Argentina will offer energy companies incentives if they invest 1 billion dollars or more over a five-year period as the country struggles to lift output and pare fuel imports a year after seizing a majority stake at YPF from Spain’s Repsol.
Members of the United States Congress have sent letters to Secretary of State John Kerry and US Attorney-General Eric Holder calling for the sanctioning of Argentina for its ties with Iran.
The Argentine government confirmed a fine of 5.3 million Pesos (approx 800.000 Euros) and another 300.000 Euros to liberate the forfeited catch on board, mostly squid, of the Spanish flagged vessel ‘Piscator’ caught last 2 July allegedly illegally operating in Argentine waters and which remains retained in Puerto Madryn.
The United States Justice, Treasure and State Department officials met on Friday with lawyers both from Argentina and hedge funds that refused to accept the administrations of presidents Nestor Kirchner and Cristina Fernandez debt swaps, The Washington Post reported on Saturday.
Argentines have been asked to eat fewer tomatoes. The government called on consumers on Friday to try to stay away from the beloved food for at least two months because of an expected shortage caused by seasonal reasons including crop rotations.
UK Secretary of State for International Development, Justine Greening has confirmed that due to recent actions by the Argentine government she is no longer confident that further investments in Argentina would be consistent with the objectives she laid out in February this year, in an answer to a House of Commons Written Parliamentary Question.
Mercosur leaders agreed on Friday to call home for consultation their ambassadors to Spain, France, Italy and Portugal to protest last week's forced diversion of the Bolivian president's aircraft. They also strongly defended their right to offer asylum Friday, venting anger at claims of US spying in the region while intelligence leaker Edward Snowden's fate hangs in the balance.
President Cristina Fernandez revealed during the Mercosur summit in Uruguay on Friday that as a result of the judicial dispute between Argentina and the hedge funds, a few countries in Europe are not a flying option for her.
“Mercosur has closed its doors to Paraguay and it’s not good for Latinamerican integration”, was the first reaction from Asuncion after the group announced the presidency for Venezuela and lifting the suspension of Paraguay next 15 August.
German courts have rejected a petition from bondholders related to the Argentine debt 'default', using a similar interpretation based in the 'pari passu' clause that hedge funds pursued in New York which was accepted by Judge Thomas Griesa.