¡Buenos días from Greenway Parks! This is the Rorshok Argentina Update from the 20th of November twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Argentina.

President Milei and Donald Trump have officially announced a Framework for a Reciprocal Trade and Investment Agreement. The new deal, confirmed by a joint statement from the White House on Thursday the 13th, aims to lower trade barriers and align regulations to boost investment between the two nations. The agreement promises to open markets for key US products like medicines, chemicals, and machinery. Argentina also agreed to allow the import of US livestock and poultry within a year, in hopes of gaining preferential access for its own exports, particularly beef, and potentially benefit from easier entry for steel and aluminum products under US national security exemptions.

Back on the domestic front, the government’s economic plan is showing concrete results that are fueling a new wave of investment. October closed with a fiscal surplus, which President Milei called an iron anchor for his program. To capitalize on this stability and further boost the energy sector, the administration removed export duties on oil and lubricants. These moves, combined with the government’s recent election victory, have triggered a funding boom: oil and gas companies are now rushing to issue corporate bonds to finance ambitious new projects. For instance, Vista Energy just announced a massive 4.5 billion dollar investment to boost production in the Vaca Muerta shale formation by sixty percent over the next few years.

Despite the market optimism, Luis Caputo, the Economy Minister, clarified that the government is not ready to let the peso float freely just yet. Speaking at an economic conference, Caputo justified maintaining the crawling peg system and currency controls by saying they provide predictability. He argued that floating the currency isn’t an option while the political alternative remains what he described as communism, referring to the opposition.

In other news, a massive explosion and fire rocked the Spegazzini industrial park in Ezeiza on Friday the 14th. The blaze reportedly started in a chemical logistics company and spread to nearby warehouses, including a depot belonging to Iron Mountain. That name brings back dark memories for locals: in twenty fourteen, a fire at an Iron Mountain facility in Buenos Aires killed ten firefighters and civil defense workers. Investigators later found that the twenty fourteen fire was intentional, designed to destroy evidence of tax evasion by major corporations, so any new incident involving the company immediately raises suspicions. Fortunately, there were no fatalities this time, but more than twenty people were injured.

In legal updates, Julio De Vido, who was Minister of Federal Planning, Public Investment and Services between two thousand three and twenty fifteen, has been detained to serve his four-year sentence for his role in the twenty twelve Once train tragedy. For those who don’t know, this was one of the worst rail disasters in the country’s history, when a commuter train crashed into a busy station in Buenos Aires, killing fifty-two people and injuring hundreds. The tragedy exposed deep corruption and lack of maintenance in the state-managed transport system. This week, De Vido surrendered at the Comodoro Py courthouse and was transferred to the Ezeiza prison.

In a separate case, the courts also processed former President Alberto Fernández for his alleged involvement in the insurance broker probe, investigating irregularities in state insurance contracts during his administration.

Speaking of transportation, if you take the bus in the Buenos Aires metropolitan area, you might have noticed a change. Fares went up by ten percent this week, bringing the minimum ticket price to around 500 pesos (about thirty-five US cents).

But there is a new alternative on the horizon. The City of Buenos Aires launched the Trambus, a new electric bus system designed to connect passengers with subway and train stations more efficiently. The first pilot route is already being tested on the corridor near the river, aiming to link the Aeroparque area with the south of the city. The city government promises these buses will be quieter, eco-friendly, and could reduce travel times by up to forty percent when the full network launches in twenty twenty-six.

Meanwhile, the medical sector is facing disruptions. Pediatricians are warning that vaccination rates for children aged five and six have dropped to dangerous levels—below fifty percent for diseases like measles and polio. Doctors say this decline threatens herd immunity and are urging parents to ensure their kids get their mandatory shots to prevent outbreaks of preventable diseases.

Down south, the Patagonia region is dealing with a different emergency. Authorities in the Chubut and Río Negro provinces in northern Patagonia have been battling wildfires. While strong winds of up to eighty kilometers per hour (about fifty miles per hour) accelerated the flames, officials suspect human negligence or intent played a role. A woman admitted to starting a fire by carelessly discarding hot embers from a stove, which could be the cause of the blaze. Officials declared a state of emergency to coordinate evacuations and resources as the fires threatened homes.

In international news, President Milei is packing his bags for the US again—his fifteenth trip since taking office. He will travel to Washington DC to attend the draw for the twenty twenty-six World Cup, which takes place on the 5th of December, and meet with Donald Trump to ratify his political alignment with the incoming US administration and discuss the details of the new trade framework.

And if you are planning to go to the World Cup matches, there is good news. The US government announced that anyone with a valid ticket for the tournament will be eligible for a priority visa interview through a new system called FIFA Pass. This aims to cut down the notoriously long wait times for US visas in Argentina, which can currently take months. Officials urged fans to apply as soon as they get their match tickets to ensure they are vetted in time for the games.

While football fans look to the US, the rest of the world is looking at Buenos Aires. Wanderlust, the British travel magazine, named it the most attractive city in the world for tourism, beating out major destinations like Tokyo and Sydney. The publication highlighted the city’s vibrant culture, food scene, and the warmth of its people as key reasons for the top spot.

The city certainly lived up to that reputation last week when the Gallagher brothers finally returned. Oasis played two historic shows at the River Plate stadium, marking their first visit in sixteen years after their long feud. The band has a special bond with local fans. Noel calls Argentina one of his top five places to play, and Liam described the crowd’s energy as biblical. They even paid tribute to Diego Maradona during the set.

Another international star making waves was Johnny Depp. The Hollywood actor visited the city of La Plata in Buenos Aires Province to present his new film about the painter Modigliani. The local government declared him a Distinguished Visitor, and he gave a masterclass at the Coliseo Podestá theater, where he praised the local culture and greeted throngs of fans from the balcony of the City Hall.

There is also big news for Argentine motorsport. It is official: Franco Colapinto will be on the Formula One grid in twenty twenty-six. The Alpine team confirmed the young Argentine driver has signed a deal to race alongside Pierre Gasly, securing his spot for the upcoming season.

To close this edition, we want to recommend an article that dives into the complex vocabulary of local politics. If you have ever wondered what people mean when they talk about gorillas, Peronists, or anti-Peronists, the Buenos Aires Herald published a great opinion piece by journalist Amy Booth and political theorist Ricardo Laleff Ilieff explaining the history and meaning behind these labels. It is a must-read to understand the social divide.

Check it out with the link in the show notes!

Aaand that’s it for this week! Thank you for joining us!

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¡Nos vemos la próxima semana!