
The “blue” (a euphemism for “black market”) dollar reached a new all-time-high Wednesday in Argentina and closed at AR$ 780 after hitting AR$ 800 at some point during the day, it was reported in Buenos Aires. On Tuesday it traded at AR$ 730 after Monday's 22% devaluation which drove it from AR$ 600 on Friday. It traded at AR$346 at the end of 2022.

The deteriorating Argentine political and financial situation is already affecting some sectors of the Brazilian economy. Representatives from associations linked to manufactured products reported a decline in exports this year. They expressed concern over potentially worsening shipment figures until December when Argentines will decide on the country’s new president.

Former Argentine President Mauricio Macri said Wednesday in Montevideo that his country's current government was irresponsible in light of the recent devaluation and the rampant inflation that ensued.

Argentine presidential hopeful Javier Milei of La Libertad Avanza Wednesday confirmed he would be holding a virtual conference with International Monetary Fund (IMF) authorities on Friday. The single most-voted candidate in last Sunday's Open, Mandatory, and Simultaneous Primary (PASO) elections said he would be joined by his “economic council.”

Argentina's National Institute of Statistics and Census (Indec) announced Tuesday that the variation in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the month of July of 2023 was 6.3% for a total of 60.2% in the first seven months of the year and 113.4% interannually, it was reported in Buenos Aires.

Libertarian Congressman Javier Milei, who was the most-voted candidate in Sunday's Open, Mandatory, and Simultaneous Primary (PASO) elections, said he was ready to take over the helm at Casa Rosada at once should President Alberto Fernández and his constitutional successors step down ahead of the Dec. 10 schedule.

The Falkland Islands Government and the British Embassies in Argentina, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay are inviting university students to participate in the Regional Student Competition 2023 in the Falklands.

The International Monetary Fund es expected to release over US$ 10 billion to Argentina which might come as some sort of relief following Monday's decision to devaluate the local peso in the aftermath of the government's poor performance Sunday at the Open, Mandatory, and Simultaneous Primary (PASO) elections.

The Government of Argentina Monday ordered a 22% devaluation of the national currency which stood at AR$ 365 / US$ 1 on the official market. Financial authorities also raised the interest rate from 97% to 118% annually, it was reported in Buenos Aires. Thus, the monthly rate will be 9.83% and the effective annual rate will be 209%.

Argentine health authorities have confirmed the detection in the South American country of the new Eris subvariant of the Covid-19 virus. The cases were confirmed in Cordoba and in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, it was reported. EG.5, a sublineage of the rapidly spreading Omicron variant, has already been found in the United States, Mexico, Ecuador, and Colombia.