🇦🇷 Argentina Episodes

Six months before Argentina's national legislative elections on October 26th, which will set the course for Javier Milei's second term, polls show a favorable scenario for the ruling party. Separately, hostilities continue on the India-Pakistan border following the murder of 26 tourists. Despite La Libertad Avanza's good projections for the national elections, this is not reflected in the local elections in the City of Buenos Aires on May 18th, where Peronism is projected to win due to electoral fragmentation. "Javier Milei's government remains stable with good approval ratings. Unlike the mandates of Mauricio Macri [2015-2019] and Alberto Fernández [2019-2023], who had already lost much support after the first year, Milei retains a solid base," said Julio Burdman, an Argentine political analyst on Cara o ceca. Among the main factors of satisfaction, Burdman highlighted: "The issue of inflation, security, and confronting the 'caste' are the points that his voters celebrate the most, and the weakest, without a doubt, are pensions and higher education." "The voters who brought Milei to the Presidency still support him," he said, although he warned: "The opposition potentially has many votes; many people say they want to vote against Milei [in the midterm elections on October 26], but what is missing are the names." At the national level, he explained, the main opposition leaders have "a lot of negative image," although he mentioned: "The governor of the province of Buenos Aires, Axel Kicillof is a little better off today than Cristina Fernández de Kirchner." Burdman maintained that the former president and leader of Peronism "has a negative image in many provinces." And he warned: "If she wants to return to the spotlight, she must tour the country so that they remember her, because not everyone consumes political media and anti-Kirchnerism remains strong," he concluded. Hostilities continue between India and Pakistan. India affirmed that crossfire continues on the border between both countries for the fourth consecutive night, while deepening the search for militants in the area, responsible for last week's attack against tourists in the Indian region of Kashmir, which left 26 dead. "When in 1947 both countries separated after being part of British India, Kashmir remained as a disputed region. Both control a part, but for India it is a sensitive place because it was the only state with an Islamic majority," explained Lía Rodríguez de la Vega, director of the Bachelor's Degree in International Studies at the National University of Chaco Austral and Deputy Director of the Committee on Asian Affairs at the Argentine Council for International Relations (CARI) to Cara o ceca. She recalled that in 2019 the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, revoked special measures in the region, which "further radicalized the population of Kashmir who intend to become independent from both countries." "India considers that the Resistance Front, which claimed the attack, is a spin-off of a terrorist group linked to Pakistan. This seriously affects international treaties," warned Rodríguez de la Vega, and added: "The isolated shots of recent days fuel the conflict, even more so with a Hindu nationalist government in India." In addition to the armed clashes, other bilateral agreements are beginning to creak: "There are treaties on water management between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, but now India considers one of those agreements invalid amid the escalation of tension," she concluded.

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Carlos Pagni's analysis on Argentine Odyssey aired on LN+ on April 28, 2025.

Ricardo Alfonsín, national deputy candidate, condemned the International Monetary Fund (IMF) director's request that the elections "not deviate from the ruling party's will for change." Separately, Armenia commemorated the 110th anniversary of the genocide of its people. With Javier Milei consolidated, various spaces seek to constitute a counterweight to his policies, in anticipation of the national legislative elections on October 26. Ricardo Alfonsín, a leader of radical extraction, former Argentine ambassador to Spain and son of former President Raúl Alfonsín, who was called "father of democracy," visited Sputnik's studios to present his proposals as a national deputy candidate for the Broad Front for Democracy. "Our space can contribute to legislators entering Congress who can confront the Government, because it will try to deepen its reactionary, conservative and authoritarian policies. The Radicalism [Radical Civic Union] and Republican Proposal [PRO] gave [Javier] Milei the majority he needs," Alfonsín told Cara o Ceca. In this sense, he criticized the current state of political parties: "Today politics is depoliticized and parties have become electoral machines that bear no resemblance to what a political party really is. Now ideas don't matter, only winning elections." Alfonsín strongly criticized the International Monetary Fund: "It is an instrument at the service of the great economic powers. That is why they are interested in modifying the pension law." In addition, he harshly questioned the director of the entity, Kristalina Georgieva, who openly called for voting for Javier Milei in the next elections. "What she did is insolence, she cannot interfere in local politics by saying 'keep choosing Milei'." 40 years after the start of the trial of the military juntas that ruled during the dictatorship (1976-1983), which took place in the first democratic government headed by Raúl Alfonsín, the politician criticized the current government's statements: "The president seeks to delegitimize it, he denies the horrors of the dictatorship that existed, calling them 'excesses'. We are an example in the world because nowhere else have their dictators been tried." Finally, he highlighted the importance of the plurality of the media: "Sputnik is very important, it is a medium that serves the public debate of national and international issues." 110 years since the Armenian Genocide This April 24 marked the beginning of the Armenian genocide in 1915, carried out by the Ottoman Empire. In the capital of Armenia, Yerevan, commemorative events were held, such as the Torchlight March and the presentation of floral offerings around the Eternal Flame at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial, dedicated to the victims. "A genocide is a crime that does not apply to a punishment or an act committed, but only for being part of a certain group. In 1916 it was found that more than 1,100,000 Armenians were murdered. The root of the crime is linked to the extreme nationalist shift of the Ottoman Empire, which marked Armenians, Greeks and other minorities as internal enemies," Alexis Papazian, member of the Luisa Hairabedian Foundation, professor of History and doctor in Anthropology at the University of Buenos Aires, told Cara o Ceca. For Papazian, Turkey continues to not formally recognize the genocide. "On Thursday the 24th, the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, sent a letter to the Armenian community of the country with an affectionate greeting, without mentioning the word 'genocide'. This shows that there are still denialist discourses and that prevents any type of reparation."

Spiritual leaders recognize Pope Francis' ecumenical vocation, remembered for meetings with figures imparting a message of unity and tolerance. Mark Carney is favored in polls to legitimize himself in upcoming Canadian elections. In notable acts, Francis visited Iraq in 2021, meeting Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. It was the first papal visit to that country and meeting with a high-ranking Shia Islam representative. He also appointed Argentine rabbi and philosophy doctor Fishel Fernando Szlajen as a full member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, the first of that faith to receive this position. "That was possible because the Pope modified a regime that was only for Catholics. That shows his greatness. Francis always showed sincere fraternity with the Jewish people, always recognized the alliance with Israel, condemned antisemitism and sought inclusion for Judaism," Fishel Fernando Szlajen told Cara o Ceca. For the rabbi, his deepest legacy is that he "institutionalized a paradigm of interreligious ethical cooperation." For the rabbi, Argentina has a special value: "It is one of the few countries in the world where religions are not tolerated, they coexist." However, he acknowledged that "we still have a lot to do, especially in incorporating religious values translated into the circularity of the public sphere." "That is the role that creeds have to fulfill: to address issues of general interest, ethical, social, scientific issues, to collaborate from religions to the common good," he concluded. Mark Carney seeks to legitimize himself as Prime Minister in Canada The northern country is preparing for a key election day this April 28. Mark Carney, an economist with an extensive financial background but no political past, will seek to legitimize himself as prime minister after Justin Trudeau's resignation. "Carney is the party's choice, but he is not a politician. He has more of a financial background. He is unknown in this area, but people believe that he is the only one who can face Donald Trump in this trade war," explained Jorge Contreras, a journalist in Canada, to Cara o Ceca. The political context that led to this scenario began with a minority government of the Liberal Party, elected in 2021. "There was an alliance with a left-wing party that supported the government for two years, but when that agreement broke down, it was exhausting for Trudeau. In addition, there is external debt and a very large deficit in Canada," Contreras detailed. With 43% of voting intention for the Liberal Party and 38% for the Conservative Party, the election appears to be very close. "It is believed that the Liberal Party will win the elections, but it is not known if it will be a majority or a minority," the journalist pointed out. In addition, early voting had great participation: "There was 27% of early voting," he highlighted. In parallel, the figure of Pablo Rodríguez, Argentine and former minister of Trudeau, is growing, who could become a future provincial prime minister in Quebec. "If Rodríguez wins those elections and those of 2026, he would become the first foreigner, since he is Argentine, to become prime minister," he concluded.

Trump's tariffs would impact global economic growth in 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its 'Global Economic Prospects' report. Separately, economist Leandro Mora Alfonsín analyzed the contribution of the knowledge economy to Argentine development. The IMF projects global economic growth will slow in 2025 due to US tariff policies, reducing its forecast from 3.3% to 2.8%. However, the organization predicted Argentina would see a 5.5% increase, above the global average, and an annual inflation rate of between 18% and 23%. "That estimate is based on export growth, especially energy exports and the maintenance of agriculture, although this depends on the performance of the global economy, as an increase in the demand for food and energy is expected. But if that doesn't happen, demand will surely fall and, above all, prices will fall," economist Isaac Rudnik told Cara o Ceca. Rudnik emphasized that "oil price values are at the limit of the possibilities of continuing to grow in the main export production, which is Vaca Muerta," the world's second-largest shale gas reserve. The economist warned about the conflict with the agricultural sector: "Producers are not willing to liquidate the harvest, because the value of the dollar is far below what they estimate as an appropriate profit." Finally, he questioned the real impact of the possible growth: "If there is growth of 5% in the best case scenario, we are not talking about a substantial improvement for the population. The estimates are quite adverse," he concluded. "The knowledge economy is Argentina's fourth-largest export complex." This sector is consolidating as one of the most dynamic in Argentina, advancing significantly and being one of the engines of export. "If the Argentine economy were a human body, the knowledge economy would be the blood, because it is everywhere. These are activities that add value by pushing the frontier of knowledge and because they are based on human capital," Leandro Mora Alfonsín, economist and executive director of Argencon (an entity that brings together companies in the knowledge economy), told Cara o Ceca. Regarding the areas in which they are involved, the specialist stated: "This sector includes companies linked to software development, digital and technological services, but also professionals such as accountants, lawyers, architects and designers who provide services abroad, and the entire audiovisual industry. Argentina stands out there," he explained. He also highlighted the role of biotechnology, where the country "has been a leader for many years," and of technology applied to industrial processes. "Many times Argentines are unaware of the magnitude of what the knowledge economy means for our country. Currently, it is Argentina's fourth-largest export complex," he stressed. In addition, he highlighted the country's comparative advantages: "Argentina has a very good level of English, one of the highest in the region, in addition to a very good level of university graduates. If you add to that the fact that it works in the same time zone as the US, the country has a great advantage in this aspect," he concluded.

The trial of those responsible for the genocide committed between 1976 and 1983 is a milestone in the history of human rights, because it condemned the military leaders. Separately, due to the passing of the Supreme Pontiff, Congress joined the national mourning and canceled the legislative agenda. Only a special session will be held to honor him. On April 22, 1985, the historic trial of the Military Juntas of the last Argentine de facto government began. In the process, more than 800 witnesses testified and more than 700 cases were examined, which ended up proving the systematic methodology of torture and disappearance of people. "I was imprisoned for five years in Unit No. 9 of La Plata as a political prisoner. The first complaint I make is for the Pozo de Banfield [clandestine center of torture and detention], where several colleagues disappeared. The prosecution took five important cases to carry out the trial," Pablo Díaz, survivor of The Night of the Pencils and witness of the trial, told Cara o Ceca. Díaz recounts how it was to prepare to testify: "The four initial witnesses participated. When prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo spoke of individual evidence, they asked us to know if someone had seen us illegally detained there. And although there were many people who had committed to testify, when the time came, they did not want to do it. I was left with some resentment from some people who only testified 20 or 30 years later, it is shocking." "When I went to testify I was convinced. Justice was not only the conviction, the truth is a more relative issue: it was about fulfilling the disappeared colleagues. My fantasy is that, when nature takes me, to see them again and ask them if I did everything I had to do to make them appear," he concluded. The Argentine Senate joins the mourning for Pope Francis. The Upper House joined the mourning for the death of Pope Francis. "Someone very loved has left, it hurts us all because he is Argentine, the first Latin American, and it touches us more closely. Then, in political matters it is another thing. He was a person who wanted the Church to be more terrestrial. There were differences, but it is not time to debate that, but to reflect," said Bruno Olivera, senator of La Libertad Avanza, in dialogue with Cara o Ceca. Olivera highlighted the figure of Francis beyond the political differences with the Argentine Government. Due to the death of the Pope, the debate on the clean record bill, which establishes that people convicted in the second instance cannot run for public office, has been postponed, and which has been rejected by Peronism, since it considers that it is an attempt to prevent the candidacy of former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, doubly convicted in a corruption case. "The priority we have in the space is the clean record project, which is something we promote from the La Libertad Avanza bloc," Olivera said, and stressed the need to advance with this regulation: "Something like not being able to run if you have a double conviction for corruption we should have it normalized. We feel that it should be extended to other crimes," he concluded.

Jorge Bergoglio was the first Latin American pontiff and led the Church for 12 years, promoting important reforms. Separately, Israel dismissed a military official after admitting "errors" in the attack on humanitarian workers in Gaza. The first Argentine Pope, Francis, died at 88 in the Vatican, although he had made a public appearance to give a message for Easter. "I expected this outcome last week because of what we saw in the medical reports, but I didn't expect it today. I saw him yesterday in very good condition, radiant, in his wheelchair. Yesterday we saw him participate in Easter. This generates a lot of pain," said Eduardo Valdés, the former Argentine ambassador to Vatican City between 2014 and 2015 and current national deputy for Peronism, on Cara o ceca. Valdés recalled that his last exchanges with Pope Francis were by letter and email, although the last in-depth conversation was in Chile, during a visit to Temuco in 2018. "Three days before he arrived, four bombs exploded at the place and everyone recommended that he not go. And he went anyway. The meeting was extraordinary: 10,000 people, including Mapuches and Huinca population [the white population] living together. There was never another bomb or violent action in that place. He wanted to be there, say what he said and live that moment," he commented. "He was the greatest builder of bridges and destroyer of walls. He did it in Colombia, when he signed the peace treaty after so many years of civil war. Or when he invited me to Cuba, during the mediation between Cuba and the United States," said Valdés, who was a personal friend of the Pope. Francis was also an ecumenical leader, with a strong vocation for interreligious dialogue. "He met with the top religious leaders of the world. It had been a thousand years since a Pope had met with a Russian patriarch, and he met with [the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia] Kirill. He also met with the highest Muslim, Sunni and Shiite authorities in Iraq. He believed that dialogue was the basis for ending wars," he concluded. Israel fired on rescuers in Gaza due to "errors". The Israeli Armed Forces admitted "errors" in their actions for the murder of 15 humanitarian workers in the Gaza Strip on March 23. This information was the result of an internal investigation by the Army of that country, showed "professional failures and breaches of orders" and acknowledged that ambulances, a fire truck and a UN vehicle were fired upon in Rafah. "Originally, the official information had the case of implication with terrorism, then they said that the vehicle was not well marked. They started raising irregularities in the vehicle they had taken, posing the death as a tragedy. As the days passed, the error was recognized," Kevin Ary Levin, Master in Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies, told Cara o ceca. For the specialist, this fact demonstrates "the technical impossibilities of carrying out a clean operation and protecting the spaces that, according to international law of war, should be guarded". The situation in Gaza, he added, is critical: "The vast majority of the civil infrastructure was affected by the war. The ceasefire completed its first phase, but no progress was made in the second phase, which was the total withdrawal and the exchange of hostages. Today, the negotiations have fallen apart and the fighting has returned," he said.

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Carlos Pagni's analysis on Odisea Argentina aired on LN+ on April 21, 2025.

The recent agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) would not have improved public perception of Javier Milei's government's economic direction in a key election year to define how the presidential administration will be in the coming years of its term. "The government is in a very difficult situation, the most difficult since the start of its term. It ended up resorting to a loan from the International Monetary Fund because the dollars they had promised never arrived," said Gustavo Córdoba, director of the Argentine consulting firm Zubán Córdoba, to Cara o ceca. According to the analyst, the economy remains the main concern of Argentines, beyond the start of the electoral calendar in some provinces. "Today in Argentina there is no electoral climate. People's concern is about the economy, both for people who suffer from economic policy and for those who still support it," he explained. Córdoba questioned the ruling party's approach: "The government manages the perception of the day to day a lot, it does not have a long-term vision. They take measures with an eye to effect rather than effectiveness." He also warned about the social cost of the reforms requested by the IMF: "The government knows that it will have to take unpleasant measures, such as raising the retirement age. 70% of those interviewed in our surveys are against that reform." In electoral terms, Córdoba stressed that the ruling party lost support, but maintains a base. "The government lost adherence. Today 40% still support it, but there is 60% that focuses on an opposition vote. If the scenario remains stable, they could reach 40 or 45% of the votes. If it gets complicated, they could drop to 35%. They will never get the percentage they achieved in the second round that took them to the presidency [56% in November 2023]," he concluded. After the devaluation, tires become unattainable for many Argentines. The latest devaluation has had a direct impact on the price of many imported inputs, such as tires, where there was an immediate impact and there is strong uncertainty in the sector. "We received increases of 30% from an international tire brand and, since this is a sector where the profit margin is very small, that increase was disastrous for us," said Valery Ieromin, owner of a specialized store, to Cara o ceca. As for national brands, there were also increases, although more moderate: "The increases were 10% and it affected in a varied way. Today a tire is unattainable for many people," he said. According to Ieromin, although it cannot be said that they are 'expensive', the economic reality means that "today a tire costs approximately 200 dollars, but filling a tank of gasoline costs 80 dollars." The merchant also stressed that the devaluation generated confusion and lack of foresight: "This increase affected a lot because it was applied before it was known what was going to happen. There is a lot of uncertainty and the issue is that the dollar went down, but prices did not go down."

On May 18, the capital's legislature will be renewed, where the ruling party seeks to prevail and end the 18-year hegemony of Republican Proposal. In Ecuador, the opposition still does not recognize the results of the presidential elections of Sunday, April 13. A month before the elections in the Argentine capital to renew its local legislature, the campaign ignited in a fragmented scenario. The results will have repercussions at the national level, both for Javier Milei's La Libertad Avanza and for the opposition. "We have a very lackluster city, with garbage, without maintenance. This is about who addresses the concrete problems and that is why I am so sure that our list will have a high level of adherence. This is reflected in the care of the squares, the city police; ministers with clear ideas on how to control the various areas are lacking," said Jorge Telerman, former head of Government of the City of Buenos Aires and candidate for Buenos Aires legislator for Volvamos Buenos Aires, a list headed by Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, the predecessor of the current head of Government Jorge Macri, in Cara o Ceca. "There is a universe of politicians who still do not understand what is happening in society. If we continue to analyze reality as before, it will pass us by. In the district election, we must discuss the concrete problems and not national politics. People ask about transportation, security, or services," he added. "At the national level, we are facing a new scenario that started in 2023. The political system imploded and emerged from something that was not foreseen, as a manifestation of rejection of the old," he summarized. The Ecuadorian opposition insists on allegations of electoral fraud The presidential candidate of Correísmo, Luisa González, still does not recognize the results of the runoff election last Sunday, April 13, which re-elected Daniel Noboa with 55% of the votes, considering that there were irregularities in the process. "The accusations still have no basis, to the point that co-religionists of her political organization have already recognized the results and left Luisa alone in her claim. She argues that it is inconsistent that the difference in votes between the first and second round went from 17,000 to one million," said Andrés Jaramillo, an Ecuadorian journalist, in Cara o Ceca. "Now Noboa has to govern in complex conditions: an economic crisis that has not stopped deepening since the pandemic and another of security. The president has already anticipated that he will promote a reform of the Constitution," he concluded.

Argentine opposition deputies rejected the increase in withholdings for the agricultural sector announced for June by Javier Milei, and legislators from the province of Córdoba presented a bill to maintain withholdings at their current value until the end of the year and not restore export duties reduced or eliminated since 2024. "We decided to present a bill that seeks to guarantee fiscal stability for the entire agricultural sector and give the Executive Branch a restriction so that it does not increase or restore what has already been established with respect to export duties. We need a market with clear rules and a stable scenario so that there are better investments, better jobs and more competitive salaries," said Alejandra Torres, national deputy of Encuentro Federal and one of the authors of the Cara o Ceca project. According to the legislator, "the measure responds to a growing concern in the provinces and regional economies." Torres criticized President Milei's statements about a possible increase in withholdings towards the end of June: "We heard the president intimidate the countryside to liquidate its harvests to obtain the necessary pesos and comply with the request of the International Monetary Fund." In tax matters, Torres pointed against the restrictions on exports because "they do not work. The reduction of taxes is favorable for the growth of other taxes that finance the central government." China reacted to US interference in its relations with Argentina. During his visit to Argentina, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who suggested that the Government should advance in the cancellation of the currency swap with China, comments that were harshly criticized by the Embassy of the Asian country in Buenos Aires. "We advise the United States to adjust its mentality instead of wasting time defaming and repeatedly attacking China and interfering in the foreign cooperation of the countries in the region," they stated from the consular representation. "The United States does not want China in its backyard, which is the first and second trading partner of all the countries in Latin America, Brazil, Argentina, and has been doing works such as the port of Chancay in Peru," said Gustavo Ng, director of the magazine DangDai, specialized in China, in Cara o Ceca. "The Chinese say they have strategic patience. They know that Argentina is a rich country in every sense and it is inevitable that cooperation will grow despite the fact that there are moments where things freeze. But China's growth in the world and the relationship with Argentina is irreversible," he concluded.

We conversed with journalist Manuel Jove about Santiago Caputo, Milei's confidant, who rose to become a leading government figure. Separately, Spain sent its Economy Minister to Washington to ease bilateral tensions. Santiago Caputo, the presidential advisor without public office, was included by Javier Milei in the "iron triangle" and became a key figure in the Argentine government's political strategy. Manuel Jove and Maia Jastreblansky's new book, The Monk: The True Story of Santiago Caputo, Milei's Screenwriter, sheds light on this character. "Within what Milei himself called the 'iron triangle,' Caputo is the third vertex of an inseparable duo, like the relationship of the two siblings Karina and Javier Milei. In that triad, both fully rely on Santiago Caputo. In that scheme, each fulfills a specific role and function," said Manuel Jove from the Cara o Ceca studios. The author describes Caputo as a political advisor with increasing weight. "His role is that of a political consultant and advisor, which becomes very relevant in election years. The last guru we had seen in Argentine politics was Jaime Durán Barba [in charge of Mauricio Macri's campaign in 2015], with whom he worked at some point," he added. "Before working with Javier Milei, he and his partner Rodrigo Lugones were already projecting that the rift between Kirchnerism and Macrismo could only be overcome with an outsider. They sought that figure among many prominent personalities," Jove asserted. The US and Spain are approaching each other with a meeting between their Economy Ministers. Spanish Economy Minister Carlos Cuerpo traveled to Washington to meet with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and ease tensions after the cross accusations between Donald Trump and Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, where the American denounced Spain's approach to China. From Madrid, in turn, they criticized Trump's tariff increase. In this context, Sánchez also visited Xi Jinping in China. "This meeting came about in recent days. Spain wants to mark its position to negotiate, it is a very important partner. Washington took Sánchez's visit to China as 'cutting off his head,' so this meeting would only be for the photo," said journalist Claudia Luna Palencia on Cara o Ceca. "Pedro Sánchez is interested in the Chinese leader, but the visit just coincided with the tariff increase. It was arranged since June 2024. It was not a reaction to what happened with the United States," she summarized.

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Carlos Pagni's analysis on Argentine Odyssey aired on LN+ on April 14, 2025.

Argentina's bulky legislative electoral calendar had its first appointment this past Sunday the 13th in Santa Fe, where the open primaries for municipal positions and the formation of a constituent convention to reform the Magna Carta were played, to enable the re-election of Governor Maximiliano Pullaro. Pullaro won by a wide margin with 34% of the votes, which will grant him 33 constituents out of a total of 69. He was followed by Peronism represented by Juan Monteverde, with 15%. Javier Milei's La Libertad Avanza was relegated to third place; his candidate Nicolás Mayoraz garnered 14%. "There is no town where the governor has not won and thus the constitutional reform was ensured. La Libertad Avanza did not have a good election, although it bit the Peronist candidate, which implies a wake-up call for the political organizer [and secretary of the Presidency] Karina Milei, who did not agree with Amalia Granata [another conservative candidate], who obtained almost the same amount," said Damián Schwarztein, a political journalist from Santa Fe, on Cara o ceca. However, the analyst highlighted the low electoral turnout, which did not exceed 55%. "There was an absence of 1,300,000 voters. It is an enormous loss of votes for the governor, who had won in 2023 with more than a million votes and yesterday only prevailed with 500,000. The people put a ceiling on him." Nobel laureate Mario Vargas Llosa has passed away The prominent Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa (1936-2025) died at the age of 89 in Lima and the Government declared National Mourning for this Monday the 14th. The multi-award-winning writer published successful titles such as The City and the Dogs, The Green House and Conversation in the Cathedral. "His work leaves us with a vision of what Latin America is and countries divided in conflict over unresolved issues. His entire work is an epic of the transgressor, an ode to the rebel. From very early in his life, his characters always rebelled against some imposed order," said Alonso Cueto, Peruvian writer and author of the book Mario Vargas Llosa: Words in the World, on Cara o ceca. "The literary legacy that he leaves us in his work is that human beings always have to face some kind of law, a social order, customs or some political system, and that we always have to respond in some way to that system. Whether through rebellion or confrontation or creation. It is a reflection on power and rebellion. Those characters who represent rebellion or creativity will always stay with us," he added. Finally, he spoke about the writer's political vision: "One could disagree, but what one always accepted is that he always said what he thought. He never had party slogans, nor ideological slogans. He was a writer who, following the example of Jean-Paul Sartre, wanted to be a conscience within the society in which he lived," he concluded.

Amidst Buenos Aires city elections, legislative candidates present proposals seeking votes. Ecuador decides its future between Daniel Noboa and Luisa González in the April 13th runoff. Emmanuel Ferrario, Buenos Aires city legislator candidate for Vamos Buenos Aires, led by ex-mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, who broke with Mauricio Macri's PRO, stated: "With Larreta, the city worked. That’s our main difference with Jorge Macri’s current administration. The district is dirty and neglected today. There’s trash everywhere, broken tiles. They created new problems that were solved. The ruling party broke our district's ways of doing things." "With Macri, we're losing the opportunity to discuss a future. We must develop local train lines, coordinating with the national government, debate bus electrification, and ensure accessibility for all in all areas." "Another issue is rents. We must design policies to help young people access housing, like providing loans or converting downtown buildings into apartments for young people." Ecuador decides its future between Daniel Noboa and Luisa González in the runoff. The South American country reaches this stage amidst a highly polarized electoral climate. On April 13th, Daniel Noboa, of Acción Democrática Nacional (ADN), seeks power continuity, while Luisa González, of Movimiento Revolución Ciudadana, is Correísmo's card to return to the Presidency after eight years. "In the first round, we saw an excess of polls. All said there was a first-round winner, but now we see the opposite. Now, the few pollsters who published their polls show a technical tie. Those closest to the government gave Noboa a four-time advantage," commented Ecuadorian political analyst Omar Sempertegui. "González modified her first-round campaign message and began convening all sectors of society. She even met with the indigenous movement to sign agreements. Meanwhile, the ruling party's strategy was to seek a photo with Trump in Mar-a-Lago." "The Executive seeking US support shows they know votes decreased compared to the first round."

In a statement, the agency explained that the plan is subject to board approval. Separately, Javier Milei met with his counterpart Santiago Peña in Paraguay in search of a "freedom" ally within Mercosur. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) reported that it reached a technical agreement with Argentine authorities for 20 billion dollars over a period of 48 months. The agreement is subject to board approval. "The agreement with the Fund highlights the Government's problems. It is like a 'spare tire'. The important thing will be to know the details, which we still do not know. The Executive can agree to whatever it wants, because Congress gave it free rein," said Silvina Batakis, Minister of Habitat and Urban Development of the Province of Buenos Aires, former president of Banco Nación and former Minister of Economy, in Cara o сeca. "It is unprecedented that the advance is 60% [of the total amount]. With this case and with that of the Government of Mauricio Macri, we see that the IMF makes exceptions only with right-wing governments, because they try to sustain a policy of investment inflow into the country, which ends in capital flight. Since its return, Argentina has paid the IMF almost 13 billion dollars," she explained. Batakis referred to the internal affairs of Peronism in the strategic province of Buenos Aires, its electoral stronghold, between former Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and Governor Axel Kicillof, over the latter's decision to split the local elections from the national ones, in disagreement with the head of Peronism. "The governor signed a decree setting the election date, there is no time to dwell on the matter any longer. The split will already be a fact; we will see if we go to two or three elections [an internal one, another for provincial legislators and the third for national deputies and senators, which would be on different dates]," she concluded. Milei seeks in Santiago Peña a "freedom" ally within Mercosur. The Argentine Head of State, Javier Milei, traveled to Paraguay and held a meeting with its president, Santiago Peña, at the Government Palace, to strengthen trade and political ties between countries, in the run-up to the Mercosur foreign ministers meeting in Buenos Aires on April 11. "In Paraguay, they were surprised by the visit, because it was not announced. Peña's statements were very formal, it was felt that the specific and urgent points such as Argentina's unpaid debt to our country were not touched. It was very symbolic," commented Esteban Caballero, political scientist and coordinator of the working group on International Relations of the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences in Paraguay, in Cara o сeca. "Politically, we are in a process of change regarding the internal challenges that 'Cartismo' [the Government party led by former President Horacio Cartes] has. There are many opinions on how to position themselves in the upcoming municipal elections of 2026. Meanwhile, the opposition is seeking unity after the defeat in the 2023 presidential elections, where it was very fragmented," he added.

Allies of former President Cristina Kirchner insist on unifying local elections with national ones. Separately, Trump's tariffs impacted African economies. The internal dispute continues within Peronism in the strategic province of Buenos Aires, following Governor Axel Kicillof's decision to separate local elections from the national elections in October of this year, against the opinion of former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. "What is being discussed in the province has to do with the electoral calendar. It is convenient for Buenos Aires residents to vote on the same day to confront the policies of the Milei government," said Facundo Tignanelli, head of the Unión por la Patria bloc in the Chamber of Deputies of the province of Buenos Aires, who reports to the former president. Tignanelli's group still seeks to avoid voting on three different days. "Today there are two decrees coexisting: the one calling for the PASO [open internal elections] and the general election, separated. We want to overturn both decrees, so that Buenos Aires residents will vote on only one day," he concluded. Trump's tariffs harm African economies. The tariffs announced by the President of the United States, Donald Trump, are severely impacting trade relations between Washington and several African countries. "The response to the tariffs has been very critical. Countries like Madagascar, Mauritius, and South Africa are going to move directly away from the trade relationship and are looking for new partners such as China, Russia, or members of the European Union. In this way, the United States is going to lose several 'spots'," said Omer Freixa, historian and teacher, specialist in Africa. "The United States wants commercial primacy, but it is shooting itself in the foot. I don't think these measures will give it local economic benefits," he stated. "This measure goes beyond ideological issues. While Burkina Faso is exempt from reciprocal tariffs, its partners, such as Niger and Mali, have 10% like Argentina," he concluded.