Argentine President Cristina Fernández vindicated her decision to expropriate YPF, assuring that her Government “remains convinced that all Argentines should be in control of the country’s natural resources.”
Spain’s energy corporation Repsol describes as ‘false’ Argentine government allegations that its affiliate YPF “had not invested sufficiently” in its hydrocarbons interests in Argentina.
Rating Agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P) downgraded Argentina’s economic and financial outlook to “negative,” after the expropriation of YPF, which endangers the “B” rating the country has for its sovereign debt.
Senator from the Argentine ruling majority and former cabinet chief, Aníbal Fernández assured that the government “will pay the real price for the expropriation of YPF and not what Repsol’s chairman (Antonio Brufau) wants.”
Colombia is available to mediate between Spain and Argentina to find a solution to the dispute over the seizure of YPF from Repsol, said Colombian Vice-president Angelino Garzón.
Spain’s main oil corporation Repsol warned it could take legal action against companies that invest in YPF after Argentina seized control of the Spanish company's energy unit last week.
A member of the European Union assured it is not possible to negotiate an agreement between the EU and Mercosur without Argentina, as the Spanish Government planned after the country’s decision to expropriate YPF.
The Standing Committee from the Latin American parliament, Parlatino, approved a resolution in support of the Argentine government decision to seize a majority stake in YPF from Spain’s Repsol, according to a release made public over the weekend.
The recent decision by President Cristina Fernandez to seize a majority stake in YPF from Spain’s Repsol has the approval of 62% of Argentines, while 23% disagree according to a public opinion poll from Poliarquía published in the Sunday edition of La Nacion.
As has happened with other leading world opinion makers such as the Financial Times and The Wall Street Journal, that have condemned the seizure by the administration of President Cristina Fernandez of a majority share in the Spanish Repsol owned YPF, The Washington Post has also been extremely critical of the Argentine leader.