President Cristina Fernandez warned on Friday that banks operating in Argentina must obey its laws, amid a row over Citibank's refusal to defy a US court order blocking Buenos Aires from repaying its restructured debt. At the end of the month, 31 March, Citibank as custodial has to pay Argentine restructured bonds.
The Argentine government will present on Thursday its appellant’s brief over the contempt of court ordered by New York Judge Thomas Griesa, the Economy Ministry has confirmed. Griesa had ruled Argentina in contempt of his orders due to working on a plan to shift control over payments of its restructured debt to Buenos Aires.
Argentina's Economy minister Axel Kicillof suggested on Friday that no negotiation is possible with the holdout funds as long as 'special master' appointed by US Judge Thomas Griesa continues in his post, since ”he clearly favors 'vulture funds' (holdouts)”.
Argentine Central bank chief Alejandro Vanoli, said the country will be not getting down on its knees in a negotiation with 'vulture funds' (hedge funds), once the January first date comes and the controversial RUFO clause, (preventing Argentina from voluntarily offering holdout creditors better terms than those of its 2005 and 2010 restructurings), falls.
The US Department of State has backed the appointment of Nancy Soderberg as Chair of the Public Interest Declassification Board (PIDB), saying her “responsibilities” as public servant are “not linked” with Argentina’s dispute with the holdouts, Argentina's Telam news agency reported.
Billionaire Kenneth Dart’s EM Ltd. is seeking to take advantage of a U.S. court ruling won by fellow billionaire hedge fund manager Paul Singer NML Capital, as he seeks payment on 835 million dollars in defaulted Argentine bonds.
The American Task Force (AFTA) sponsored by 'holdouts' NML in litigation with Argentina over sovereign bonds payment, revealed on Wednesday foreign accounts of Argentine public works contractor, believed to be involved with the Kirchner family businesses, Lazaro Baez, and showed a map with the money movement, allegedly committing the crime of money laundering.
Argentine ambassador in the United Kingdom, Alicia Castro has fiercely criticized the conduct of holdout investors and thanked UK unions for their support in the dispute with 'vulture funds', during an address to the British umbrella trade union UNITE.
The International Monetary Fund on Monday urged changes in sovereign bond contracts as Argentina remained mired in a US court battle with holdouts or vulture funds years after its massive debt restructuring.
According to Argentina's leading and most influential financial newspaper, Ambito Financiero, Brazil, via the private sector could come to the rescue of Argentina in its ongoing dispute with the speculative funds in the New York court presided by Judge Thomas Griesa.