Thousands of Faithful Bid Farewell to Pope Francis

Pope Francis, who died on Monday at the age of 88, is being held in St. Peter's Basilica where thousands of faithful come to pay their respects before his funeral, scheduled for Saturday.

The pontiff's body was transferred from Casa Santa Marta to the Basilica in a solemn procession led by the College of Cardinals. More than 20,000 people gathered in St. Peter's Square received the coffin with applause as it was carried down the steps of the Basilica.

During the opening ceremony, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, led a brief prayer thanking "the innumerable gifts he bestowed on the Christian people through his servant, Pope Francis" during his 12-year pontificate.

The funeral Mass will take place on Saturday, April 26 at 10:00 a.m. in St. Peter's Square, presided over by Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals. Some 200,000 faithful and more than 150 international delegations are expected to attend, including numerous heads of state and government.

Although Pope Francis introduced some changes to traditional funeral protocol, mainly related to the coffin, the ceremony will maintain the characteristic solemnity with strict diplomatic and liturgical protocol.

After Mass, the late Pope's body will be transferred from St. Peter's Basilica to the Basilica of St. Mary Major for burial.

Jorge Mario Bergoglio, born in Buenos Aires in 1936, was elected pope on March 13, 2013, becoming the first Latin American pontiff in history.

La deuda externa argentina ha experimentado un crecimiento sin precedentes desde la época de la dictadura militar, sin que este endeudamiento haya generado beneficios tangibles para su población. Este fenómeno está estrechamente relacionado con el modelo extractivista que los sucesivos gobiernos han impulsado con el objetivo de obtener las divisas necesarias para cumplir con los compromisos financieros internacionales.

Expertos advierten que contraer nuevos compromisos con el Fondo Monetario Internacional (FMI) profundizaría la entrega de bienes estratégicos y perpetuaría un ciclo de extractivismo, deterioro social y pérdida de soberanía nacional.

Intereses internacionales en recursos estratégicos

El interés de potencias como Francia en Argentina se centra principalmente en oportunidades de negocio vinculadas a la aprobación de acuerdos con el FMI, particularmente en sectores relacionados con los denominados "metales críticos". Esta aproximación se alinea con un modelo económico que prioriza la mercantilización, financiarización y extranjerización de recursos naturales como el litio y el uranio, bajo el discurso de la "transición energética".

Analistas comparan este mecanismo con una forma de extorsión, similar a las recientes exigencias internacionales de compensar ayuda militar con acceso a recursos minerales. La explotación de estos recursos en territorio argentino ha generado denuncias por violaciones de derechos y falta de participación democrática, como ocurre con la extracción de litio por empresas extranjeras en territorios de comunidades indígenas.

Un legado histórico cuestionado

Los conflictos actuales tienen raíces históricas que se remontan a la época colonial, cuando se estableció un patrón de deuda que fue posteriormente profundizado por los estados independientes. Figuras históricas como el General San Martín cuestionaron la legitimidad de las deudas coloniales, aunque la historia posterior muestra la imposición continua de nuevos compromisos financieros.

Durante el siglo XIX, los intereses de potencias como Gran Bretaña consolidaron un modelo económico dependiente de la exportación de productos primarios, incrementando simultáneamente las deudas históricas con los pueblos originarios y el medio ambiente.

El punto de inflexión de la dictadura

La dictadura militar instaurada en 1976 marcó un momento decisivo al insertar a Argentina en el sistema financiero global, estableciendo una conexión directa entre especulación financiera, endeudamiento y reprimarización económica. La rápida aprobación de un crédito del FMI tras el golpe de Estado fue interpretada como una señal de respaldo para la banca internacional.

El programa económico implementado durante este período, denunciado por periodistas como Rodolfo Walsh, resultó en lo que algunos economistas denominan "miseria planificada", caracterizada por cierre de industrias y aumento del desempleo. La deuda pública aumentó exponencialmente, incluyendo operaciones cuestionadas como el endeudamiento de empresas públicas y la posterior estatización de deudas privadas.

Crisis recurrentes y nuevo ciclo de endeudamiento

Tras el colapso económico de 2001, el modelo de especulación, extracción y endeudamiento ha persistido con la incorporación de nuevos actores financieros globales. Las consecuencias incluyen devastación ambiental, incremento de la pobreza y crecimiento sostenido de la deuda pública.

Críticos del sistema señalan como particularmente grave la operación financiera de 50.000 millones de dólares durante el gobierno de Mauricio Macri y las condiciones impuestas por el FMI, que según diversos análisis, perpetúan este ciclo. Alternativas como el canje de deuda por conservación ambiental son consideradas por muchos expertos como soluciones inadecuadas.

Ante el nuevo acuerdo con el FMI, economistas prevén un escenario de menor producción local, mayor pobreza y mayor presión sobre los recursos naturales. El objetivo primordial, según estas voces críticas, parece ser la obtención de divisas para mantener el ciclo de endeudamiento, aun a costa de mayor extranjerización y ajuste económico.

Los especialistas en economía y derechos humanos advierten sobre la urgencia de revisar la política de endeudamiento nacional para evitar lo que algunos analistas describen como un "sacrificio" de activos reales y recursos naturales en beneficio de acreedores externos.

Tariff Trade War

The trade war that has marked the last decades has been a complex phenomenon, with repercussions that transcend borders and economies. At the heart of this conflict are tariffs, those tariffs that governments impose on imported goods, as a tool to protect their local industries and often as a means of putting pressure on other nations.

The term "trade war" was popularized in the context of tensions between the United States and China, but its roots run much deeper. Since the 2008 financial crisis, the world's economies have been in a state of uncertainty. Governments, in an attempt to stimulate growth, began to adopt protectionist policies. However, it was the election of Donald Trump in 2016 that ignited the spark of a large-scale conflict.

Trump, with his slogan "America First," argued that U.S. trade policies had led to deindustrialization and job losses. Thus, he began to impose tariffs on Chinese goods, arguing that China was manipulating its currency and stealing intellectual property. This was the start of a series of measures that triggered a response from Beijing, leading to an escalation of tariffs that affected thousands of products.

Global Impact

The trade war did not only affect the United States and China. Economies around the world began to feel the repercussions. The tariffs imposed on products such as steel and aluminum not only impacted exporting countries, but also increased costs for U.S. manufacturers who relied on these materials. Global supply chains, which had been optimized for decades, were disrupted, leading to an increase in prices and a decrease in competitiveness.

Financial markets also reacted volatilely. Uncertainty about the future of international trade caused fluctuations in stock markets, affecting investments and consumer confidence. Companies began to rethink their strategies, seeking to diversify their sources of supply and reduce their dependence on a single country.

The International Response

As the trade war intensified, other countries began to take sides. The European Union, Mexico and Canada, among others, responded to the U.S. tariffs with their own tariffs. This dynamic not only complicated bilateral relations, but also created an environment of mistrust and rivalry in international trade.

The World Trade Organization (WTO) became a battleground, with countries filing complaints and disputes over tariff policies. However, the WTO's ability to mediate and resolve these conflicts was limited, leading to a stalemate in negotiations and increased global tension.

The Beginning of the End

However, as the trade war progressed, signs began to emerge that this conflict might be coming to an end. The COVID-19 pandemic, which broke out in 2020, drastically altered the global economic landscape. Disruptions in supply chains and the need for international cooperation to face the health crisis led many leaders to reconsider their positions.

In this context, negotiations were held between the United States and China, resulting in the signing of "Phase One" of the trade agreement in January 2020. This agreement included commitments to purchase U.S. agricultural products by China and a commitment not to devalue its currency. Although it did not resolve all tensions, it was a step towards de-escalation.

Final Thoughts

The tariff trade war has left an indelible mark on the global economy. It has highlighted the interconnectedness of modern economies and the fragility of trade relations. As the world faces new challenges, such as climate change and health crises, the need for collaboration and mutual understanding becomes more pressing.

The beginning of the end of this trade war could be indicative of a broader shift in how nations approach trade. Cooperation could replace confrontation, and tariffs could be seen as a tool of the past in a world seeking more sustainable and equitable solutions.

Ultimately, the tariff trade war has taught us that while tensions may arise, economic interdependence is a reality that cannot be ignored. The future of international trade will depend on the ability of countries to work together, find common ground, and build a trading system that benefits all.

The ratification by the Chamber of Deputies of the Decree of Necessity and Urgency (DNU) authorizing a new agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF) is a significant event in the political and economic context of Argentina. These types of decisions tend to generate intense debates, as they involve financial commitments and adjustments that can affect broad sectors of society.

Legislative support, although not a law in itself, gives important institutional validation to the economic course that the ruling party seeks to implement. This reflects, in part, the correlation of political forces in Congress and the government's ability to achieve consensus, even if it is in a tight manner.

It is crucial to remember that agreements with the IMF are often accompanied by conditionalities that may include austerity measures, structural reforms, and fiscal adjustments. These policies are often controversial, as they can have profound social and economic impacts, especially on vulnerable sectors.

The phrase "Let's not forget who they are and what they vote for" seems to point to the political responsibility of legislators and their alignment with the interests of their constituents. In a context of economic crisis and high inflation, decisions related to the IMF are often viewed with skepticism by a part of the population, which can influence the public perception of political representatives and their votes.

In summary, this fact marks a milestone in the economic policy of the current government, but it also opens a space for debate on the costs and benefits of this type of agreement, as well as on the role of legislators in making decisions that affect the future of the country.

One by one, this is how the deputies voted on the DNU in agreement with the IMF

Afirmativo

129 

sabrina

ajmechet

PRO

lisandro

almirón

LLA

pablo

ansaloni

LLA

marcela

antola

DPS

damián

arabia

PRO

alberto gustavo

arancibia rodríguez

LLA

martín

ardohain

PRO

martín

arjol

UCR

alberto

arrúa

IF

belén

avico

PRO

jorge antonio

avila

EF

karina ethel

bachey

PRO

nancy

ballejos

PRO

karina

banfi

UCR

mario

barletta

UNIDOS

atilio

benedetti

UCR

beltrán

benedit

LLA

bertie

benegas lynch

LLA

gabriela

besana

PRO

emmanuel

bianchetti

PRO

rocío

bonacci

LLA

alejandro

bongiovanni

PRO

gabriel

bornoroni

LLA

victoria

borrego

CC-ARI

sofía

brambilla

PRO

gabriela

brouwer de koning

UCR

pamela

calletti

IF

marcela

campagnoli

CC-ARI

mariano

campero

UCR

sergio eduardo

capozzi

PRO

soledad

carrizo

UCR

pablo

cervi

UCR

gabriel felipe

chumpitaz

PRO

gerardo

cipolini

UCR

julio

cobos

UCR

facundo

correa llano

LLA

carlos

d'alessandro

LLA

rodrigo

de loredo

UCR

maría florencia

de sensi

PRO

romina

diez

LLA

agustín

domingo

IF

nicolás

emma

LLA

josé luis

espert

LLA

eduardo

falcone

MID

daiana

fernández molero

PRO

agustín

fernández

IND

carlos alberto

fernández

IF

elia marina

fernández

IND

maximiliano

ferraro

CC-ARI

alida

ferreyra

LLA

germana

figueroa casas

PRO

alejandro

finocchiaro

PRO

mónica

frade

CC-ARI

ignacio

garcía aresca

EF

carlos

garcía

LLA

ricardo

garramuño

SF

josé luis

garrido

PSC

melina

giorgi

DPS

silvana

giudici

PRO

álvaro

gonzález

PRO

gerardo gustavo

gonzález

LLA

carlos

gutiérrez

EF

gerardo

huesen

LLA

maría cecilia

ibañez

MID

fernando adolfo

iglesias

PRO

florencia

klipauka lewtak

LLA

luciano andrés

laspina

PRO

lilia

lemoine

LLA

osvaldo

llancafilo

MPN

mercedes

llano

LLA

juan manuel

lópez

CC-ARI

silvia

lospennato

PRO

lorena

macyszyn

LLA

martín

maquieyra

PRO

nadia

márquez

LLA

álvaro

martínez

LLA

nicolás

mayoraz

LLA

gladys

medina

IND

gerardo

milman

PRO

guillermo

montenegro

LLA

francisco

monti

UCR

francisco

morchio

EF

julio

moreno ovalle

LLA

maría de los ángeles

moreno

PyT

lisandro

nieri

UCR

josé luis

nuñez

PRO

paula

oliveto lago

CC-ARI

paula

omodeo

CREO

emilia

orozco

LLA

pablo

outes

IF

marcela marina

pagano

LLA

santiago

pauli

LLA

josé luis

peluc

LLA

luis albino

picat

UCR

miguel ángel

pichetto

EF

nancy viviana

picón martínez

PyT

carolina

píparo

LLA

juan carlos

polini

DPS

maría celeste

ponce

LLA

fabio josé

quetglas

UCR

manuel

quintar

LLA

marilú

quiroz

PRO

verónica

razzini

PRO

roxana

reyes

UCR

cristian a.

ritondo

PRO

jorge

rizzotti

DPS

laura

rodríguez machado

PRO

ana clara

romero

PRO

yamila

ruíz

IF

javier

sánchez wrba

PRO

roberto antonio

sánchez

UCR

juliana

santillán juárez brahim

LLA

diego

santilli

PRO

santiago

santurio

LLA

natalia silvina

sarapura

UCR

maría

sotolano

PRO

alejandra

torres

EF

anibal

tortoriello

PRO

josé federico

tournier

UCR

césar

treffinger

LLA

daniel

vancsik

IF

patricia

vásquez

PRO

yolanda

vega

IF

pamela fernanda

verasay

UCR

maría eugenia

vidal

PRO

lorena

villaverde

LLA

martín

yeza

PRO

oscar

zago

MID

carlos raúl

zapata

LLA

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