¡Buenos días from Greenway Parks! This is the Rorshok Argentina Update from the 24th of December twenty twenty-five. A quick summary of what's going down in Argentina.

To kick things off this week, some news on the debates inside Congress. On Thursday 18th, President Javier Milei’s proposed budget was approved in the Lower House, except for a key chapter, which intended to derogate special laws voted by Congress to guarantee emergency funding for universities and people with disabilities.

The rest of the project will now be discussed in the Senate. President Milei warned that he will not veto the budget, as long as it follows the ‘zero deficit’ policy.

More legislative developments, as the proposed labor reform from the ruling party, La Libertad Avanza, suffered a setback in the Lower House on Thursday, the 18th. The initiative failed to gain sufficient support in Congress, while outside the building, thousands of demonstrators gathered to oppose it.

There was a large march and a strike called by the CGT trade union federation, highlighting strong resistance from organized labor as the bill was being debated.

Inside the walls of Congress, the ruling party suffered another setback. An unexpected move in the Lower House created friction between President Javier Milei’s party and its main ally, PRO. After the national budget was approved during a late-night session, lawmakers unexpectedly proceeded to appoint three members to the national audit office, despite the issue not being formally included on the agenda.

This decision angered PRO leaders, who said they were excluded from negotiations and accused the ruling party of striking last-minute deals with the Peronist opposition. PRO lawmaker Cristian Ritondo criticized the government for breaching prior understandings and warned that his party could reconsider its support in Congress.

This has exposed growing tensions within the governing alliance and raised doubts about future legislative cooperation.

Picking up on some news we talked about in our last show, we’ve got an update on the EU-Mercosur trade deal. The planned signing of the long‑anticipated free‑trade agreement has been delayed until January twenty twenty-six.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the postponement of the deal, which she described as “crucially important for Europe—economically, diplomatically and geopolitically”, after EU leaders in Brussels failed to secure the required majority to formalize the deal this weekend.

France and Italy were prominent opponents, seeking stronger protections for their agricultural sectors and pushing for more guarantees before backing the pact.

The delay follows pressure from several EU countries and protests by European farmers worried about competition from South American imports, even as officials continue negotiations toward a January signing.

Despite the deal not being signed, the Mercosur members met in Brazil on Saturday 20th. At the meeting, significant disagreements emerged over how to handle the crisis in Venezuela and the bloc’s trade strategy. Brazilian President Lula da Silva warned strongly against any military intervention in Venezuela, while President Milei supported U.S. pressure on Nicolás Maduro’s government, highlighting deep divides on this issue.

The summit also saw debates over the need for more flexible trade policies after the postponement of the EU deal. Leaders called for diversifying partnerships beyond the EU, with Paraguay urging agreements with other countries.

Despite the disagreements, member states agreed to strengthen regional cooperation against organized crime by advancing a new transnational security commission.

More on regional politics, as Chilean president-elect José Antonio Kast made Buenos Aires his first international stop since winning Chile’s runoff election, meeting President Milei at the Casa Rosada.

The two held talks outlining a roadmap for future cooperation focused on regional and border security, combating transnational crime, trade and investment, and economic collaboration ahead of Kast’s March inauguration. Kast greeted Chilean supporters near Plaza de Mayo and expressed confidence in solid bilateral ties.

Both leaders celebrated Kast’s victory and signaled a renewed phase in Argentina–Chile relations.

Near Chile, in Mendoza, a province famously known for its world-class wines, a Swiss-backed company is pushing to build the region’s first major copper-gold mine, known as the San Jorge project.

The venture, led by Zonda Metals and rejected in twenty eleven and twenty nineteen, is reviewing various financing options to raise over 600 million dollars to move forward, which could open the door for further mining in an area long resistant to extraction. With strong investor interest, high metal prices, and President Javier Milei’s deregulation efforts, the project has gained political approval in Mendoza.

However, mining opponents, concerned about water use and contamination, continue to protest. To move further, the project needs to be approved in both of Mendoza’s legislative chambers after a technical environmental review. If funds and permits are secured, construction could begin in late twenty twenty-six with production targeted by twenty twenty-eight.

Shifting gears, we’ve got some news related to Latin American movies in the international scene, as Argentine legal drama Belén, by female director and actress Dolores Fonzi, and Brazilian political thriller The Secret Agent made it onto the shortlist for Best International Feature Film at the Oscars.

Belén is based on a real case involving a young woman in Tucumán Province who was convicted and sentenced to eight years in prison for aggravated homicide after being accused of having undergone an illegal abortion. The film was met with strong acclaim, earning a standing ovation at the San Sebastián Film Festival.

Argentina’s film industry already boasts two Oscars for this same category: The Official Story (La Historia Oficial) from nineteen eighty-five and The Secret in Their Eyes (El Secreto de sus Ojos) from two thousand nine.

On more cultural news, Queen of Coal (Miss Carbón), a biographical drama directed by Agustina Macri, has just become available on Netflix after debuting in theaters.

The film tells the inspiring true story of Carla “Carlita” Rodríguez, a transgender woman who overcame discrimination to become the first woman to work underground in the Río Turbio coal mine in Argentine Patagonia, a job historically barred to women by superstition and tradition.

Chilean-US trans actress Lux Pascal stars as Carlita, portraying her struggle to challenge long-standing gender barriers.

On a bit of science-related news, there is a new deep-sea exploration led by the Schmidt Ocean Institute and the Conicet, Argentina’s main scientific research agency.

The mission is being livestreamed on YouTube, following the expedition carried out in July and August in the Mar del Plata submarine canyon, which inspired thousands with images of the extraordinary, otherworldly life inhabiting the deep sea.

This month’s expedition will be covering a route that connects Buenos Aires with Puerto Madryn, in the southern province of Chubut, at depths of up to 4,500 meters (14,700 feet) deep, home to unique ecosystems.

Now, some inside tips if you are planning to go out for a nice lunch or dinner on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year’s in Buenos Aires. The Buenos Aires Herald news outlet has compiled a list of ten restaurants that will be open during those crucial days, from the traditional Argentine parrilla to a Chinese-Jewish fusion New York-style diner.

Check the full list with the link in the show notes!

And to close this week’s update, a recommended opinion piece by Argentinian international affairs analyst Mookie Tenembaum. The article, written in Spanish, examines a less discussed impact of artificial intelligence: its effect on how people understand the future.

Public debate around AI often centers on jobs, productivity and technological change, but Tenembaum argues that AI is quietly eroding the traditional life narrative that gave meaning to long-term effort. For decades, education, work and retirement formed a predictable sequence in which present sacrifices were justified by future rewards.

As AI increasingly automates complex professional tasks, the link between education and employment weakens. In a world shaped by automation and potential universal income, the future risks losing its role as a guiding structure, becoming a flat and uncertain horizon rather than a meaningful, organizing story for human lives.

To read the whole article, click on the link in the show notes!

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

We just want to say a huge thank you to everyone who’s been listening, subscribing, and sharing their thoughts with us. Your support keeps us going, and we’re grateful for every one of you. Happy holidays!

¡Nos vemos la próxima semana!