The US State Department released its annual report on human rights around the world and questioned the Argentine judicial system’s independence along with a series of abuses carried out by police forces including deaths and torture claims.
Argentina’s hurdles to imports don’t help European Union /Mercosur trade negotiations and generate “uncertainty” warned the EU head of delegation in Argentina Alfonso Diez Torres. He also criticized the “one to one” Argentine policy that forces the local assembly plants to match every import-dollar with export dollars.
The Argentine administration of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner called Wednesday on the opposition lawmakers to pass an anti money laundering bill before June other wise Argentina could be black-listed for not having the proper controls.
Argentina’s presidential hopeful and former caretaker president Eduardo Duhalde warned that if the opposition doesn’t unite, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner will defeat them next October 23 and be re-elected for a second four year mandate.
Foreign Affairs minister Hector Timerman met Wednesday with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and reiterated Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the Falklands/Malvinas and other South Atlantic Islands this time reinforced with a formal request from the Union of South American Nations, Unasur leaders in support of Argentina’s “historic and legitimate rights”.
Argentina’s government is opening a new path to Tierra del Fuego that will give travellers, who once had to pass through Chile to reach the southernmost tip of the continent, the option of skipping Chile altogether.
Venezuela will send Argentina 12 million barrels of diesel and fuel oil starting in May, an official from Venezuela's state oil company PDVSA said.
Argentina’s most important daily Clarin has filed an extortion complaint against the leader of the pickets that have prevented the circulation of the newspaper by blocking distribution at the press plant and who was recorded in a tape asking for the equivalent of 2.2 million US dollars to end the attacks.
The European Union and Mercosur have a clear commitment to advance trade negotiations and conclude a deal, if possible, by the end of the year, if not at the beginning of next year when Argentina will again hold the rotating chair of the South American group.
Tapes revealed by Germany’s Der Spiegel shed light on the life of a fugitive Nazi criminal in Argentina after the Second World War (1939/1945). Contrary to his claim during his trial in Israel that he was only following orders, Adolf Eichmann boasted to his friends that he was part of decision making process.