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⚖️ Senate approves the labor reform promoted by Milei

42 votes in favor – 30 against – Marathon session between protests

📰 The fact

In a session that lasted more than 14 hours, the Senate of the Nation approved in general the labor reform proposed by President Javier Milei. The vote ended with 42 affirmative votes and 30 negative, with no abstentions. Outside Congress, clashes broke out between protesters and security forces, with several injuries reported.

The initiative now goes to the Chamber of Deputies, where the ruling party will seek its final sanction during the extraordinary sessions.

📊 Keys to the reform

• Flexibility of labor contracts and reduction of employer burdens.
• Changes in the system of compensation and sick leave.
• Adjustments in the system of contributions and contributions.
• Greater room for action for the security forces in union conflicts.

🗳️ How each senator voted

✅ In favor (42)

• The ruling bloc La Libertad Avanza en plenary.
• Majority of the UCR.
• PRO Senators.
• Sectors of federal Peronism and provincial allies.

❌ Against (30)

• Bloc of the Frente de Todos (Kirchnerist Peronism).
• Some provincial senators who rejected labor flexibility.
• Left-wing legislators and minority parties.

🟢 Votes in favor of the labor reform (42)

🔹 La Libertad Avanza (ruling party)

1. Bartolomé Abdala
2. Romina Almeida
3. Ivanna Arrascaeta
4. Ezequiel Atauche
5. Vilma Bedia
6. Joaquín Alberto Benegas Lynch
7. Patricia Bullrich
8. Pablo Cervi
9. Agustín Coto
10. Enzo Fullone
11. Juan Cruz Godoy
12. Gonzalo Guzmán Coraita
13. Nadia Márquez
14. Monte de Oca Nativity Scene
15. Agustín Monteverde
16. Bruno Olivera Lucero
17. María Emilia Orozco
18. Juan Carlos Pagotto
19. Francisco Paoltroni

🔹 Radical Civic Union (UCR)

20. Maximiliano Abad
21. Flavio Fama
22. Eduardo Galaretto
23. Mariana Juri
24. Daniel Kroneberger
25. Carolina Losada
26. Silvana Schneider
27. Rodolfo Suárez
28. Gabriela Valenzuela
29. Eduardo Vischi

🔹 PRO (Republican Proposal)

30. Andrea Cristina
31. Martín Goerling
32. Victoria Huala
33. Luis Juez

🔹 Provincial and Independent Blocs

34. Carlos Arce — Frente Renovador de la Concordia Social
35. Sonia Rojas Decut — Frente Renovador de la Concordia Social
36. Julieta Corroza — La Neuquinidad
37. Flavia Royón — First the Salteños
38. Edith Terenzi — Despierta Chubut
39. Beatriz Ávila — Independiente
40. Alejandra Vigo — United Provinces

🔴 Votes against the labour reform (30)

🔸 Union for the Homeland (Kirchnerism / traditional Peronism)

1. Guillermo Andrada
2. Adam Bahl
3. Daniel Bensusán
4. Jorge Capitanich
5. Lucía Corpacci
6. Eduardo "Wado" de Pedro
7. Juliana Di Tullio
8. Anabel Fernández Sagasti
9. María Celeste Giménez Navarro
10. María Teresa González
11. Alicia Kirchner
12. Marcelo Lewandowski
13. Carlos Linares
14. Candida Lopez
15. María Florencia López
16. Juan Luis Manzur
17. Ana Inés Marks
18. José Mayans
19. Mariano Recalde
20. Martín Soria
21. Sergio Uñac

🔸 Federal Conviction / Other Provincials (non-UCR/PRO opposition)

22. Guillermo Andrada — Federal Conviction
23. Sandra Mendoza — Federal Conviction
24. María Carolina Moises — Federal Conviction
25. Jesús Fernando Rejal — Federal Conviction
26. Fernando Salino — Federal Conviction
27. José María Carambia — Moveré por Santa Cruz
28. Natalia Gadano — Moveré por Santa Cruz
29. Gerardo Zamora — Others
30. Elia Moreno — Others
31. José Emilio Neder — Others

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🇦🇷🤝🇺🇸 Argentina-U.S. Trade Agreement

Official Publication – February 2026

📌 Background

• ✍️ Signatories: Pablo Quirno (Argentine Foreign Minister) and Jamieson Greer (USTR USA)
• 📍 Location: Washington D.C.
• 📅 Date: February 5, 2026
• 🎯 Objective: To establish a strategic framework for reciprocal trade and investment

🔑 Key Points

• ⚡ Energy: promotion of exploration and exploitation projects with international standards
• ⛏️ Critical minerals: cooperation on lithium and strategic resources
• 🏗️ Infrastructure: financing and development in transport and logistics
• 💻 Technology: knowledge transfer and access to innovation
• 🏢 Business presence: More than 330 U.S. companies already operating in Argentina

📊 Expected Impact

• 📈 Investments: greater predictability and clear rules to attract capital
• 🌍 Bilateral relationship: consolidation of the strategic alliance
• 💡 Innovation: access to new technologies and know-how
• 🚚 Competitiveness: improvement in logistics and exports

⚠️ Considerations

• 🔄 Opportunity: Argentina is positioned as a key partner in sectors of high global value
• 📉 Challenge: Will depend on macroeconomic stability and domestic compliance
• 🏛️ Political context: reinforces the alignment of Javier Milei's government with Donald Trump's administration

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Crisis at INDEC: Marco Lavagna's resignation opens a political and technical front in the government

The departure of Marco Lavagna from the leadership of the National Institute of Statistics and Census (INDEC) unleashed a strong controversy in the national government and revived the debate on transparency and the methodology used to measure inflation in a context of high economic sensitivity. The resignation came after the Executive's refusal to implement a methodological update of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) scheduled for January, which generated internal tensions and public questioning.

A methodological change that never came

According to official sources, the new measurement scheme had been ready since March 2025 and had been publicly announced in September. However, its application was postponed due to "technical issues" and, as it transpired, also for political reasons linked to the impact it could have on the government's economic communication.

The publication of the CPI for January – which was supposed to incorporate the new methodology – was the breaking point. The Casa Rosada insisted on maintaining the current system, which led to the resignation of Lavagna, who considered that the process had lost institutional predictability.

Pedro Lines, the replacement

The Government appointed Pedro Lines as the new director of the agency. Lines has an extensive technical career within INDEC, but his arrival takes place in a climate of mistrust and political noise. Analysts warn that the immediate challenge will be to rebuild the credibility of the organization and guarantee the continuity of statistical standards.

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⚖️ Labor reform in Congress

The ruling party seeks to approve changes in extraordinary sessions, with tense negotiations between governors and the CGT. Patricia Bullrich and Diego Santilli lead the negotiating wing in a scenario full of political tension.

🏛️ Political context

• 📅 Beginning of extraordinary sessions: Congress opened its agenda with labor reform as the central issue.
• 👩 💼 Bullrich and Santilli: leaders of the ruling party who are leading the negotiations.
• ✊ CGT in resistance: deploys  a national tour to pressure governors and stop the project.

📜 Project content

• 🔧 Flexibility of contracts: new contracting modalities.
• 💰 Reduction of labor costs: simplification of compensation.
• 🌍 Official objective: to modernize the labor market and attract investment.
• 🚨 Union criticism: they denounce a setback in acquired rights.

🔥 Tensions and negotiations

• 🤝 Government vs. governors: some support, others condition their vote.
• 🚩 CGT on the offensive: meetings, mobilizations and the threat of a national strike.
• ⏳ Ruling party against the clock: the Senate plans to deal with the initiative on February 11, with no votes assured.

📊 Keys to the debate

🔮 Possible scenarios

• ✅ Approval without changes: political triumph for Milei, but with massive union protests.
• ✏️ Approval with modifications: partial consensus, but with reduced scope.
• ❌ Rejection: strong political blow to the ruling party and escalation of the union conflict.

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The Government promotes the reform of the Juvenile Criminal Law in extraordinary sessions

The Executive confirmed that the lowering of the age of imputability will be debated in February along with the labor reform

The national government confirmed on Monday the inclusion of the reform of the Juvenile Criminal Law in the agenda of the extraordinary sessions of Congress, which will begin next week. The decision was announced by the Chief of Cabinet, Manuel Adorni, after a strategic meeting at Casa Rosada that was attended by the political core of the ruling party.

The initiative, which seeks to modify the current regime of criminal responsibility for minors, thus joins other priority projects of the Executive, such as labor modernization and the modification of the Glacier Law, configuring a high-impact legislative agenda for the month of February.

A high-level political table

The definition was made during a meeting at Casa Rosada in which Karina Milei, Secretary of the Presidency; the Minister of the Interior, Diego Santilli; the president of the Chamber of Deputies, Martín Menem; the Minister of Economy, Luis Caputo; the presidential advisor, Santiago Caputo; and Senator Patricia Bullrich.

Through his account on the social network X, Adorni ratified the decision: "We met at Casa Rosada since early. The 'Juvenile Criminal Law' will also be part of the agenda of the extraordinary sessions."

What does the reform propose?

The project originally presented by the Executive Branch in 2024 proposes lowering the age of imputability from 16 to 14 years old, although during the previous parliamentary debate there were tensions on this point. The ministers of Justice, Mariano Cúneo Libarona, and Security, Patricia Bullrich, proposed that it be established in 13 years; the deputies set it at 14.

The opinion that obtained consensus in commissions during 2025 included broader aspects than the simple modification of age: its purpose is to promote in the accused adolescent the sense of legal responsibility for his or her actions and achieve his or her education, resocialization and social integration.

Among the provisions contemplated are specific procedural guarantees for minors, such as the right to defence from the beginning of the process, deprivation of liberty as a last measure, and exclusive accommodation in specialized establishments. The sanctions applied may in no case imply an interruption of studies.

An inconclusive debate that returns to the scene

The project had already gone through an extensive debate during 2025. The discussion lasted nine months and brought together 15 different projects; the ruling never reached the floor, lost parliamentary status, forcing the Executive to restart the process from scratch.

Official sources confirmed that the government could resubmit its original version, although during the previous negotiation it had to give in on key points. The text established a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and expressly prohibited life imprisonment. That was another of the points that were modified during the negotiation: in the ruling that advanced, the limit of custodial sentences for adolescents was set at 15 years.

The political context and the cases that accelerated the decision

The reactivation of the debate takes place in a context marked by criminal cases involving minors and generating media repercussions. The most recent cases include the murder of Joaquín Ibarra, 21, and the death of Uriel Giménez, 12, in addition to the murder of Jeremías Monzón in Santa Fe.

Patricia Bullrich, current senator and former Minister of Security, was blunt on her social networks: "Society needs justice and to prevent new victims. Without consequences, there is freedom to commit crimes. There we will see clearly who is on the side of the Argentines, and who continues to defend the criminals."

Conflicting positions

The project faces strong resistance from sectors of the opposition, human rights organizations and leaders of the Catholic Church. According to a UNICEF report, there is no evidence to show that lowering the age of criminal responsibility has a favorable impact on greater security for the population.

Critics warn that a 14-year-old convicted of a felony could receive a sentence beyond his or her own age, undermining any chance that person could have a life beyond prison.

Kirchnerism already expressed its outright rejection during the debate in commissions in 2025, although the Renovation Front showed internal fissures, with legislators willing to support the initiative.

Next steps

The extraordinary sessions will begin next Monday, February 2 and will last until the 27th of the same month. With a renewed parliamentary map after the 2025 elections, the ruling party is confident of gathering the necessary support to move forward with this reform that promises to become one of the most intense debates of the legislative year.

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🔥 Fires in Patagonia: more than 15,000 hectares affected in Chubut and concern grows about possible intentionality

The forest fires that have been affecting the province of Chubut for several days have already consumed more than 15,000 hectares of native forests and grasslands, in one of the most severe events of the summer season. The provincial and national authorities are deploying a wide operation to try to contain the advance of the fire, which is favored by the high temperatures, low humidity and strong winds characteristic of the region.

🚒 A large-scale operation

More than 350 firefighters, including personnel from the National Fire Management Service (SNMF), volunteer firefighters, provincial teams and federal forces, are working on different active fronts. The operation includes:

• Ground crews with hand tools and motor pumps
• Helicopters with helibucket for aerial unloading
• Hydrant planes operating from nearby bases
• Logistics, communications and health support teams

The tasks are concentrated in areas that are difficult to access, where the mountainous topography and the density of the forest make it difficult for the brigade members to advance.

🌲 Environmental impact and risk to communities

The fire affects areas of high ecological value, with the presence of native species such as cypress, coihue and lenga. Specialists warn that the recovery of these ecosystems may take decades.

Although no fatalities were recorded, several rural communities remain on preventive alert, and some residents were temporarily evacuated due to the advance of smoke and the proximity of the flames. Intermittent roadblocks were also reported on routes and secondary roads.

🔍 Possible intentionality is being investigated

Judicial and environmental authorities opened an investigation to determine the origin of the fire. Although there are no official conclusions yet,  intentionality, a recurring factor in the fires in the region in recent years, is not ruled out.

Sources from the provincial government indicated that testimonies, satellite images and patterns of fire initiation are being analyzed to establish responsibilities.

🏛️ Official response and requests for reinforcement

The national government activated the SNMF emergency protocol and sent additional resources at the request of the province. Environmental organizations and local leaders are calling for greater investment in prevention, infrastructure and control, especially in areas where real estate and tourism pressure has grown rapidly.

🌦️ Forecast and outlook

The weather forecast for the next few days anticipates adverse conditions, with high temperatures and variable winds that could complicate containment tasks. Teams on the ground are working to consolidate firebreaks and prevent the fire from reaching populated areas or more sensitive nature reserves.

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Milei in Davos: a more moderate discourse with an international focus

🌍 Introduction: a global scenario where the message can be recalibrated

Argentine President Javier Milei's participation in the World Economic Forum in Davos marked a turning point with respect to his previous interventions. Although it maintained its classical liberal narrative, the tone was significantly more moderate and aimed at building international dialogue. The speech sought to convey predictability, attract investment and reposition Argentina as an actor aligned with the market economy.

🗣️ A change of tone: ideological firmness, less confrontation

Unlike his more combative statements in the campaign or in the legislative opening, Milei opted for a less confrontational register.

• It reduced the polemical burden against multilateral organizations and foreign leaders.
• He avoided direct attacks on governments of the opposite sign.
• He prioritized macroeconomic concepts over ideological slogans.

The objective was clear: to show himself as a president capable of sustaining his convictions without dynamiting diplomatic bridges.

💼 Economic message: orthodoxy, stability and "confidence shock"

The core of the speech revolved around the need to stabilize the Argentine economy by:

• Strict tax discipline
• Trade openness
• Market deregulation
• Long-term structural reforms

Milei insisted that Argentina "has no room for gradualism," but he did so without the apocalyptic tone of other occasions. The strategy was to present the adjustment as a technical, inevitable process aimed at recovering credibility.

🌐 International focus: alignment and search for partners

The president dedicated a good part of his speech to reinforcing the idea that Argentina wants to integrate into the world.

• He reaffirmed ties with the United States and Europe, highlighting democratic values and economic freedom.
• It sought to attract capital by emphasizing legal certainty and opportunities in energy, mining and agribusiness.
• He avoided tensions with China and Brazil, despite ideological differences, which was read as a pragmatic gesture.

The implicit message: Argentina needs partners and is willing to play by predictable rules.

🧭 International reception: caution, interest and expectation

The reaction in Davos was mixed but mostly attentive.

• Businessmen and investment funds valued the shift towards a more technical discourse.
• Political analysts highlighted moderation as a sign of institutional learning.
• Foreign governments cautiously viewed the domestic viability of the reforms.

The challenge for Milei will be to turn this good initial reception into concrete commitments.

Internal impact: message to markets and opposition

In a domestic key, the speech functioned as a signal to:

• The markets, which are looking for stability and a clear direction.
• The opposition, to which Milei is trying to show that his economic program has international support.
• Its own base, which might see moderation as a tactical strategy, not as an ideological abandonment.

The balance between external pragmatism and internal radicalism will be one of the axes of his administration.

🔮 Conclusion: a more diplomatic Milei, without renouncing his identity

The visit to Davos left the image of a president who is trying to reconcile his liberal-libertarian identity with the need for international governance. The moderation of tone does not imply a change of course, but a strategic adjustment to gain global legitimacy and attract investment.

The real test will come in the coming months, when he must demonstrate that his economic program can be sustained politically within Argentina.

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📉 Foreign investment falling: Argentina registers historic deficit in 2025

Introduction

Foreign direct investment (FDI) in Argentina closed 2025 with a negative balance of USD 1,421 million, the first since 2003. The data reflects the outflow of capital and the lack of new large-scale investments, in a context of economic and political uncertainty.

Context and figures

• FDI inflows: USD 1,342 million between January and November.
• Expenditures: USD 2,763 million in the same period.
• Result: Deficit of USD 1,421 million.
• Historical comparison: In 2024 the balance had been slightly positive (USD 89 million).

Factors that explain the fall

• Exit of multinationals: Several international companies reduced operations or sold assets to local groups.
• Deteriorated investment climate: The liberalization of the exchange rate clamp failed to attract fresh capital.
• International perception: Media such as  the Financial Times remarked that the reforms of Javier Milei's government have not yet convinced large corporations.

Economic and political impact

• Worrying sign: FDI is key to productive projects and job creation.
• Challenge for the Government: It contradicts the official discourse of "macroeconomic order" and puts pressure on the strategy of trade liberalization.
• Regional comparison: Argentina differs negatively from neighboring countries that maintain positive investment flows.

Conclusion

The fall in foreign direct investment in 2025 is a negative milestone for the Argentine economy. The challenge for 2026 will be to regain credibility and attract genuine capital, preventing the exit of multinationals from becoming a structural trend.

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📰 Health alert in Argentina: cases of measles and whooping cough increase

The Ministry of Health issued an epidemiological alert after detecting a significant increase in cases of measles and whooping cough in different provinces of the country. The situation worries the authorities due to the low vaccination coverage in the child and adolescent population, which has resulted in several deaths of minors who had not received the corresponding doses.

📈 Epidemiological context

• In recent weeks, outbreaks were confirmed in Córdoba, Buenos Aires and Santa Fe, with community circulation of both diseases.
• Influenza A H3N2 is also under surveillance, although a significant increase in cases has not yet been reported.
• According to official data, measles vaccination coverage is below 85%, far from the 95% recommended by the World Health Organization.

🧪 Official statements

The Minister of Health, Carla Vizzotti, warned:

"We are facing a complex scenario. Vaccination is the most effective tool to prevent preventable deaths. We urge families to complete their children's immunization schedules."

👨 👩 👧 Social impact

• Parents expressed concern about the lack of mass vaccination campaigns in vulnerable neighborhoods.
• Medical and pediatric organizations are calling for a national plan to reinforce mobile brigades in schools and community centers.
• In public hospitals, there are long lines to access doses of MMR and vaccines against whooping cough.

📊 Key facts

🔍 Analysis

The health crisis exposes a structural weakness in the Argentine vaccination system, marked by the lack of sustained campaigns and misinformation on social networks. Experts warn that, if the trend is not reversed, the country could face an epidemic of similar magnitude to the one recorded in 2019, when measles reappeared after two decades of eradication.

📌 Conclusion

The current situation requires an immediate and coordinated response between the State, the provinces and civil society. Mass vaccination and clear communication will be key to stopping the advance of diseases that, in the 21st century, should be under control.

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