📉 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

Factors that explain the fall
Economic and political impact
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.
📰 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
🧪 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
📊 Key facts
|
Illness |
Confirmed cases |
Vaccination coverage |
Current risk |
|
Measles |
+250 in 3 provinces |
85% |
High |
|
Whooping cough |
+400 in 5 provinces |
80% |
Very high |
|
Influenza A H3N2 |
Active surveillance |
N/A |
Moderate |
🔍 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.
📰 Politics | The reform of the Penal Code and the intense debate in Congress
📌 An ambitious project that reopens a historic discussion
The national government is promoting a comprehensive reform of the Penal Code, an initiative that seeks to update a body of legislation that has been in force since 1921 and that, according to the Executive Branch, no longer responds to the challenges of contemporary crime. The bill, which includes 920 articles and unifies more than a thousand scattered criminal laws, was sent for treatment during the extraordinary sessions of Congress, which generated a strong political and academic debate.
The proposal includes high-impact changes: tougher penalties, expansion of imprescriptible crimes, incorporation of cybercrimes, penalties for malicious use of artificial intelligence and a more severe framework for homicides, aggravated robberies and acts of corruption.
🏛️ Congress, the scene of tensions
The ruling party is betting on taking advantage of the new parliamentary composition to move forward with the project during the summer, with optimism for having reached the first legislative minority after the change of December 10. However, the decision to deal with the reform in extraordinary sessions set off alarms in different sectors.
While the government defends the urgency of modernizing the penal system, opposition legislators and civil organizations are calling for more time for analysis, public hearings and a broader debate.
🎓 Jurists and academics call for a halt to "express treatment"
More than a hundred specialists in criminal law, including university professors, judges and prosecutors, expressed their rejection of the accelerated treatment of the bill. In a statement released this week, the Argentine Association of Professors of Criminal Law (AAPDP) warned that a reform of this magnitude "cannot be resolved in a closed book" and requires a "broad, informed and participatory" process.
Specialists demand that the debate be moved to ordinary sessions, with the participation of universities, NGOs, bar associations, associations of magistrates and specialized organizations. They also pointed out that the official project could lead to an "ideologized codification" if technical contributions from various sectors are not incorporated.
Among the signatories are leaders such as Alejandro Slokar and Raúl Eugenio Zaffaroni, who stressed the need to resume the participatory antecedents of previous reforms, such as those of 2006–2007 and 2012–2014.
⚖️ The most discussed points of the project
✅ Tougher penalties
The text proposes to increase the penalties for homicides, aggravated robberies and crimes related to corruption, with the aim of strengthening deterrence and the state response to serious crimes.
✅ Tech crimes and the use of AI
For the first time, the Code would incorporate specific sanctions for cyberattacks, digital fraud and the generation of false images using artificial intelligence, a phenomenon that is growing globally.
✅ Extended imprescriptibility
The bill extends the imprescriptibility to new crimes, which implies that certain crimes can be prosecuted without a time limit.
✅ Regulatory unification
The reform seeks to order more than a thousand criminal laws scattered in a single coherent body, a historical demand of legal specialists.
🧩 A debate that transcends the legal
The discussion on the Penal Code is not only technical: it also reflects ideological differences on the role of the State, public security and the balance between prevention, punishment and constitutional guarantees.
While the government maintains that the reform is essential to confront modern crime, academic and opposition sectors warn about the risk of approving such a lengthy text without an in-depth debate.
🔮 What's next
The project will begin to be discussed in commissions during the next few weeks. The ruling party will seek to speed up its approval, although the growing demand for specialists could put pressure on the opening of broader instances of participation.
The reform of the Penal Code promises to become one of the most relevant political debates of the year, with a direct impact on security, justice and the institutional life of the country.
📰 Labor Reform: Milei signed the bill and sent to the Senate an initiative of 191 articles that redefines the Argentine labor system
The government presented the most extensive labor reform in decades, with changes in compensation, payment methods, working hours, unions and essential services
As soon as he returned from Oslo, President Javier Milei signed the Labor Reform project in an office of the Jorge Newbery Airport, according to La Nación. The text, which has already entered the Senate, consists of 71 pages, 26 titles and a total of 191 articles, making it one of the most comprehensive and structural initiatives in recent years.
The Chief of Staff, Manuel Adorni, described the proposal as "the largest transformation in Argentine history in labor matters," stressing that it seeks to modernize the system, reduce litigation and promote the creation of formal employment.
✅ The central axes of the project
The most relevant points of the text are then developed, integrating the key contents of the 191 articles.
💵 1. New payment methods: salaries in dollars and virtual wallets
The bill allows employers to pay salaries in dollars, cryptocurrencies or virtual wallets, as long as there is an agreement between the parties. This point seeks to make payment methods more flexible and adapt them to the digital economy.
🛡️ 2. Optional Severance Fund in Lieu of Severance
One of the most profound changes is the creation of a Labor Severance Fund, similar to the UOCRA model, which will be able to replace traditional compensation.
In addition, the bill establishes that the compensation will be lower, since they will not include Christmas bonus, vacations or prizes in their calculation.
⏱️ 3. Bank of hours and changes in the working day
The text incorporates the figure of the "bank of hours", which will allow:
This mechanism aims to modernise the organisation of working time.
🧑 ⚖️ 4. Labor judgments: payment in installments
Another controversial point is that labor court judgments can be paid in up to 12 monthly installments, updated by official index. The Government maintains that this will prevent bankruptcies of SMEs; Critics warn about the impact on workers.
🏥 5. Expansion of essential services
The project expands the list of essential services, which involves:
This is one of the most extensive chapters of the project.
🧾 6. Changes in the union system
The government introduced a last-minute change: It eliminated the article that affected union solidarity dues to avoid a direct conflict with the CGT.
However, he maintained one key point:
📘 The most important contents of the draft of 191 articles
Below is a summary of the most relevant thematic blocks of the full text:
1. Modernisation of industrial relations
2. Reduction of litigation
3. Incentives for formalization
4. Flexibility of the working day
5. Changes in licenses
6. Dismissal regime
7. Essential services and the right to strike
8. Trade union system
🧭 Conclusion
The Labor Reform bill sent to the Senate represents a structural change in the Argentine system. With 191 articles that range from the way salaries are paid to union organization, the Government seeks to install a new paradigm based on flexibility, predictability and the reduction of litigation.
The legislative discussion promises to be intense, with the support of the business sector and strong questioning from the trade union federations.
Google Willow: The Quantum Chip Revolutionizing Computing
The Google Willow quantum chip, presented on December 9, 2025, constitutes a scientific milestone by demonstrating quantum error correction below threshold and achieving quantum supremacy with 105 qubits. Its architecture allows errors to be exponentially reduced as the number of qubits increases, solving a three-decade challenge in quantum computing.
White Paper: Google Willow
1. Context and relevance
2. Willow chip architecture

3. Quantum supremacy
Featured Comparison
|
Aspect |
Google Willow |
Frontier |
|
Technology |
Quantum computing with error correction |
High-performance classical computing |
|
Speed in benchmark |
5 minutes |
10 septillion years |
|
Qubits / Processing |
105 superconducting qubits |
1.1 exaflops (≈10^18 operations/second) |
|
Potential Applications |
Medicine, energy, AI, crypto |
Scientific simulations, climate, nuclear physics |
|
Impact |
It marks a leap towards quantum supremacy |
Leader in classical supercomputing |
4. Key scientific breakthroughs
5. Potential applications
6. Conclusion
The Google Willow chip not only confirms quantum supremacy, but solves the historical problem of quantum error correction under threshold. This breakthrough places Google at the forefront of quantum computing and paves the way for practical applications with an impact on science, industry, and society.
China displaces Brazil as Argentina's main trading partner: analysis of a historic change
An unexpected turn in Argentina's foreign trade contradicts the official discourse and marks a milestone in regional economic relations
In a move that few anticipated at the beginning of Javier Milei's administration, China has managed to displace Brazil as Argentina's main trading partner, marking a turning point in the country's recent economic history. This change, first registered in September 2024 and consolidated in October of the same year, represents a political paradox that exposes the distance between presidential rhetoric and economic reality.
The time for change
The milestone came in September 2024, when the Asian giant surpassed the Brazilian neighbor in total trade with Argentina. Argentine exports to China tripled that month, reaching record figures driven mainly by extraordinary sales of soybeans. Simultaneously, imports from the Asian country reached 1,816 million dollars, the highest level in the entire historical series.
This transformation is especially relevant considering that Brazil had maintained its leadership position for decades, supported by geographical proximity, Mercosur membership and significant productive integration, especially in the automotive sector.
A political paradox
China's rise as a major trading partner is particularly striking when considering the campaign speech of President Milei, who in 2023 had emphatically declared: "Not only am I not going to do business with China, I am not going to do business with any communists." However, economic reality imposed a different narrative.
According to official INDEC data, in October 2024 China consolidated its leadership with Argentine exports of 1,166 million dollars (a year-on-year increase of 241.4%) and imports of 1,862 million dollars (increase of 33.7%). In that same period, the United States was relegated to fourth place, also surpassed by Brazil and the European Union.
The engines of exchange
On the Argentine side
Trade with China is characterized by a marked concentration in primary products and manufactures of agricultural origin. The main export items include:
The meat sector deserves special attention: China has become the destination of 78.8% of Argentine beef exports in November 2024, absorbing most of the exportable balance in a context of local drought and domestic market without absorption capacity.
On the Chinese side
China's insertion in the Argentine economy is characterized by products with greater added value and diversification:
This asymmetry reproduces an unequal trade pattern: while Argentina provides raw materials, China exports finished products and intermediate goods with higher added value.
The international context
Brazil's displacement responds to multiple geopolitical and economic factors:
Sino-U.S. Trade War: Tariff tensions between Washington and Beijing placed Argentine soybeans in an advantageous competitive position, especially after the temporary elimination of withholdings implemented by the Argentine government in September.
Need for foreign currency: Pressed by the urgency to obtain dollars, Milei's government implemented a temporary special regime to eliminate withholdings that generated a 201.7% year-on-year increase in exports to China in September.
Anticipation of changes: The increase in imports was favored by business decisions to bring forward purchases in the face of a possible change in the exchange rate regime after the elimination of the clamp.
The cost of dependency
The trade balance with China reveals an unbalanced relationship. In 2024, the trade deficit reached $5.616 billion, the largest recorded with any trading partner. This gap is explained by the differential between what Argentina manages to sell (mainly commodities with falling prices) and what it must buy (technology and value-added goods).
Miguel Ponce, an economist specializing in foreign trade, warns about the risks of this situation: "Argentina should not privilege ideological issues over concrete interests. It is very difficult for us to displace China from our trading partners. There is a need to de-ideologize our diplomatic ties so as not to continue damaging our trade and economic relations."
Strategic implications
Chinese dominance poses several structural challenges:
Economic vulnerability: Excessive concentration in a single market exposes Argentina to political decisions by Beijing. Any change in Chinese import policies could have devastating effects on key sectors such as agriculture.
Financial dependence: Beyond trade, Argentina has significant financial commitments to China, including the currency swap for 5,000 million dollars plus interest of 6%, whose eventual demand for payment by Beijing would increase the deficit of net reserves by 50%.
Regional impact: Provinces such as Catamarca, La Pampa and Entre Ríos, with high dependence on exports to China, are particularly exposed to any fluctuation in the bilateral relationship.
New opportunities
Not everything is negative in this commercial link. In March 2025, the Argentine government agreed with Chinese Customs to reopen poultry meat exports (closed since 2023 due to avian influenza) and to enable new products such as nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, hazelnuts and pistachios) and gallstones for medicinal use.
These openings represent opportunities for regional economies and could allow for greater diversification of the export basket, although they will hardly alter the basic structure of trade.
Future prospects
The displacement of Brazil by China as Argentina's main trading partner does not seem to be temporary. Projections indicate that this trend could deepen by 2025, especially considering:
For Brazil, this shift represents a warning sign about the need to strengthen trade ties within Mercosur. For Argentina, the challenge is to pragmatically manage this strategic relationship without compromising market diversification or sovereignty in political decisions.
Conclusion
China's rise as Argentina's main trading partner marks an unprecedented chapter in the country's economic history. Beyond political statements and ideological alignments, the Asian giant's influence on Argentina's foreign trade is a reality that transcends governments and discourses.
The question that remains open is whether Argentina will succeed in turning this relationship into an opportunity for development with greater added value, or whether it will deepen its role as a supplier of raw materials in an increasingly polarized global economy. The answer to this question will define not only the future of the bilateral relationship, but also the model of international insertion that Argentina will build in the coming decades.
🏆 2026 World Cup: this is how the fixture looked after the draw in Washington
The draw for the 2026 World Cup, held at the Kennedy Center in Washington, officially defined the composition of the 12 groups that will play the first phase of the tournament to be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada. With 48 teams and an expanded format, the World Cup presents an unprecedented calendar that is already beginning to outline the path of the candidates.
The ceremony left key certainties: the hosts knew in advance their venues and debut dates, while the rest of the selected teams completed their zones in a draw full of expectation.
🇦🇷 Argentina, top seed in Group J
The world champion team was placed in Group J, where it will face Algeria, Austria and Jordan, as confirmed by the official draw.
Fixture de Argentina
The team led by Lionel Scaloni will play the group stage in San Francisco, Dallas and Kansas City, according to media present at the ceremony.
With the new format, Argentina will be able to advance to the 16th finals if it finishes in the top two of its zone or if it is among the eight best third-placed teams.
🌎 The kick-off and the agenda of the hosts
The tournament will begin on June 11 at the Azteca Stadium, where Mexico will debut against South Africa in Group A. A day later it will be the turn of the other hosts:
The final will be played on July 19 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
📌 How the most outstanding groups were
The draw also left attractive crossings in other areas, with the presence of emerging powers and teams:
The distribution of teams anticipates a group stage with high-voltage duels and several candidates forced not to fail from the start.
🔍 A World Cup with a renewed format
The 2026 World Cup will be the first with 48 teams, distributed in 12 groups of four. Classified:
This will lead to an unprecedented instance of the 16th finals, expanding the total number of matches and increasing competitiveness in the initial phase.
🎯 Conclusion
The draw left a vibrant outlook for the 2026 World Cup. Argentina will have an accessible group on paper, but with opponents who will demand concentration from the debut. With a defined calendar and confirmed venues, the countdown to a historic World Cup begins due to its magnitude and its new format.
📰 Whirlpool closes its plant in Pilar and stops production in Argentina
📍 The announcement
The US multinational Whirlpool announced on November 26, 2025 the closure of its plant in Pilar, where it manufactured washing machines for the domestic market and export. The decision involves the dismissal of 220 employees, including operators, management and supply chain personnel.
The company explained that from now on it will concentrate its operation on sales and services, guaranteeing the supply of appliances, accessories and spare parts throughout the country, but through the import of products.
📉 The reasons for the closure
According to the company, the measure responds to:
👥 Impact on workers
The closure generated a strong social impact in Pilar. The dismissed employees decided to remain at the plant as a form of protest and resistance, demanding answers to the loss of their jobs.
Meanwhile, Whirlpool assured that it will maintain its commercial and distribution office in Argentina, with between 100 and 120 employees, preserving its presence in the country as it has done for 35 years.

🌐 Industrial context
The Pilar plant had been inaugurated in 2022 with an investment of 50 million dollars, aimed at producing state-of-the-art washing machines. However, just three years later, the company decided to abandon local production.
This closure is in addition to other recent cases in the national industry, where companies such as Essen also had to reduce personnel due to the fall in consumption.
🎯 Final Thoughts
The closure of Whirlpool in Pilar reflects the structural difficulties of the Argentine industry, marked by low domestic demand, import pressure and a lack of export competitiveness. Although the brand will continue to market its products in the country, the decision represents a blow to employment and national production, leaving open the discussion on the future of the Argentine industrial sector.
Argentina breaks the consensus in the G20: an unprecedented position that marks alignment with the US and questions the approach to the Middle East.
🌍 Context of the Summit
The G20 Leaders' Summit held in Johannesburg, South Africa, was marked by a historic event: Argentina decided not to sign the final declaration, becoming the only country to reject the document promoted by the South African presidency. The decision was announced by Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, who represented the country in the absence of President Javier Milei.

📌 Arguments of the Foreign Ministry
🔎 Political implications
🚆 Argentina invests US$300 million in 43 new trains for the AMBA
The Argentine government announced the purchase of 43 modern trains, with an investment of close to US$300 million (€260 million), within the framework of the Modernization Plan of the Metropolitan Railway System.
💡 A strategic investment for public transport
The measure is part of the Railway Emergency, which seeks to renew and expand the fleet of services in the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires (AMBA).
📊 Details of the operation
🛤️ Benefited lines
The trains will be destined for the following lines:
👉 It is estimated that 1.3 million daily passengers will benefit from the incorporation of these units.
📜 Historical context
🚀 Expected impact
With this investment, the Government seeks to:
🗣️ Official statements
Sources from the Ministry of Transport pointed out that the purchase represents:
"A fundamental step to recover the Argentine railway system and guarantee a decent service for millions of users."
🔎 In summary
The acquisition of these 43 new trains constitutes one of the most relevant investments in railway infrastructure in the last decade, aimed at revitalising a key service for urban mobility and social integration in the AMBA.
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