The Argentine Government of President Javier Milei and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) announced Thursday that they have reached a technical agreement on the first review of the country's Extended Fund Facility (EFF) program. Once approved by the IMF Executive Board, this deal will enable a disbursement of approximately US$2 billion to the South American country.
After his speech Tuesday before the US Senate, Peter Lamelas, Donald Trump's nominee for US ambassador to Argentina, has sparked widespread condemnation from Argentine governors, former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner (CFK), and the Chinese Embassy in Buenos Aires.
Peter Lamelas, Donald Trump's ambassador-designate to Argentina, reiterated Tuesday during his confirmation hearing before the US Senate that his country was neutral regarding the Falkland/Malvinas Islands issue. In addition, he described Argentina as a “key player” and insisted he was looking forward to an “unprecedented alliance” with President Javier Milei, whom he described as a “friend” of Donald Trump.
Eduardo Bustamante resigned on Friday as Argentina's Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Deputy Foreign Minister), but the news would only become public on Tuesday when it appeared in the latest issue of the Official Gazette. At least that remains the official version. According to Clarín, he was sacked because he didn't measure up and did things that strayed from the established line. He had been appointed by former Foreign Minister Diana Mondino, who was also booted by President Javier Milei.
International Monetary Fund Deputy Managing Director Gita Gopinath announced this week that she will be resigning from her position at the end of August to return to teaching at Harvard University. I have decided to return to my academic roots, she explained.
The Argentine government of President Javier Milei has implemented a new policy allowing automatic entry for Chinese and Dominican Republic nationals who possess a valid US visa, effective Tuesday. This measure, outlined in Resolution 316/2025, is a reciprocal gesture following China's decision in May to waive visa requirements for Argentine citizens for tourism and business purposes until May 31, 2026. The Dominican Republic also exempts Argentines from visa requirements for tourism.
Argentine authorities have upped the security measures around the so-called Triple Frontier encompassing Puerto Iguazú (Argentina), Foz do Iguaçú (Brazil), and Ciudad del Este (Paraguay) out of concerns over the possible entry of Iranian agents, in addition to the suspected presence of Hezbollah “sleeper cells” in the country.
The Uruguayan wildlife rescue group Socobioma released seven rehabilitated Magellanic penguins back into the sea from stop 1 on Mansa Beach in Punta del Este on Sunday, marking the end of a five-month process for the birds, which had arrived in February in poor condition. Over a hundred people witnessed the farewell.
Argentine President Javier Milei pledged Friday to keep struggling until those responsible for the July 18, 1994, bombing of the Argentine Israeli Mutual Association (AMIA) headquarters in Buenos Aires are held to account.
Moody's has raised Argentina's foreign and local currency credit rating from Caa3 to Caa1, also shifting the outlook from “stable” to “positive.” This upgrade reflects Moody's view that Argentina's broad liberalization of exchange and capital controls, coupled with a new program with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), will improve the availability of foreign currency and ease pressure on external finances.