ARGENTINA: Smoke Alert & more – 12th Sep 2024

¡Buenos días from Louse Point! This is the Rorshok Argentina Update from the 12th of September twenty twenty-four. A quick summary of what's going down in Argentina.

A massive smoke cloud coming from the wildfires in Bolivia is expected to cover parts of Argentina this week, including fifteen provinces and potentially the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area. Bolivia has declared a national emergency as fires ravage over almost four million hectares of land, with significant impacts on biodiversity and air quality. All efforts to control the fires, including international assistance, have been largely ineffective so far.

The smoke is already affecting visibility in northern Argentine cities like Formosa and Corrientes, and The National Meteorological Service warns of potential disruptions to daily life. Their recommendations include staying indoors and protecting your respiratory and eye health.

Speaking of smoke, an explosive device detonated at the Argentine Rural Society’s headquarters in Buenos Aires on Thursday the 5th. The package exploded upon opening, emitting smoke, but luckily didn’t cause serious injuries. However, some people needed medical attention for smoke inhalation.

Authorities are investigating the incident. They initially detained a man and then released him after confirming he wasn’t the person caught on surveillance footage. The Argentine Rural Society has not speculated on the motives behind the attack.

Moving into economics, inflation in Buenos Aires hit 4% in August, slightly lower than July’s 5%. So far in twenty twenty-four, inflation has accumulated to almost 107%. The main drivers of this increase were transportation, housing, utilities, food, and healthcare.

An article by Bloomberg indicates that Argentines have significantly increased their dollar deposits in banks since last December, with totals rising 40% to almost twenty billion, the highest since late twenty nineteen. This surge is attributed to the current administration’s tax amnesty program, which allows citizens to bring previously hidden cash into the banking system without penalty.

While this influx helps bolster the Central Bank’s reserves, the total remains far below past peaks.

In other news, Aerolíneas Argentinas is launching red-eye flights at reduced prices to five popular destinations, including Bariloche, Iguazú, and Salta. Starting the 31st of October, these flights will run between 11 p.m. and 3 a.m., departing from Buenos Aires’ Aeroparque. One-way fares start at around 18,000 pesos (about fourteen dollars at the parallel exchange rate) for Iguazú and Bariloche, with slightly higher prices for Salta, Trelew, and Comodoro Rivadavia.

After recent drops in domestic air travel, the airline hopes to attract more passengers by competing with low-cost airlines and long-distance buses, offering a more affordable option for travelers with flexible schedules.

By the way, the PRO party has introduced a bill to privatize Aerolíneas Argentinas, citing the airline’s financial losses and political misuse. They argue that taxpayers fund the carrier, but only wealthier passengers can afford to fly, making it inefficient and uncompetitive against low-cost airlines like Flybondi and JetSmart.

The proposal comes after several employee strikes disrupted flights, with union tensions peaking in August. While President Milei supports privatization, recent legislative moves left Aerolíneas off the official list of state companies to be sold, though the government has loosened regulations to encourage more competition in the airline industry.

Back to the topic of Bariloche, a twenty-seven-year-old woman from Scotland died after being caught in an avalanche on Mount López, a popular hiking area near Bariloche. Two Argentine nationals who were with her survived, one suffering from hypothermia. They managed to call for help while trapped under the snow.

Moving on, a Croatian ship got stuck in the Paraná Waterway due to low water levels, halting river traffic for twelve hours over the weekend. The vessel was carrying 30,000 tons of soybeans to Turkey, which exceeded the maximum allowed draft for the river.

The good news is that Paraguay and Argentina have come to an agreement over the tolls Argentina charges for using the Paraguay-Paraná Waterway. Starting now, a provisional toll of 1.20 dollars per ton will be in place for six months, and authorities have established a system to refund shipowners who overpaid the previous rate of 1.47 per ton since February twenty twenty-three.

That said, the low water levels will continue to force barges to reduce their cargo loads and may further impact the economies of both countries.

From one type of business to another, Mercado Libre announced a 75 million dollar investment in a new logistics center in La Matanza, set to open by the end of twenty twenty-five. This project is expected to create 2,300 jobs and double the company’s storage capacity, allowing them to process 200,000 products daily and improve delivery times across Argentina.

The announcement took place during a visit by President Milei. Founder Marcos Galperín welcomed him to the company’s Buenos Aires offices and expressed support for Milei’s pro-business policies. This visit also follows recent tensions between Mercado Libre and Argentine banks, with the company accusing banks of anti-competitive practices aimed at harming its payment platform, Mercado Pago.

A topic that’s not on the president’s agenda, though, is science. In a recent speech at the Madrid Forum in Buenos Aires, the president criticized Argentina’s “state party,” which he described as a coalition of politicians, unions, businesses, and even scientists, accusing them of using public funds for personal gain. The event, organized by right-wing figures, featured Milei railing against public funding for scientific research and defending his cuts to education and pensions.

These days, the former president seems to be making the news as frequently as Javier Milei. Alberto Fernández is facing charges of abuse of authority for allegedly prolonging the COVID-19 lockdown for political reasons between twenty twenty and twenty twenty-one. The case was initiated after former Economy Minister Martín Guzmán said in a recent interview that the lockdown lasted longer than necessary, suggesting it became a political tool to bolster the government.

This adds to Fernández’s legal troubles, including accusations of domestic violence and mishandling state contracts during his presidency.

On that note about contracts, the AFIP, Argentina’s tax agency, just scrapped the requirement for employers to report work-related telegrams or formal notifications from employees or unions. Previously, employers in Argentina were required to report any formal notifications, often related to disputes or claims. This change ends the use of the Telegramas laborales digital service, which previously stored copies of these communications.

You may want to get your hands on a copy of one of Mariana Enriquez’s books, because the Argentine writer has won the prestigious José Donoso Ibero-American Literature Prize. The jury praised Enriquez for her uncompromising dedication to literature and her innovative prose, which delves into the darkest aspects of contemporary life. She’s also celebrated for revitalizing horror and contributing to Latin American gothic fiction. Some of her well-known works include The Dangers of Smoking in Bed and Our Share of Night.

Speaking of wins, the national men’s football team secured a 3-0 victory against Chile in the twenty twenty-six World Cup qualifier. However, they also fell 2-1 to Colombia in a heated match. Despite the loss, Argentina stays on top of the standings, with Lionel Messi set to return for the next match against Venezuela in October.

That’s not it for sports. Argentina’s blind football team, Los Murciélagos, won a silver medal at the twenty twenty-four Paris Paralympics after a tough final against France. This marks their fifth Paralympic silver and adds to their already impressive history, including their twenty twenty-three World Championship victory.

A recommendation before we go: a new series about Queen Máxima of the Netherlands is now streaming on Max. The series dives into Máxima’s early life in Argentina, including her family and education, and offers an interesting glimpse of Argentina during the nineties and two thousands. It also touches on delicate topics like her father’s role in the military dictatorship.

And that's it for this week!

Thanks for tuning into the Rorshok Argentina update. You can connect with us on social media as @Rorshok_ARG on twitter and @rorshok__argentina on Instagram

¡Nos vemos la próxima semana!