International
Argentine water and sanitation privatization plan rejected
November 24 |
The president of the state-owned Agua y Saneamiento Argentinos (AySA), Malena Galmarini, rejected Wednesday the intention of the president-elect of that country, Javier Milei, to privatize a group of public companies, among them the one she has been directing for four years.
Through social networks, Galmarini responded to statements made to a television station by the leader of La Libertad Avanza (LLA), who said that AySA worked very well when it was Aguas Argentinas and was private.
“Everything that we can transfer to the private sector, it is better that the sector does it (…) What has been proven is that everything that the public sector does, it does badly”, said Milei, who during the same interview also expressed that he will privatize Ferrocarriles Argentinos.
Galmarini assured that Aguas Argentinas “only extended the networks to the neighborhoods where they could pay”, so it prioritized financial profitability over the attention to consumers and the quality of the service.
He added that “AySA, only in these four years, built 4,000 km of networks, included 1,500,000 neighbors in the water network and 1,600,000 more in the sewage network. We worked with international credit organizations to advance in transcendental works and also in the home connections of humble families”.
He also reminded Milei of estimates made by the World Health Organization (WHO) that for every dollar invested in water and sewage, seven dollars are saved in the health sector. “Not everything is the same. Not everything works badly!” he questioned the libertarian.
In early November, the secretary general of the Sanitary Works Union, José Luis Lingeri, also opposed statements made by Milei and LLA followers in the direction of privatizing water and sewage services.
Lingeri then defended the value of water as a fundamental right after Milei expressed in a meeting with businessmen that “a company can contaminate a river as much as it wants”.
The union leader expressed that the contamination of water courses “is wreaking havoc in the world” and recalled that “every day 4,000 children die (globally) for lack of safe water and sanitation system”. “To say that water has a zero value is to ignore the existence, that water is life and that it is a universal right and a human right,” he stressed.
In reference to Aguas Argentinas and private management, Lingeri assured that “during privatization, the service was only extended to those who could pay, excluding the vulnerable and disadvantaged sectors. This situation highlights the relevance of the State in guaranteeing access for all”.
International
German president says trust in U.S. leadership is ‘lost’ amid global tensions
German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Tuesday that trust between the United States and its Western allies has been “lost,” warning that the damage could persist beyond the presidency of Donald Trump.
“The rupture is very deep, and the loss of trust in U.S. great power policy is significant—not only among its allies, but also, as I observe, globally,” Steinmeier said during a speech in Berlin marking the 75th anniversary of Germany’s Foreign Ministry.
Referring to the future of transatlantic relations, he stated that “there is no return to the situation before January 20, 2025,” the date marking the start of Trump’s second term in the White House.
“Even a future U.S. administration will no longer be able to resume the role of a benevolent hegemon guaranteeing a liberal international order,” added Steinmeier, who previously served as Germany’s foreign minister.
He also criticized the war against Iran, describing it as “contrary to international law” and calling it “a political mistake with serious consequences.”
“This war is avoidable and unnecessary,” he said.
Although the German presidency is largely ceremonial, Steinmeier’s remarks reflect a broader concern within Germany, aligning with the government’s cautious stance while going further in tone.
International
Trump claims talks with Iran as G7 meets to address global tensions
U.S. President Donald Trump said that the United States has held talks with Iran—a claim denied by Tehran—and has temporarily paused his threat to target the country’s electrical infrastructure.
In his first overseas trip since the United States and Israel launched their offensive on February 28, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is expected to address key global issues, including the situation in the Middle East, according to State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott.
Foreign ministers from the Group of Seven will meet in Cernay-la-Ville, close to Versailles, on the outskirts of Paris.
During the meeting, Rubio will hold discussions with his counterparts on “the war between Russia and Ukraine, the situation in the Middle East, and threats to global peace and stability,” Pigott said.
France currently holds the presidency of the G7, whose members also include the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Italy, and Japan.
Although all G7 nations are close allies of the United States, none has offered explicit support for Washington’s military actions against Iran, a stance that has reportedly frustrated Trump.
Last Saturday, G7 foreign ministers called for an “immediate and unconditional end” to Iranian attacks against U.S. allies in the Middle East.
International
Pentagon to deploy 3,000 troops to Persian Gulf as Middle East tensions escalate
The Pentagon is planning to deploy nearly 3,000 troops from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Persian Gulf, according to two senior officials cited Tuesday by Spanish newspaper El País.
Meanwhile, Hezbollah warned it would confront any attempt at occupation following Israel’s announcement that its military will take control of southern Lebanon up to the Litani River, located about 30 kilometers from the border.
In recent hours, the Israel Defense Forces carried out airstrikes on Beirut, while Iran and Hezbollah responded with attacks on Israel, leaving at least six people with minor injuries in Tel Aviv.
The escalation comes as global markets react to renewed instability. The price of oil rose again above $100 per barrel after a brief decline the previous day, following an announcement by U.S. President Donald Trump of a five-day truce on attacks targeting Iran’s energy infrastructure.
Despite the announcement, Iranian authorities reported that two projectiles struck a gas pipeline in Khorramshahr and administrative buildings at a gas facility in Isfahan early Tuesday.
German president says trust in U.S. leadership is ‘lost’ amid global tensions
Trump claims talks with Iran as G7 meets to address global tensions
Pentagon to deploy 3,000 troops to Persian Gulf as Middle East tensions escalate
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