January 17th, 2025

1. The government makes changes to the antidumping system
The national government modified the anti-dumping system to avoid abuses of the instrument that result in higher prices. It is a battery of more than 130 modifications that were diagrammed by the government’s economic team and published in the Official Gazette. Through Decree 33/2025, it was determined that investigations prior to the application of anti-dumping measures, which previously could last up to 12 months, will have a maximum term of 8 months. In addition, the duration of the measures will be 3 years, with a single possibility of extension for 2 more years, replacing the previous system of unlimited renewals. The procedures are also simplified: instead of submitting the documentation in two different offices, everything will now be handled by the National Foreign Trade Commission. Along the same lines, the National Commission for the Defense of Competition and the Undersecretariat for Consumer Defense of the Ministry of Economy will participate in the analysis of cases to ensure that decisions consider both the public interest and that of consumers.
La Nación: El Gobierno estableció cambios en el sistema antidumping para productos importados
2. Amid inflation data, the government confirms crawling peg decrease
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for December marked 2.7% and 2024 closed with an inflation rate of 117.8%, far from the 211.4% that marked 2023. In this context, the Central Bank of Argentina (BCRA) will reduce from February onwards the crawling peg rate to 1% per month, a variable set at 2% since December 2023. This was confirmed by the entity after the release of the 2.7% increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) of the Indec for last December. Likewise, the next step of the economic team, after having established a readjustment in the exchange rate scheme through a slower pace of devaluation of the official dollar, will be a review of the reference interest rate in the economy, with two elements to be taken into account in the analysis of this balance: the inflation expectation for the coming months after the 2.7% of December and the maintenance of a positive rate that keeps the carry trade in force for investors.
Clarín: La inflación de diciembre fue del 2,7% y el 2024 cerró con 117,8%, según el INDEC
3. The relationships between PRO and La Libertad Avanza are being defined
With legislative elections drawing closer, alliances between the PRO and La Libertad Avanza parties and their members are taking shape. At the national level, the ruling party seems to be winning the power struggle, and PRO needs help. However, in Buenos Aires City, the parties will run separately, as the organization currently led by Jorge Macri tends to be successful in that district. Regarding this, Cabinet Chief Guillermo Francos criticized Mauricio and Jorge Macri on Wednesday over a statement from the national PRO, led by Mauricio Macri, which protested the exclusion of the Budget from extraordinary sessions, calling it “out of place” and noting that it generated indignation in the Government and President Javier Milei. Furthermore, Francos anticipated that the libertarians and Pro will compete separately in the City in 2025 and assured that in 2027 they will present their own candidate to challenge Jorge Macri’s power. Other interactions are taking place at the local level: Diego Valenzuela, mayor of Tres de Febrero municipality, one of the most important localities in Buenos Aires Province, left PRO and officially joined La Libertad Avanza, which means the ruling party is beginning to gain ground in municipalities.
Clarín: Mientras el PRO negocia a nivel nacional, Jorge Macri acepta competir contra LLA en la Ciudad: “El kirchnerismo no vuelve, no es esa la discusión”
Infobae: Diego Valenzuela dejará el PRO y se sumará a La Libertad Avanza
4. The Government seeks changes in Argentina’s embassies in Uruguay and Spains
This week, the Government made official the departure of Martín García Moritán as Argentine ambassador to Spain, and determined that the official will continue his diplomatic functions from the Foreign Ministry headquarters in Buenos Aires. The Government’s official statement says that “the Argentine Foreign Ministry informs that it has been decided to unify the Embassy of the Argentine Republic in the Eastern Republic of Uruguay and the Permanent Representation to the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI) and MERCOSUR into a single diplomatic representation. This decision contemplates the appointment of a single ambassador for both missions and a unified headquarters, which will allow for the optimization of resources and generate significant savings for the Foreign Ministry and the Argentine Republic.” On the other hand, in Spain, Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein wants a close businessman as ambassador, but President Javier Milei was still evaluating his friend and professor Jesús Huerta de Soto’s desire for commercial representative Alejandro Nimo to lead the office. The consul of São Paulo, Luis María Kreckler, who wanted a career diplomat to be number one in that office, also competed for this position.
Clarín: La “batalla” por la embajada en España y los planes del Gobierno para ajustar las sedes diplomáticas
5. The government moves forward with anti-graft bill
After the strong criticism for having frustrated the debate on the “Ficha Limpia” bill in Congress, the ruling party will present in the next days a new version of the initiative, knowing that it is an inexcusable condition required by Pro to discuss the electoral issues of interest to the Government, among them the repeal or suspension of the primary elections. In general terms, the project prohibits the candidacy for elective office of persons convicted in second instance for corruption offenses, even if the sentence is not final. The person in charge of the final design of the project is, suggestively, the Minister of Defense Luis Petri, who this Monday met with the President Javier Milei at the Olivos residence, to inform him about the progress.