Letter from Buenos Aires - no 9.

It goes without question that Xiomara and I focus on UK interests here in Argentina - it is the very nature of our appointment, but occasionally we are invited to help the national internal security services by providing expertise, contacts, technology or manpower (which, incidentally, Xiomara corrects to read ‘person power’).

So it was on a request from Security Minister Patricia Bullrich with regard to a suspect named as David Nazareno Ávila, identified as an Islamist linked to the Islamic State Daesh group (ISIS), operating here in Argentina. He was arrested on Tuesday 14 January by the Specialized Prosecution Unit for Organized Crime (UFECO).

Ávila, formerly an Argentine army volunteer, is alleged to have had a long-term involvement in recruiting activities on behalf of ISIS using Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Telegram, and X. Telephone data from October last year suggested his involvement in an advanced bombing plan in ‘its last stage of entrustment’. UFECO put in place surveillance and wiretapping to reveal that Avila was working as a courier adjacent to a Jewish community company, giving him access to a variety of targets. In the end it seems that his direct confessions to an undercover agent secured his arrest.

Other news this week (not involving Xiomara or me) but of interest given our report in letter 5 concerning Milei’s sacking on 31 October 2024 of Foreign Minister Diana Mondino, is that her successor, Gerardo Wertehin, has been reorganising his department by recalling Martín García Moritán, Ambassador to Uruguay. We are not clear why this should be, unless in furtherance of Milei’s insistence to consolidate libertarian power throughout his administration. Moritán has had a long record of service from the same year that Roger filmed Octopussy, so maybe, unlike yours truly, he is ready to hang up his diplomatic bag.

Letter from Buenos Aires - no 8.

Last week Javier Milei Friday met up for a sixth time with Giorgia Meloni, President of Italy. Their meeting saw both Milei and his sister Karina being awarded Italian nationality. This rapid grant drew criticisms from Angelo Bonelli, leader of Italy’s Green and Left Alliance who commented that regular applications took years. It will certainly afford Milei the opportunity to continue his Italian connection when he leaves office.

Milei also took the opportunity in Italy to make some choice remarks about the UN, which he described as “a group of authoritarian bureaucrats far removed from humanity”... “87 people (who) have claimed the right to choose what to do with the fate of the planet.”

During his absence, VP Villarruel stood in for the President. However, inappropriately she also chaired a Senate session at which Senator Edgardo Kueider was expelled following his arrest in Paraguay (reported in letter 7). As she was acting Head of the Executive Branch she should have not have sat in the Senate. Milei is not intent on rescuing Kueider, but the episode has given him another opportunity to undermine his VP.

On Friday Milei launched his Nuclear Plan with the Argentine Nuclear Council, saying “Nuclear energy will have its triumphant return.”

He went on to point out that Argentina has top nuclear scientists, available resources of unused territory and energy reserves. His proposal is to build a small modular reactor (SMR) at the Atucha Nuclear Power Plant using Argentine technology, and in a second stage to develop uranium reserves for a further expansion of the nuclear project.

This project makes a lot of sense for Argentina, and Milei’s approach constitutes a welcome breakaway from Chinese technology and dependence.

Letter from Buenos Aires - no 7.

Who do you think informed on Argentine Senator Edgardo Kueider - who in recent times has parted from his Kerchnerite party to side with President Milei? On Wednesday, having driven over La Amistad bridge from Brazil into Paraguay Kueider was promptly arrested in possession of an undeclared US$ 200,000 and the equivalent of US$ 60,000 of pesos. The money was seized pending an inquiry by the Secretariat for the Prevention of Money Laundering and he was required to remain in Paraguay.

Last week Russia opened their Vostok Base in Antarctica - a new winter complex, supposedly for the Institute of Arctic and Antarctic Studies. This comes just eleven months after being announced in a video link by Vladimir Putin and Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko. It will accommodate up to 35 ‘seasonal specialists’ and a winter maintenance crew of up to 15. It’s one to keep an eye on, for Russia is clearly trying to reverse their lack of purchase on Antarctica.

On the subject of Antarctica, do you fancy a cruise on the Swan Hellenic’s ship, Diana? With the failure of its second propeller on day 5 of a 20 day cruise the ship came to an abrupt halt two days short of Antarctica with the sound of ‘grinding, a clunk and juddering’. Much to the alarm of passengers it then turned round mid-ocean to make a 6 day trip at half speed to Ushuaia. Passengers were told that they could choose 50% refund on the voyage - or a 65% off a future trip. Some just resolved to claim on travel insurance or accepted the offer, but seemingly several Russians went on a hunger strike. Chatting with Xiomara, we cannot imagine why they would do this. Perhaps they would prefer to starve at sea than return to Putin’s Russia?

The South American Common Market (Mercosur) and the European Union announced Friday in Montevideo the final signing of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between both blocs, thus creating the largest and most populated commerce zone worldwide. It followed 25 years of negotiations.

“It is a historic milestone,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said in Montevideo. “We stand together on a world stage as partners... it means more jobs and good jobs, more choices and better prices,” she continued. “Mercosur will bring significant benefits to consumers and businesses on both sides, it will facilitate European investment... this will bring great business opportunities.”

The deal might be an excellent one for Germany, but French newspaper L’Opinion says Emmanuel Macron took the news ‘very badly’ and retaliated by disinviting von der Leyen from the reopening of Notre Dame and claiming that ‘the agreement has neither been signed nor ratified. So this is not the end of the story’. Macron versus von der Leyen though? I wonder who will win that one!

Talking of rifts, Paraguay expelled Chinese delegate Xu Wei after accusing him of undermining their relationship with Taiwan and that he had “interfered in internal affairs.” Xu Wei had meetings with Paraguayan lawmakers where he insisted that Paraguay should choose who Paraguay should have diplomatic relations with. “It's either China or with Taiwan,” he apparently said. There is no possibility of both countries simultaneously maintaining relations with Paraguay, so they cancelled his visa and told him to leave.

Letter from Buenos Aires - no 6

It has been three weeks since letter 5 and much has happened here.

Argentina has long been a member of Mercosur (Mercado Común del Sur), a trading group for Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay and Bolivia, with Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru and Suriname as associate members. It operates as a block, entering into trading deals that bind all of its members.

As you might imagine, President Javier Milei has some issues with this arrangement. He wants the opportunity to forge bilateral free-trade agreements with countries outside the block, a step currently precluded under Mercosur rules. He has one ally in Luis Lacalle Pou, President of Uruguay, but he is shortly to leave office. Perhaps Paraguay may be sympathetic? Brazil and Chile are his problem. A particular target is the European market where meat exports could be exchanged for technology. As you might imagine, French farmers are less than lukewarm with the idea.

They meet this coming week. Will Argentina be able to push a deal on the basis of a threat to leave the block? Will President Trump rise to rescue Milei should he quit Mercosur?

Meanwhile, the fraught relationship between Milei and his Vice President Victoria Villarruel has taken another knock. When I saw them together on 1 November at a police graduation they looked strained. I understand that they have not been seen together since. The problem for Milei is that the position of Vice President is an elected post, so not within his gift. The problem for Villarruel is, without engagement by the President, she becomes a lame duck.

It is one of those rainy summer Sundays in Buenos Aires with humidity at 86%. The view from the roof garden of Palacio Haedo looks out over a soggy Plaza San Martin and on to the river Plata. The green parakeets are back. A tribe of them has just landed noisily in the palm trees below.

Letter from Buenos Aires - no 5.

Its been a hectic week here in Buenos Aires with the usual suspects hogging the headlines. Xiomara and I were surprised about one, the Foreign Minister, Diana Mondino.

After announcing the resumption of flights from Córdoba to the Malvinas following her earlier discussions with UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, Diana Mondino attended the UN meeting in New York concerning the 1959 USA sanctions on Cuba. There she disobeyed Javier Milei by voting against the trade embargo, leaving only the USA and Israel in support. On her return Milei sacked her.

Milei immediately recalled the Argentine Ambassador to Washington, Gerardo Werthein to take her place. On Monday he took his oath of office on the Torah. Werthein has been ordered to slash the Foreign Office budget and purge all non-Libertarians from his department, including Paola Di Chiaro who heads Malvinas area. Presidential Advisor Santiago Caputo and Presidential Secretary Karina Milei are to take care of the rest of them. Xiomara and I were brought in to discuss their cost-saving plans to replace diplomatic consulates with National Agencies on the Swedish model, whereby the mission would cover more than one nation.

We reported earlier on the crisis between Argentina and Spain after Javier Milei had accused the wife of Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez of being ‘a criminal’. It looks as if Deputy President Victoria Villarruel’s visit must have charmed the nation as Joaquín María de Arístegui Laborde is to be appointed the new Ambassador to Buenos Aires, to top-up the Spanish diplomatic mission.

The Association of State Workers (ATE) launched a 36-hour strike on Tuesday to protest against spending cutbacks and wages that are not in keeping with inflation.

Letter from Buenos Aires - no 4.

Liam Payne’s untimely death caused ripples of sadness around the world, but particularly in Buenos Aires, the city of his demise. Local investigators have suggested that VIP drug dealers for the rich and famous may be inculpated. Autopsy findings are yet to be released.

Former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has escaped many coffins. Her latest achievement is that she remains the sole candidate to be put forward to chair the Peronist party. Governor Ricardo Quintela (who we mentioned last week) failed to obtain sufficient endorsements when party leaders conspired against him. This week Javier Milei has said that he would like to be the one “to put the last nail in the coffin of Kirchnerism with Cristina inside.” It seems that her nomination is going to provide yet another escape route for this most controversial but resilient leader.

Last week we mentioned the ongoing conflict between Javier Milei and his Vice President Victoria Villarruel. This week the storm has reignited after she posted pictures of herself with the 1970s former President María Estela Martínez de Perón (overthrown by the military on 24 March 1976). Memories of the “Rodrigazo” economic crisis under Evita Perón may have faded, but Martinez’ association with the right wing paramilitary Alianza Anticomunista Argentina is very much part of Argentine modern folklore. Milei said, “I would not have done it. For me, the case of Mrs. María Estela Martínez de Perón does not enhance women. Quite the contrary. I don’t believe that she reached her place because of her intellectual and professional merits.” Xiomara (arguably the most intellectual and professional woman I know) observed that it would be hard to disagree with Milei on this topic. Her words - “Why would she do that?”

On Thursday, Toto, Economy Minister Luis Toto Caputo met with International Monetary Fund MD, Kristalina Georgieva in Washington DC. We are yet to decipher Kristalina’s statement “we have an objective, which is to think together, as a single team, what is best for Argentina”. Any ideas where this may be going?

And finally, Defence Minister Diana Mondino, has threatened to sack anyone who refers to the Malvinas as ‘the Falkland Isles’. You have been warned!

Letter from Buenos Aires - no 3.

This week Xiomara returned to the UK to celebrate her father (Q’s) birthday, unwisely leaving me in charge here at Palacio Haedo. However, save for Ghost’s occasional bark, things have remained strangely quiet!

Those familiar with Argentine politics will recall that the Peronistas - members of the socialist Justicialist (Peronist) party founded in 1946 by Juan Perón and his wife Evita - were trounced by Javier Milei and his libertarians in the 2023 elections. Alberto Fernández, the last Peronist party leader, left power under a cloud of domestic violence allegations. The question remains - who will take his place?

Step forward La Rioja Governor Ricardo Quintela, proposing himself as ‘the unity candidate’- although former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner has other ideas. All of this might not matter for some time, as the Peronists control only five of twenty three provinces and no longer command a majority in the Senate. Yet that could change in Argentine politics, for the socialists may be down, but given historic voting propensities, not out.

VP Victoria Villarruel was probably the right choice to send to Spain this week on a ‘repair mission’ following President Javier Milei’s insults in May to Begoña Gómez, wife of Spain’s PM Pedro Sánchez. However, she met with Popular Party and Senate Speaker, Pedro Rollán rather than Sánchez - perhaps rubbing salt into the wound. By way of absolution, Villarruel has also visited Pope Francis this week. Maybe His Holiness’s divine intervention could heal the rift?

Whilst reviewing odd events, on Monday Javier Milei hosted Boris Johnson at Casa Rosada. It is not known precisely what topics were addressed or what they found in common, however they did reveal that there was absolutely no discussion about the Falklands/Malvenas or tango. Instead it seems that they spoke about Mick Jagger. Apparently Milei is shortly planning a visit to the UK in which he will meet with his idol - Mick, not Boris!

Boris left behind a free copy of his latest book 'Unleashed’. According to Casa Rosada sources it remains unopened.