In November, the Argentina Great Lodge confirmed decades-long rumors: they had evidence that Juan Domingo Perón and Raúl Alfonsín, two of Argentina’s most important presidents, were freemasons. Groups of lodges form Great Lodges. Back side of the main temple in the Great Lodge of Argentina. The Great Lodge of Great Britain, for instance, is much more philanthropic in its pursuits. Cover photo: Session in the main temple of the Great Lodge of Argentina of the Free and Accepted Masons (Credit: Great Lodge of Argentina of the Free and Accepted Masons).

Nicolás VarroneWith Franco Colapinto confirmed as one of the main Alpine drivers for 2026, Argentines are now dreaming of having a second countryman in Formula One. Nicolás Varrone, a 25-year-old racing driver and childhood friend of Colapinto’s, is set to compete in Formula 2, the feeder series to F1. With Cadillac having its inaugural season as an F1 team in 2026, a big Varrone performance could land him in the top category, potentially placing two Argentines in the series for the first time since 1981. As the kickoff date for the 2026 World Cup draws near, the question remains: Will he play? Cover photo: Dante Gebel, Camila Plaate, and Nicolás Varrone (credits: Dante Gebel X account, Iñaki Luis/SSIFF, and Nicolás Varrone IG account).

The rationale was that, with that extra cash, YPF could finance its production even with reduced oil prices. Oil production in VenezuelaWhile Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves (306 billion barrels as of 2026), its impact on global prices could be limited, some analysts posit. First, decades of mismanagement and U.S. sanctions have deteriorated Venezuela’s oil infrastructure. “Upside risks to Venezuela’s oil production will weigh on oil prices in the long term, but in the near term, prices will be little affected by a temporary loss or gain in production levels,” said BMI. “Stabilizing Venezuela is a major challenge, just as complicated as recovering its oil production after five years of decline and deterioration of infrastructure,” PxQ said.

The trade accord will allow Argentina and the other Mercosur members — Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay — to expand their export markets, especially for the crucial agricultural sector. Despite being critical of Mercosur’s efficiency, current Argentine President Javier Milei has backed the deal. “It will open up more markets and allow an ‘invasion’ of products from Argentina and the Mercosur in European markets, which could create more exports and more foreign currency income,” Sosa said. Ricardo Carciofi, lead researcher on economic development at CIPPEC think tank, expected the deal to have the opposite effect on consumer prices. Argentina has traditionally been a country with a strong agricultural sector and, despite past attempts at developing a manufacturing industry, it has never blossomed.

Argentina’s Central Bank announced on Friday it has repaid the portion of the US$20 billion currency swap with the United States’ Treasury that it drew on in 2025. Argentine economist Christian Buteler said that the U.S. Treasury earnings came from interests paid by the Central Bank. The swapLast October, the United States and Argentina agreed on a US$20 billion currency swap line. Even though the spent amount and terms remain confidential, Argentine economists analyzed Central Bank data last November and concluded that Argentina had used part of the swap. Bessent then confirmed that Argentina had, indeed, activated the swap.

The Argentine government has made its first major debt repayment of the year, consisting of US$4.3 billion in Global and Bonares bonds. After the payment, Global bonds (under foreign law) and Bonares bonds (under Argentine law) edged up by 0.7%. Friday’s maturity is part of the debt restructuring calendar established in 2020 by then-Economy Minister Martín Guzmán. On Wednesday, Economy Minister Luis Caputo said on X that, by taking US$3 billion to pay off US$4.2 billion, the government had reduced its debt, but this was disputed by several economists. The next tranche of debt, a similar amount to Friday’s payment, matures in July.

Representatives of the European Union’s (EU) member states voted in Brussels on Friday in favour of a free trade agreement with the Mercosur bloc, formed by Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. This paves the way for the creation of the world’s largest free-trade area, comprising more than 715 million inhabitants (447 million in the EU and 270 million in Mercosur). However, they were not able to muster the “blocking minority” — representing 35% or more of the bloc’s population — needed to stop the deal. Many EU farmers see the deal with Mercosur as unfair competition that will affect rural livelihoods. Italy has a population of 59 million, and its opposition would have been enough to form a blocking minority.

At least 41 flights will be delayed on Friday as Buenos Aires’ Ministro Pistarini international airport — better known for its location in Ezeiza — is set to shut down for four hours, for scheduled maintenance work. Most flights affected are domestic and short-haul international connections, so some specific operations will be transferred to Jorge Newbery Airport, Buenos Aires’ main domestic terminal. ANAC recommended passengers check the status of their flights and contact their respective airlines if they have any questions or concerns about possible changes. The announcement of the repairs comes after metropolitan airport Jorge Newbery unexpectedly suspended flights from the terminal for several hours in the last week of December, as temperatures exceeding 35° celsius saw a patch of the landing strip come loose. At the time, over 60 flights were delayed or diverted.

By Anita Pouchard SerraThe head of Venezuela’s National Assembly, Jorge Rodríguez, announced on Thursday the release of a “significant number” of Venezuelans and foreign nationals who have been held in the country’s prisons. International human rights groups have consistently accused the country of holding political prisoners. “For peaceful coexistence, the Bolivarian government, together with state institutions, has decided to release a significant number of Venezuelan and foreign nationals,” Rodríguez said in a press conference at the Venezuelan Assembly. According to Foro Penal, a human rights institution focused on political prisoners, there is also an Argentine-Venezuelan detainee. In September, rights watchdog Human Rights Watch and the Committee for the Freedom of Political Prisoners in Venezuela nonprofit released a report stating that many political prisoners were not allowed phone calls or visits, even from their family, sometimes for a year or more.

The growing tension between the presidents of the United States and Colombia seemed to ease on Wednesday after a surprise announcement by Donald Trump, who said he had received a call from Gustavo Petro and they agreed to meet in the “near future” at the White House. The Colombian embassy in the U.S. confirmed the call and said Petro’s government also appreciates Washington’s “constructive tone”. “Colombia remains open to dialogue and constructive engagement with the United States, guided by mutual respect and understanding, with a shared interest in regional stability,” said a statement by the diplomatic delegation. The announcement came just hours after the Colombian president called for a mobilization in several parts of his country to reject Trump’s threats. Petro has been an outspoken critic of Trump’s incursion in Venezuela, a country which borders Colombia.

At least 3,000 tourists had to be evacuated this week from several forest areas near the Andes mountains in Chubut province, in Patagonia, where fires have been raging since Monday. According to the Argentine branch of Greenpeace, over 4,000 hectares of wild forest and homes have been affected since mid-December in the Patagonia area. In Río Negro, the province north to Chubut, park rangers fined a family of tourists who were cooking a barbecue. Wildfires are currently also affecting that area, south of Chubut, as well as the Los Alerces National Park in Chubut. Budget cutsWhile the problem of wildfires has grown in recent years, President Javier Milei’s “chainsaw” cuts to public spending has meant the number of national park staff has come down.

The final goal is “rebuilding civil society” in Venezuela and allowing for the transition to a democratic government. The U.S. aims to sell up to 50 million barrels of Venezuelan oil and use the funds to back the new Venezuelan government, led by interim president, Delcy Rodríguez, he explained. “There is a process now in place where we have tremendous control and leverage over what those [remaining Venezuelan authorities] are doing and are able to do,” he said. “They are talking about stealing the Venezuelan oil at gunpoint for a period of time undefined as leverage to micromanage the country,” said Democratic Senator Chris Murphy of Connecticut. “The scope and insanity of that plan is absolutely stunning,” Murphy told reporters.

From dream-hopping Japanese anime and cult cinema to bold Brazilian pop art and prestige theater starring Leonardo Sbaraglia, the city’s cultural calendar is working overtime. Figueroa Alcorta 3415)Cinemark theatersSpirited Away (left) and Paprika (right) will both be screened in JanuarySome of the best-regarded Japanese films will screen this weekend and throughout January in Buenos Aires. The program, which runs from January 2 to 28 with films playing at 7 p.m, also includes films by Isao Takahata and Kenji Iwaisawa. Finally, the Malba theater will play five films by Japanese master Seijun Suzuki. Brazilian Pop Art at MalbaThroughout January until February 2Malba (Av.

The judges granted a request from the Attorney General’s Office to order La Nueva newspaper to issue a correction as a form of “moral reparation” for 37 victims in a trial that examined atrocities committed against 333 people. The ruling said that investigations have since proved that the victims did not die in combat, but rather were kidnapped. The ruling against La Nueva newspaper was part of the conviction of dictatorship criminals in the Bahía Blanca area in late December. Once the sentence is upheld, La Nueva will have 10 days to publish an article or message correcting its original report. La Nueva was called La Nueva Provincia between its founding in 1898 and 2017.

Argentina could be forced to devalue its currency or default on its debt, warned a report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), the United States Congress’s public think tank. The swap line, part of the U.S. Exchange Stabilization Fund (ESF), totals US$20 billion, of which, according to private estimations, Argentina used over US$2 billion. Neither the Central Bank nor the Economy Ministry confirmed the amount the country spent, which is new debt with the United States Treasury. The report is part of an evaluation by the U.S. Congress of Donald Trump’s aid to Argentina. For example, in one three-day period, it sold more than $1.1 billion in foreign currencies,” it detailed.