The Transport Ministry suspended the 6% increase in train and bus fares within national jurisdiction scheduled for September 1. Current fares for all train and bus lines were extended indefinitely through a Transport Ministry resolution published in the Official Bulletin on Thursday morning. In the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area, bus fares range between AR$52.9 and AR$72.6, while train tickets cost between AR$25.7 and AR$52.9, depending on the route. Since March, public transport fares have been updated monthly based on the price index done by the National Institute for Statistics and Census (INDEC, for its Spanish initials) in Greater Buenos Aires. It also asks that provinces and Buenos Aires City apply the same measure for public transport within their local jurisdiction.

The governors of Santa Fe, Misiones, Córdoba, Jujuy, Entre Ríos, La Pampa, Neuquén, Catamarca, Tucumán, Salta and Santa Cruz, along with BA City Mayor Horacio Rodríguez Larreta, have all come out to say they will not pay the bonus. Mendoza, La Rioja and Santiago del Estero are the only provinces that have confirmed their government employees will receive it. “The province is in no condition to pay a bonus. In his announcement, Massa clarified the bonus will be considered as a part of ongoing or future salary negotiations. Private companies that don’t pay the bonus, however, will be sanctioned.

Multiple Argentine business associations spoke out against the two AR$30,000 bonuses for workers earning less than AR$400,000 a month —one of the measures announced by Economy Minister Sergio Massa on Sunday to counterbalance the economic impact of the 22% devaluation imposed two weeks ago. The UIA said the government should regulate the macro-economy and fight against inflation instead of altering “wage discussions through unilateral measures.” Nevertheless, the group said that its associated chambers and industries will “comply with the regulations in force.”The CAC expressed “deep concern” for the measure. The association said it was “fully aware of the deterioration in the purchasing power of wages,” but added that “a good part of the country’s companies are in a delicate situation” due to stagnation and a decade of disorder in the macroeconomy. “[That] makes it infeasible for them to afford the bonus,” it continued. “Micro, small, and medium-sized companies have been losing economically for several months and this imposition will worsen this loss,” CAME continued.

Santiago Mitre’s Argentina, 1985 swept the Academy of Film Arts and Sciences ceremony last Monday, collecting 10 Sur Awards in the main categories, including Best Fiction Film, Best Director, and Best Script. Pilar Gamboa, a member of the renowned Piel de Lava theater company, won the Best Actress award for her comedic performance in Adrian Suar’s 30 Nights with My Ex. Mariano Biasin’s first feature Sublime won Best Debut Film and Groundbreaking Performance by an Actor (Martín Miller). Alejandro Hartmann’s film about slain photojournalist José Luis Cabezas, The Photographer: Murder in Pinamar won the Best Documentary category. The Best Adapted Screenplay award went to Jorge Bechara, Matías Bertilotti and Sebastián Pivotto for Lucas Combina’s Un Crimen Argentino, based on the book by journalist Reynaldo Sietecase.

The IMF listed these measures in its most recent staff report, which it released after the disbursement of US$7.5 billion. The report indicated that the Fund had approved its fifth and sixth reviews, and provided new goals for 2023. The document summarized “recent developments” in the Argentine economy, stating that “the fiscal deficit increased significantly” due to the drop in export revenues caused by the drought. The Fund’s report acknowledged that the measures would provide relief for households, along with small and medium businesses; “one-time bonuses” for pensioners and students; and larger subsidies for credit card purchases. Still, the IMF insisted that the primary deficit target of 1.9 percent of GDP must be met.

Journalists from ElTrece television channel have been lambasted for racism, xenophobia and discrimination after a clip went viral of them mocking an Indigenous couple during a live report from the Buenos Aires subte (subway). Quechua, technically a family of languages, is the most widely-spoken Indigenous language group in South America. Doman and the columnists in the show’s studio laughed after Rimachi explained that he is a member of an Indigenous community. “We advocate for Indigenous peoples’ rights, and the Indian wants to kick us out,” one of the columnists said. The complaints mainly mention “racism, mockery, discrimination, xenophobia and disrespect for other cultures,” among other issues, the source said.

Mandar fruta/cualquier verdura“Send fruit” and “any vegetable” mean the same thing so we can group them together: it basically means doing something on the fly without taking it seriously. The phrases apparently come from long-distance comforts in the 19th century, with people asking their family to “send them fruit” from home when they moved to other parts of the country. sos un banana, or a descriptor: es re banana (they’re so banana). NaboWith the same sentence structure as sos un banana, the unassuming turnip can also become a bit of a put-down. Share your thoughts and translation hang-ups with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram!

The government will allocate a AR$700 million budget to compensate businesses all over the country that were harmed by the looting that took place between August 19 and 24, official sources told Télam news agency. Over 40 people were arrested over the long weekend for looting supermarkets and convenience stores in Buenos Aires City and different cities in Mendoza, Córdoba and Neuquén provinces. On Tuesday, close to 100 were arrested for robbery and attempted robbery in supermarkets in several Greater Buenos Aires suburbs. An optional item on the list is the presentation of evidence, such as pictures or video documenting the damage. Also, stores with under 50 employees are automatically eligible to file for compensation, while businesses with more than that amount must be in compliance with the Fair Prices agreement.

“Most of the entities authorized to operate in foreign exchange already use SIOPEL for their operations,” the Central Bank wrote in a communiqué. “Now, exceptions for some exchange houses and agencies have been eliminated.”After last week’s 22% devaluation, the official dollar exchange rate was fixed at AR$350. Differences between the exchange rates (and even inside different iterations of the same exchange rate) allow for different kinds of arbitrage. This month, the government increased restrictions on U.S. dollar bonds and raided informal exchange houses known as cuevas (caves). On Thursday, Customs and Airport Security Police raided 26 businesses in Buenos Aires City, Buenos Aires Province, and Misiones, including exchange houses.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) published a press release following the approval of its most recent review of Argentina’s agreement that unlocked a US$7.5 billion disbursement, saying that key program targets were missed due to the historic drought and calling to update energy tariffs and contain public wages and pensions. The statement comes on the heels of an announcement made last Wednesday by Energy Secretary Flavia Royón, who said that the government will raise energy tariffs for high-income homes due to an update in operational costs following the devaluation that took place after the PASO elections. Royón had already said last week that the raise was coming. “The recent realignment of the exchange rate, coupled with the tightening of monetary policy, should continue to help support reserve accumulation while limiting the exchange rate pass through to inflation. Going forward, the rate of crawl will be carefully calibrated to help achieve reserve accumulation and disinflation goals.”

“The worst we can do with Borges is to leave him as an inert, fixed matter, like an act of faith,” said organizer Daniel Mecca. According to Mecca, the festival aims to build on an existing base: “Borges is already a ‘pop beast,’” he said, referencing the popular Argentine rock song La bestia pop. “The solemnity around his figure can repel readers, mostly younger ones. But if there is one writer who can blow up your imagination, that’s Borges. According to Mecca, “In the end, in Borges’ work, the future has come a long time ago”.

The Chamber of Deputies approved a judicial resolution enabling police to seize Juntos por el Cambio (JxC) lawmaker Gerardo Milman’s cell phone on Wednesday afternoon. The move comes as part of the investigation into the assassination attempt against Vice President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner last year. Milman is alleged to have said: “When they kill her I’ll be on my way to the coast” two days before it happened. Earlier, Capuchetti’s request for Milman’s cellphone had been unanimously supported by the Constitutional Affairs Committee, which includes members of both opposition and ruling parties. Rodolfo Tailhade, from the Frente de Todos ruling party, supported the authorization although he regretted the delay.

The executive board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) unanimously approved a disbursement of US$7.5 billion to Argentina, albeit with comments from China and Japan. Minutes later, Economy Minister Sergio Massa met with IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva at the organism’s Washington, D.C. headquarters. The release of the disbursement approved today was the culmination of a process of tense negotiations that continued for longer than expected. This Wednesday, as soon as it received the IMF disbursement, Argentina issued payment orders to return the loans to the CAF and Qatar, as well as putting money back into its currency swap with China. Thus, the government will constantly monitor the gap between the official dollar and the financial dollar rates, although it will also closely follow the MEP and blue chip swap exchange rates.

The executive board of the International Monetary Fund approved on Wednesday the fifth and sixth reviews of its US$44 billion program with Argentina, allowing for the disbursement of $7.5 billion, according to the Argentine government. “The IMF board approved the disbursement of $7.5 billion,” the Economy Ministry said in a statement. On Tuesday afternoon, Massa announced that the World Bank and IDB will loan Argentina US$ 1.31 billion. IMF staff and Argentina had reached an agreement late in July for the fifth and sixth reviews of the program, with the disbursement left pending board approval. You may also be interested in: World Bank and IDB to loan Argentina US$1.3 billion—with information from Reuters

Lionel Messi won the 2023 Leagues Cup with Inter Miami on Saturday, a hard-fought game against Nashville SC that gave the Herons its first ever piece of silverware barely over a month after the Argentine’s arrival. One issue that garnered attention and has led to some debate is whether this title has made Messi the single most decorated player in football history. Messi can take pride in owning one of the most impressive title counts in the world. The former FC Barcelona and PSG player boasts ten Spanish league titles, four Champions League wins, an Olympic gold medal and the World Cup title among many others. Regardless, Messi sits as the record holder, although for now he shares it with Dani Alves.