A former Argentine Army chief and Malvinas veteran, General Martin Balza said on Tuesday that president Mauricio Macri's government must strengthen its dissuasion and negotiation capacities in the Malvinas Islands question, and should surround himself of prudent advisors on the matter.
Argentina has decided to reinstate refunds for agriculture exports, responding to a promise to the provinces from president Mauricio Macri but also to prop foreign trade and boost the most dynamic sector of an anemic economy. The fiscal cost is estimated in 165 million dollars and is extensive to wheat flour, beef, sunflower oil, powder milk, cheese, honey and other produce from the provinces.
The Argentine government managed on Monday a great breathing space after reaching an understanding with labor unions on income tax cuts which threatened to derail relations with organized labor, and now also ensure a peaceful end of the year holidays. During the morning and while negotiations were ongoing, transport unions showed their muscle paralyzing flights, trains, buses and subways, in the main cities of the country.
Argentina and Chile agreed to organize a major Mercosur, Pacific Alliance trade blocks' meeting during the first half of 2017. Last Friday Chilean president Michelle Bachelet and her cabinet were in Buenos Aires with peers Mauricio Macri and ministers as part of an agenda of regular meetings to address a joint agenda.
Argentine President Mauricio Macri said Friday that we have come from years of isolation and bad relations with almost all countries except Venezuela and Iran. He added that this year we have experienced a Copernican change in that sense.
Diosdado Cabello, considered one of the three most powerful persons in Venezuela called Argentine president Mauricio Macri a coward, described the Argentine ambassador in Caracas as an enemy and suggested that if he had any dignity left he should pack his suitcase and leave Venezuela.
Argentina would be interested in negotiating a bilateral free-trade agreement with the U.K. as it prepares to leave the European Union, potentially turning around harsh relations between the two countries.
President Mauricio Macri has approved the purchase of airplanes for the Air Force, patrol vessels for the Navy and armored vehicles and combat rifles for the Army, it was announced Monday to give the Armed Forces back some of their lost firepower, Defense Minister Julio Martínez revealed. The total purchases will surpass 40 billion pesos (2,500 million US dollars), the minister added.
Fiscal initiatives could boost global economic growth, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Monday in its semi-annual economic forecast. The Paris-based think tank predicted a global gross domestic product (GPD) growth rate of 3.3% in 2017, a figure that remained unchanged from its last outlook released in June.
A leading ally of President Mauricio Macri's precarious coalition in Congress and chair of the Lower House Foreign Affairs committee, held another special session to address the September UK/Argentina Joint Statement, which she argues is not an accord or treaty, but nevertheless strongly questions the South Atlantic chapter which calls for lifting economic sanctions on Falklands' trade, fisheries, connectivity and oil development.