The Argentine government has declared a state of emergency over the wildfires in Patagonia, which have been blazing in the region since the start of the month. It declared the provinces of Chubut, Río Negro, Neuquén and La Pampa both as under fire emergency and as disaster zones. On Thursday, the government issued a series of measures aimed at strengthening the nationwide volunteer fire department system. Chief among them was the transfer of over AR$100,000 million (just over US$68 million) to be distributed among 1,062 volunteer fire departments. The weather has remained uncooperative, with changing winds making the behavior of the flames unpredictable and complicating planning operations.

Argentine President Javier Milei this week taunted Paolo Rocca, one of the country’s wealthiest chief executive officers, by calling him Don Chatarrín (Mister Scrap Metal). It is the first major energy engineering project the company has lost in more than 70 years operating in Argentina. Deregulation Minister Federico Sturzenegger was the first government official to speak in favor of awarding Welspun the project, arguing that Tenaris’ bid was reportedly 40% higher. The 2018 Buy Argentine Goods and Develop Suppliers Law, which Milei repealed after taking office, gave Argentine companies priority in state purchases and projects. One of the Milei administration’s first decisions was to name Héctor Marín, an engineer with decades of experience at Techint company Tecpetrol, as president of oil and gas incumbent YPF.

The Patagonia wildfires continue to ravage the region, as authorities confirmed on Thursday that over 45,000 hectares of woodland have been scorched by the ongoing fires. Wildfires have mainly affected the province of Chubut, but have also reached as far as Mendoza, San Luis, La Pampa, Buenos Aires, Neuquén, and Río Negro. Droughts, changing winds and increasing temperatures have made it very difficult for firefighters to contain them. The severity of the situation has led regional governors to ask the Milei administration for more immediate actions. Oliva also spoke about the mental fatigue in the firefighters, who have been working since the fires first broke out on January 5.

The air traffic controllers union announced that it had failed to reach an salary agreement with the state-run Argentine Air Navigation Company (EANA) and that it would resume strikes in February. At time of writing, no dates had been given for when that will happen. The Association of Air Navigation Security and Protection Technicians and Employees (ATEPSA) union had already staged a series of strikes in December due to failed wage negotiations. The announcement of more strikes comes as the time period mandated by the government order has now expired. Air traffic controllers are a key part of aeronautical operations, as they are responsible for supervising traffic from control towers and area control centers, coordinating aircraft separation, and guiding both takeoffs and landings.

Wednesday’s filing comes on the heels of the Argentine government’s refusal on Tuesday to disclose the location and movements of the Central Bank’s gold reserves. The denial was in response to a request made by Burford that the gold be considered part of the country’s assets and used as partial payment. In essence, they argue that the gold belongs to the Central Bank, which is a separate entity from the government. Burford has also accused Argentina of “concealing more than US$1 billion in gold reserves,” but the government’s legal representatives said that is false. “The [Central Bank] publishes information about the amount of the gold reserves it holds,” Argentina’s letter said, adding that the country “has repeatedly explained that all gold reserves are the property of and managed by the Central Bank,” which is a “legally separate and distinct” entity from the government.

Non-residents over 12: AR$6000This group exhibit curated by researcher Larisa Zmud — coordinator of the Comedor Gourmet initiative in Villa Fiorito — brings together contemporary art and community kitchens. Surprise gnocchi of the 29th, by OstendeJanuary 29, 8 p.m.Ostende (Virrey Loreto 3303)A long-standing Argentine tradition calls for eating gnocchi on the 29th of each month, placing money under the plate to attract luck, work, and prosperity. On that note, Colegiales eatery Ostende is kicking off the year with its monthly gnocchi series, Toca Toca, la Suerte es Loca (‘Get what you get, luck is crazy’). The event combines the gnocchi tradition with a game of chance and the spirit of a traditional Argentine bodegón, featuring homemade dishes, select wines, and its classic surprise gift game. For this occasion, the off-menu special will feature potato gnocchi with cherry tomatoes, bocconcini, basil oil, and black olives (AR$18,000.)

Argentine football giant River Plate announced on Tuesday plans to expand and construct a roof over the stands of its legendary home stadium, the Estadio Monumental. The works will include a new level of stands along the stadium perimeter, increasing its capacity to 101,000. It would make the Monumental — already the largest football stadium in South America — the second-largest football stadium in the world. The works will also include the construction of a metal-and-glass roof to cover the stands. It will not be included in pre-sale or other means of securing tickets, meaning that it will be off limits for non-members.

Argentine race driver Franco Colapinto said there will be “exciting times ahead” after finishing third on the first day of Formula 1 tests at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, in Spain, on Monday. “Firstly, it’s a good feeling to be going into my first Formula 1 pre-season with a new car,” Colapinto told the Alpine F1 media team about his very first laps with the Alpine A526. Several teams, including defending constructors McLaren and mythical Ferrari, have missed the first day and could miss more. Colapinto finished third among the nine drivers who took part in the run, with a 1:20:189 lap. “I’m going to try to make the most out of it and work a lot with the team.”Cover photo: TWJB Photography/BWT Alpine Formula One Team

The financial health of Argentine households has reached a critical stage, as debt to digital wallets has hit a new record. According to the figures from 2025, over 21% of all digital wallet loans exhibited some form of payment irregularity, triple what they were in the previous year. In recent years, installments were offset by inflation, but now they are no longer offset,” explained EcoGo director Marina Dal Poggetto. Forfeits on personal loans climbed to an unprecedented 11%, while credit card debt reached 8.4%, a sixfold increase from 2024. There was also a marked increase in the amount of credit demanded by both individuals and businesses during 2025.

The Milei government has added a bill to lower the age of criminal responsibility to the agenda for the extraordinary sessions that will begin on February 2. A decree published on Tuesday in Argentina’s Official Gazette expanded the Congressional agenda and revived the debate on a new Juvenile Criminal Code. The bill proposes reducing the age of criminal responsibility from 16 to 14 years of age. “Lowering the age of criminal responsibility can’t wait any longer,” Gabriel Bornoroni, the head of the LLA Deputies bloc, wrote on X. Critics say children should not be treated as adults and claim lowering the age of criminal responsibility will not lower the crime rate, and will only worsen the problem of prison overcrowding.

Wildfires in the Argentine Patagonia have intensified again, with at least three hotspots reactivating in the Los Alerces National Park, in Chubut province. More than 35,000 hectares have already been destroyed in the province. “The situation is getting complicated because of the change in the winds and new, secondary hotspots appearing,” Mirantes added. 71 section connecting National Route 40 with Cholila remains completely closed to all traffic due to the advancing fire and for safety reasons. At least 3,000 tourists had to be evacuated from several forest areas near the Andes mountains since January 8.

Argentina’s country risk, as measured by JP Morgan, fell to 517 basis points on Monday — the lowest level since June 2018. Having a low score, therefore, is key to regaining access to the international debt market. Country risk was close to 2,000 points when Javier Milei took office in December 2023. After striking a deal with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in April, the Argentine administration seemed bent on avoiding international reserve purchases on the grounds that they believed it would trigger a spike in inflation. Argentina’s access to international markets has been voided since 2018, after the collapse of then-President Mauricio Macri’s first economic program.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that Trump’s endorsement and the US$20 billion U.S. currency swap with Argentina had enabled President Javier Milei to perform well in October’s midterm elections. Asked about the swap in an interview with La Derecha Diario owner Javier Negre, Bessent said: “[Trump] endorsed President Milei. Bessent also defended the decision to offer Argentina a currency swap, claiming the deal was misreported. Initially, the U.S. authorities said it could include purchase of the country’s USD bonds, a stand-by credit line, and a Central Bank currency swap. In October 2025, the United States and Argentina agreed on a US$20 billion currency swap line, which Buenos Aires had to “activate” to access the funds.

Indian firm Welspun Corp was chosen by Southern Energy (SESA) as its pipe supplier for a massive US$15 billion project to export liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Vaca Muerta field, beating local company Tenaris, part of the Techint group. Welspun also beat 13 other bids from companies in Spain, China, Colombia, Mexico, Japan, Greece, and Turkey, La Nación reported. “The winning bid barely exceeded US$200 million and was 40% lower than Techint’s,” said journalist Pablo Fernández Blanco. The projectSouthern Energy is a consortium that groups state company YPF with Pan American Energy (PAE), Pampa Energía, Harbour Energy and Golar. The contract it awarded to Welspun is for the supply of pipes for a nearly 500-kilometer pipeline that will carry gas from Vaca Muerta, in Neuquén, to the coast of Río Negro, where it will be liquefied and exported by ship.

The San Matías Gulf, alongside Argentina’s central Río Negro province, has become a key site in national plans to export liquefied natural gas (LNG). However, the San Matías Gulf is an area of enormous ecological value, home to five national and provincial marine reserves. The San Matías Gulf was chosen because it is one of the few points on Argentina’s Atlantic coast with sufficient depth and a direct connection to Vaca Muerta. Several sources consulted by Dialogue Earth have pointed out that environmental assessments of fossil fuel projects in the San Matías Gulf are fragmented. It runs to Punta Colorada, a town located between two protected areas in the San Matías Gulf.