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.

The interim government of Venezuela will hand over between 30 and 50 million barrels of “high quality, sanctioned oil” to the United States following the military operation in the country and the capture of leader Nicolás Maduro, President Donald Trump announced on Tuesday. Oil currently sells for around US$56 a barrel, meaning the deal announced by Trump could be worth up to US$2.8 billion. See more 🚨 President Donald J. Trump announces Interim Authorities in Venezuela will be turning over between 30 and 50 MILLION Barrels of High Quality, Sanctioned Oil, to the United States of America. Meanwhile, the U.S. Navy informed on Wednesday that it has seized a Russian-flagged tanker linked to Venezuelan oil in the North Atlantic. Several ships that were going to Venezuela have reportedly had to change course after the military intervention intensified in recent weeks.

Argentina’s Central Bank (BCRA) announced on Wednesday it had negotiated a repurchase agreement (known as a repo) with international banks for US$3 billion. This will allow the country to face debt maturities close to US$4.2 billion due on Friday, January 9. This is the third repo with international banks carried out by Economy Minister Luis Caputo since taking office in December 2023. The first two, signed in January and June 2025, used BOPREAL dollar-denominated securities as collateral, for a total of US$3 billion. The decision is part of a government-announced move that it will begin a reserve-accumulation process in 2026, something markets and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) had been calling for.

The decree was published in Venezuela’s Official Gazette on Monday but dated January 3, the day of the U.S. attack. This is the first time the government has used this disposition since it was created in 1999. The document also details measures to repel the foreign military incursion, including the deployment of the national armed forces across the country and the reinforcement of border security. Human rights concernsHuman rights organizations expressed concern over the decree, especially the article explicitly ordering the capture of those who backed the U.S. operation. One of them is military police officer Nahuel Gallo, who was arrested in December 2024 after being accused of being part of an alleged plot against Venezuela.

Argentine President Javier Milei was one of the few Latin American leaders to unquestionably celebrate the U.S. military intervention that captured Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro on Saturday. In 2024, Venezuela broke ties with Argentina. Five members of the Venezuelan opposition sought refuge in the Argentine embassy in Caracas after General Prosecutor Tarek William Saab ordered their arrest. A second incident took place in late 2024, when the Venezuelan government arrested Argentine military police officer Nahuel Agustín Gallo on charges of espionage. “He must be bursting with that monster face of his, because he’s an ugly guy, too, and stupid,” the Venezuelan leader said.