International
Milei proposes may pact for opposition unity, promising firm leadership
Argentine President Javier Milei has called on the opposition to sign the ‘May Pact’, a new foundational document with 10 State policies, while offering his “conviction” in response to criticisms over potential governance issues during his administration.
In his inaugural address at the ordinary sessions of the National Congress, the president urged the 23 provinces and the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires to sign this document on May 25, the Day of the Motherland, in the city of Córdoba (central Argentina).
However, he explained that he will summon local governors to the Casa Rosada (Government headquarters) “to sign a pre-agreement and enact both the Basic Law (and Starting Points for the Freedom of Argentines) and a package of fiscal relief for the provinces” to then work “on a common project” and “begin a new era of glory” for Argentina.
Milei aims for consensus
Behind this dual proposal lies the recent standoff between the president and provincial governors over fiscal adjustment and cuts in funds that the State must send to the territories, which led to a call for “dialogue” and “respect” from local governors amid Milei’s frequent outbursts and disparaging messages towards them.
“If what they seek is conflict, they will have conflict because, unlike some of you who think about your next election, we only think about freedom,” said the libertarian president.
Milei asked that, despite differences, leaders can “prioritize the nation’s interests over electoral ones”.
Therefore, he called on governors and leaders of political parties to sign the ‘May Pact’ to “leave behind the antinomies of the past”, with 10 State policies for Argentina to abandon “the path of failure”.
Inviolability of private property; non-negotiable fiscal balance; reduction of public spending to around 25% of Gross Domestic Product (GDP); tax reform to reduce tax pressure; review of the co-participation scheme (State-provinces) “and end the current extortionate model” were the first points listed.
Milei invites all parties
Furthermore, the commitment of the provinces to advance in the exploitation of natural resources; a “modern” labor reform; a sustainable pension reform; structural political reform to modify the current system; and opening up international trade for Argentina “to be a protagonist in the global market”.
Milei said that all parties are invited because, as he claimed, neither he nor his party want to “play the mediocre game of politics”, but rather they emerged on the scene to “seriously change the country”.
In response to the potential governance issues often discussed concerning the lack of “parliamentary strength” of La Libertad Avanza (LLA, far-right), Milei countered with his “conviction”.
Thus, he claimed that his party “may not have the parliamentary strength or governors or mayors, but it knows what it has to do, how to do it, and has the conviction to do it”.
LLA is the third parliamentary minority, with 38 deputies and 7 senators, and does not have any governors, which obliges it to make agreements to advance legislative projects.
Télam News Agency to be shut down
Milei announced that his government will close the Télam public news agency.
In reviewing some achievements of his Executive in the 82 days since taking office on December 10, the libertarian highlighted the closure of the National Institute against Discrimination, Xenophobia, and Racism (INADI), which he described as “thought police”, which, he explained, “spent 2.8 billion pesos to maintain paid militants”.
“In this same vein, we are going to close the Télam agency,” the president announced without offering further details of the operation.
He also referred to the “immorality” of “spending money to buy the will of journalists” through official advertising in the media, which his Executive has suspended for a year, “in a country where people are starving”.
Founded in April 1945, the Argentine public news agency Télam had been in the libertarians’ sights since the electoral campaign, during which several leaders referred to its possible privatization or closure, as well as with the rest of the public media.
However, today the president only mentioned Télam.
Other media may be affected
On February 5, the Argentine government published in the Official Gazette the decree of intervention for one year of all state media as part of its policy of “reorganizing public companies”.
The Educ.ar portal, Radio Nacional, Televisión Pública, the Télam news agency, and the segmented Public Content channels (Encuentro, Paka Paka, Depor TV, ACUA Mayor, and ACUA Federal) were included in the list of media intervened for a year – with the option of extension – by Decree 117/2024.
Also included were the administration of the Audiovisual Production Center and the assets of the Argentine Universal Audiovisual Content Bank (Bacua).
According to the decree, the mission of the intervention was to “develop a plan for reformulation, readjustment, and action for the societies”, which will include reviewing fund management, modifying the contracting regime, and appointing or suspending officials.
The document named Diego Chaher and Diego Marías as intervenor and deputy intervenor, respectively, of Radio and Television Argentina and, ‘ad honorem’, of Télam, Public Contents, and Educ.ar. Both under the authority of the Chief of Cabinet of Ministers, Nicolás Posse.
“Populism took away 90% of our income”
In addition, the Argentine president denounced that populism took away a good part of the population’s income, when reviewing the “inheritance” received from the Administration of the Peronist Alberto Fernández (2019-2023).
“Populism took away 90% of our income to the point that a third of formal workers are poor,” said the president at the beginning of his speech before the Legislative Assembly, which serves as the start of its ordinary sessions and which offers, as he himself recalled, 82 days after the start of his administration, last December 10th.
International
Trump announces 17-nation alliance in the Americas to “destroy” drug cartels
U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Saturday the creation of a 17-nation alliance across the Americas aimed at dismantling drug cartels, during a regional summit held at his golf club in Doral.
Speaking to a group of allied leaders at the Shield of the Americas Summit, Trump said the initiative would rely on military force to eliminate powerful criminal networks operating throughout the hemisphere.
“The heart of our agreement is the commitment to use lethal military force to destroy these sinister cartels and terrorist networks. Once and for all, we will put an end to them,” Trump told the assembled heads of state.
The Republican leader argued that large portions of territory in the Western Hemisphere have fallen under the control of transnational gangs and pledged U.S. support to governments seeking to confront them. He even suggested the potential use of highly precise missiles against cartel leaders.
Before making the announcement, Trump greeted the roughly twelve leaders attending the summit, including close allies such as Javier Milei, Daniel Noboa and Nayib Bukele, whom he described as a “great president.”
The meeting forms part of Trump’s broader regional strategy inspired by his reinterpretation of the Monroe Doctrine, which seeks to reinforce Washington’s influence in the Americas, strengthen security cooperation and counter the growing presence of powers such as China.
Trump pointed to recent U.S. actions in the region as examples of his administration’s approach, including the operation that led to the capture of former Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro earlier this year.
The summit also takes place amid escalating international tensions following the conflict launched last week by the United States and Israel against Iran.
International
Trump replaces Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem with Senator Markwayne Mullin
U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday the departure of Kristi Noem as Secretary of Homeland Security, one of the key architects of the administration’s policy of deporting undocumented immigrants.
Noem, who has been assigned a new role as a “special envoy” to Latin America, will be replaced starting March 31 by Republican Senator Markwayne Mullin, the president said in a message posted on his social media platform Truth Social.
According to media reports, Trump made the decision after Noem’s recent hearings in Congress, during which she faced tough questions regarding the awarding of a major public contract.
International
Young Woman Will Represent Mexico at 2026 World Cup Opener, Says President Sheinbaum
Mexico’s president, Claudia Sheinbaum, announced Thursday that the young Mexican woman who proves to have the best ball control skills will receive her personal ticket to the opening match of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Mexico City.
The left-wing leader had previously said she would not attend the tournament’s opening game on June 11 in the Mexican capital and instead planned to give away the ticket number 00001, reserved for her by FIFA.
During her morning press conference, Sheinbaum explained that women between 16 and 25 years old can participate by submitting a video through an official platform.
“What do they have to do? Keep the ball in the air for one minute,” she said, referring to the soccer juggling challenge that will determine the winner.
Among the judges selecting the winner will be Mexican striker Charlyn Corral, the world’s top female scorer who set a ball-control record in 2005, and professional referee Katia Itzel García.
Sheinbaum also revealed that she plans to watch the opening match during a large public gathering with giant screens in the Zócalo, located in the historic center near the presidential palace.
“Very few people will be able to attend the opening. So I will watch it here with the people, and a young woman will represent me and the people of Mexico,” the president said.
Sheinbaum has previously commented on the high cost of World Cup tickets, as well as the difficulty of obtaining them in a metropolitan area with more than 20 million inhabitants.
In the 2026 tournament, jointly hosted by United States, Mexico, and Canada, Mexico will stage 13 matches in Mexico City, Guadalajara, and Monterrey.
The opening match will take place at the legendary Estadio Azteca, which previously hosted World Cup opening ceremonies in 1970 and 1986, occasions when the presidents in attendance were famously booed by the crowd.
Trump announces 17-nation alliance in the Americas to “destroy” drug cartels
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