The Argentine Supreme Court ruled that Iran is responsible for the 1994 bombing of a Buenos Aires Jewish centre, which claimed the lives of 85 individuals. The decision allows victims' families to pursue justice internationally. The ruling states that the attacks were orchestrated by the Iranian government and executed by Hezbollah. It underscores the gravity of state-sponsored terrorism, labelling the attacks as crimes against humanity. The verdict follows years of controversy and allegations of the Argentinean government´s involvement in concealing information related to the attacks. The ruling also set sentences of between two and six years for the former judge who led the bombing probe, the intelligence secretary at the time, two prosecutors, and a civilian, all found guilty of concealing and tampering with the investigation. Memoria Activa, a non-profit association dedicated to clarifying responsibility for the terrorist attacks, has criticized these sentences, stating they do not match the gravity of the crimes. Iran has denied any involvement in the bombing.

Sources: Memoria Activa, BBC, New York Times, Clarin

President Javier Milei announced the closure of Telam, the country’s national news agency (established in 1945), labelling it a propaganda agency of the Peronist opposition party. Telam was Latin America's largest public news agency and the second largest of its kind in the Spanish-speaking world. The closure of Telam resulted in 700 job losses. Milei had previously attempted to privatize Telam through his omnibus state reform bill but failed to gain approval in the Chamber of Deputies. Telam’s closing sparked widespread condemnation from journalists' unions, who vowed to use all legal, union, and political means to protect the agency and its employees. They criticized the government for what they see as a severe attack on freedom of expression, noting the police blockade of Télam's buildings to prevent protests. Télam's shutdown is seen by workers and critics alike as an assault on press freedom and democracy, prompting plans for protests.

Sources; Le Monde, Pagina 12, Opinion, Buenos Aires Herald, Reuters

Argentina’s new government, led by Javier Milei, has officially closed the Ministry of Women, Gender, and Diversity turning it into a subsecretary within a broader Ministry of “Human Capital”. The former Ministry, created in 2019, oversaw public policies in the field of gender, equality and diversity. Additionally, the government’s spokesperson has announced the prohibition of inclusive language and of the implementation of a gender perspective throughout the national public administration. The president has publicly denied the existence of a gender wage gap, which according to local calculation falls at 25 per cent. Milei’s party has also presented a plan to overturn the law that legalised abortion in Argentina in December 2020. This has sparked concerns among healthcare workers about the resurgence of unsafe abortions and inadequate abortion care. Civil society leaders and members of the “Ni una menos” feminist collective warn that Milei's rhetoric and actions signal a regressive shift, contradicting Argentina's progressive history on gender and LGBTQIA+ rights. 

Source: Pagina12 (1), Pagina 12(2) The Guardian, El Pais, Boletín Oficial de la República Argentina

Milei´s administration has released statements downplaying dictatorship atrocities and the severity of crimes against humanity committed during the military regime (1976-1983). This constitutes a departure from a long-held consensus within the political class and civil society to condemn such crimes and prosecute the perpetrators. Critics have sounded alarms related to the government’s decisions to cut funding for essential Memory, Truth, and Justice policies. Human rights organizations have expressed grave concerns, warning of the endangerment of Memory sites and the obstruction of ongoing and future trials for crimes against humanity. The release of a video on the government’s official website questioning the widely accepted figure of 30,000 dictatorship victims has sparked outrage across society. As a clear response to this, hundreds of thousands of Argentines demonstrated across the country to mark the anniversary of the country´s last coup and to protest the concerning rise of a "dictatorship denialism" narrative.

Source: Pagina 12 (1), Pagina 12 (2), The Guardian, Association of State Workers

In response to the killings of four innocent civilians by hitmen, there has been a pause in the provision of services in Rosario, one of Argentina’s largest cities.  A majority of schools closed, garbage collected was paused, and transportation strikes took place. Gangs involved in drug trafficking claimed responsibility for these crimes as a direct response to Governor Maximiliano Pullaro’s launch of "Plan Bandera," which deployed federal and state police to target drug-related offenses. This episode represents an unprecedented escalation in violence by drug gangs. Rosario's homicide rate, four times the national average, is tied to drug trade conflicts. Security Minister Patricia Bullrich labelled the situation as one of "narcoterrorism," prompting President Milei to consider expanding military intervention. The potential legislation to increase the military's involvement also generates debate due to Argentina's military role in the violation of human rights during its last dictatorship.
 
Source: BBC, Pagina 12, Sputnik news

In a significant shift in Argentina's political landscape, the presidential run-off on 19 November saw a resounding victory for Javier Milei. Despite falling behind Sergio Massa by nearly 1.8 million votes in the first round, Milei secured 55.7 per cent of votes in the second round, leaving Massa trailing at 44.3 per cent. Known for his far-right leanings, Milei is set to implement widespread privatizations and introduce dollarization within his first year in office, aiming to stabilize Argentina's economy. His win has provoked a variety of global responses, with some expressing cautious optimism and others expressing concern about Argentina's economic trajectory.

Despite the challenging social and economic context in which the elections took place, Transparencia Electoral, an independent organization that promotes electoral transparency, praised the Argentine citizenry for their commitment to democratic values.  The election concluded with a 76 per cent voter turnout, according to the National Electoral Chamber. A slight increase from the 74 per cent turnout in the October general elections, but lower than the 2015 run-off where 80.8 per cent of the eligible voters participated.

Sources: El País , Buenos Aires Herald, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, Transparencia Electoral, Cámara Nacional Electoral

On 22 October, Argentina held its general elections with a turnout of 77.7 per cent (with compulsory voting from the age of 18). Peronist Economy Minister Sergio Massa and Javier Milei emerged as the leading presidential candidates, earning 36.7 per cent and 30 per cent of votes, respectively. Patricia Bullrich underperformed and was eliminated from the presidential race, securing only 23.8 per cent of the votes. The two frontrunners will face each other in a run-off on 19 November.

Alongside the presidential election, the composition of Argentina's Congress was also determined. Unión por la Patria (UxP), led by Massa, became the dominant party, securing 32 out of 72 seats in the Upper House and retaining 104 in the Lower House. Conversely, Juntos por el Cambio's (JxC) representation diminished. Javier Milei’s La Libertad Avanza (LLA) made significant progress, becoming the third largest bloc in Congress. The number of women representatives decreased from 117 to 111.

A preliminary report by Transparencia Electoral indicated the elections were conducted peacefully and democratically across the nation. Nonetheless, it underscores concerns about unequal competition, opacity in campaign financing, restricted media access for opposition, and misappropriation of public resources during campaigning.

Sources: Gobierno de Argentina, El País, El Cronista, Reuters , Buenos Aires Herald, Transparencia Electoral