lost rights, the group criticized the government for undermining civil liberties like freedom of speech, the right to protest, and access to public information. They slammed the state’s heavy-handed response to demonstrations, the spread of hate speech to silence critics, and the rollback of gender and reproductive rights.

In sports, Franco Colapinto, the Argentine Formula 1 driver, is set to move from Alpine’s reserve driver to a full-time seat, replacing Jack Doohan as early as the Imola Grand Prix on the 18th of May. Colapinto, who impressed last year with Williams, will now team up with Pierre Gasly. Doohan, who hasn’t scored any points in six races this season, seems to have lost his spot after a rough start, giving Colapinto another shot to prove himself on the big stage.

From the world of high-speed racing to high-energy reggaeton, Bad Bunny just announced he’s coming back to Buenos Aires in February twenty twenty-six with a massive show at River Plate’s Monumental stadium. Ticket sales for the Buenos Aires show open on the 13th of May and part of the proceeds will go to his foundation that supports kids’ access to music, art, and sports.

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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¡Nos vemos la próxima semana!