April 10th, 2026
1. The Chamber of Deputies approved the amendment to the Glacier Law
The Chamber of Deputies approved the amendment to the National Glacier Law early Thursday morning, with 137 votes in favor, 111 against, 3 abstentions, and 5 absentees. The bill, previously approved by the Senate in late February 2026, was put to a vote on Wednesday after the Chamber of Deputies’ Natural Resources and Constitutional Affairs committees approved the majority draft bill, promoted by the national government and supported by allied parties. The bill reduces the scope of mining prohibitions in glacial and periglacial zones of the Andes Mountains, allowing the establishment of new development projects, particularly mining operations. The national government promoted the amendment with the aim of encouraging investments that boost copper and lithium extraction projects, with the support of governors of mining provinces, who will now have greater decision-making power over the use of natural resources. The reform bill was challenged by various environmental organizations and representatives of the scientific community due to the environmental impact the reform could have on glaciers and the availability of water resources, in addition to violating international agreements to which Argentina is a party, such as the Escazú Agreement. The new reform is expected to be challenged in court.
La Nación: Qué es la Ley de Glaciares que aprobó Diputados y cuáles son los principales puntos
2. The Senate approved the appointment of new judges and national authorities
On Wednesday, the Senate’s Committees on Constitutional Affairs and General Legislation heard testimony from Federico Sturzenegger, Minister of Deregulation and State Transformation, who defended the Executive Branch’s bill on the Inviolability of Private Property and asserted that the bill would encourage private investment. Debate on this bill will continue next week. In addition, the Senate convened on Thursday to consider various appointments of officials, including the confirmation of former senator Lucila Crexell of the Neuquén People’s Movement as ambassador to Canada, which passed with 45 votes in favor and 26 against, amid objections from the opposition. Furthermore, the Senate approved agreements for military promotions in the Air Force, the Infantry, the Argentine Army, and the Navy, as well as the appointment of the directors of the National Competition Authority. Finally, 78 judicial nominations for judges, prosecutors, public defenders, and associate judges (put forward by the new Minister of Justice, Juan Bautista Mahiques) were given parliamentary status and will now be reviewed by the Agreements Committee. The session took a tense turn, with the national government seeking to advance its legislative agenda while opposition senators attempted to raise issues sensitive to the national government, such as the case of illicit enrichment involving Chief of Staff Manuel Adorni, loans from Banco Nación to officials close to the government, and the $Libra cryptocurrency case.
Infobae: El Senado aprobó los ascensos de jefes militares y designó a Lucila Crexell embajadora en Canadá
3. Caputo outlined his economic strategy to investors and will travel to Washington for the IMF Assembly
Economy Minister Luis Caputo presented the government’s economic policy guidelines last Tuesday in Buenos Aires to business leaders and investors at an event organized by the Atlantic Council at the Palacio Libertad. Next week, he will travel to Washington with Central Bank President Santiago Bausili to attend the IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings, which will take place from April 13 to 18. In his presentation, Caputo outlined three pillars for reducing the “Argentine cost”: tax cuts, deregulation, and improved logistics, and ruled out devaluation of the peso as a tool for competitiveness. He noted that the government has already reduced taxes by 2.5 percentage points of GDP through the elimination of the PAIS tax, export duties, import tariffs, and other levies. Regarding infrastructure, he reported that 9,000 km of road corridors will be put out to tender by June and that work is underway on the concession of an additional 12,000 km of national highways, in addition to progress on the Belgrano Cargas concession and the Hidrovía tender. Among the economic indicators he cited are 4.4% GDP growth in 2025, a 10.3% increase in EMAE between December 2023 and December 2025, knowledge economy exports totaling US$10 billion, and more than 35 projects approved under the RIGI for US$27 billion, with a projected 36,000 direct jobs. The trip to Washington, meanwhile, is taking place as part of the second review of the $20 billion program with the IMF, on which a pending disbursement of $1 billion depends.
4. Tax revenue has declined in real terms for eight consecutive months and ended the first quarter down 7.5%
National tax revenue recorded its eighth consecutive year-over-year decline in real terms in March 2026, falling 4.5% compared to the same month of the previous year, according to data from ARCA. For the first quarter as a whole, the decline reached 7.5% in real terms, with an estimated total loss of $4.2 trillion in March 2026 currency. In monetary terms, March revenue totaled $16 trillion, representing a nominal year-over-year increase of 26%. However, with year-over-year inflation at 31.9%, the result was negative in real terms. The taxes with the sharpest decline in the quarter were export duties, down 39% in real terms year-over-year, followed by import duties, down 15%, and Social Security contributions, which fell 4%. Total VAT accumulated a decline of nearly 10% over the period. Income tax fell by 11.3% in real terms in March, partly due to a change in the corporate advance payment scheme that eliminated a payment that had occurred in March 2025. In terms of revenue distribution among jurisdictions, the national government saw a shortfall of $3.07 trillion in the quarter, while the portion allocated to the provinces and the City of Buenos Aires (CABA) decreased by $1.15 trillion. This downward trend has persisted since August 2025 and is placing pressure on the fiscal front amid negotiations with the IMF.
5. Conflict in public transportation over government subsidies and rising fuel prices
This week, the urban transportation trade associations operating in the Buenos Aires Metropolitan Area announced a 30% reduction in public transportation service frequency, causing mobility issues for residents. The measure was taken in response to demands from companies for an increase in state subsidies to offset rising fuel prices, driven by the impact of the war in the Middle East and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on international prices. Although the national government had relaxed a technical requirement the previous week to allow a higher percentage of bioethanol in gasoline blends to prevent a rise in fuel prices, price increases of 46% for diesel and 24% for premium gasoline were recorded. The impact on prices is felt particularly due to the use of diesel with European technology, which is more expensive than conventional diesel. Officials from the Secretariat for Infrastructure Coordination and the Secretariat of Transportation held a meeting on Thursday with representatives of public transportation companies, during which the government agreed to make an advance payment of 60% of the subsidy transfers for April, and the companies pledged to gradually restore normal service. Negotiations will continue at a meeting next week, where efforts will be made to establish technical working groups to maintain an ongoing dialogue between the government and the companies.