Southern Cone

The regional economic focus is on trade liberalization and Milei's radical economic advocacy. The EU and Mercosur signed a major free trade agreement, though Paraguay faces domestic ratification hurdles. Milei used the Davos forum to defend unregulated capitalism and outline currency policy, while a provincial official criticized him over a lost pipeline bid and a crypto scandal emerged.

• 6Argentine President Milei defends unregulated capitalism at Davos forum
• 3Milei warns EU against ‘restricting’ Mercosur deal with safeguards
• 2Opinion | Javier Milei brings Davos back to earth
• 2Milei defends currency bands, outlines conditions for free-floating dollar
• 1Provincial official criticizes Milei over Techint pipeline bid loss

Milei's political strategy centers on high-profile international alignment, particularly with Donald Trump. Trump invited Milei and Lula to join a Gaza peace board, and Milei joined Trump's peace council at Davos. Domestically, Milei escalated a feud with businessman Paolo Rocca and faced legal complaints, while Chile's president-elect appointed Pinochet-era lawyers as ministers.

• 5Argentine President Milei escalates feud with businessman Paolo Rocca
• 5Argentina's Milei joins Trump's peace council at Davos forum
• 3Argentine ambassador demands map removal in French parliament over Falklands
• 3Javier Milei delivers pragmatic Davos speech referencing Machiavelli
• 2Milei faces legal complaints after FIFA meeting and veteran remarks

Security actions are defined by Argentina's designation of foreign terrorist organizations and cross-border legal incidents. Argentina named chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood and Iran's Quds Force as terrorist organizations. Separately, a series of incidents involving an Argentine lawyer and a footballer accused of racism in Brazil created a bilateral friction point.

• 2Argentina names Muslim Brotherhood chapters as terror orgs.
• 1Missing Argentine woman found dead in Los Angeles
• 1Brazilian police charge Argentine lawyer over racist gestures
• 1Chile police arrest suspect over deadly wildfires
• 1Argentine lawyer accused of racism in Brazil wears electronic tag

Society is gripped by the catastrophic impact of wildfires in Chile, which have caused mass evacuations and fatalities, leading to a declared state of catastrophe. In Argentina, societal discourse is polarized by Milei's actions, including his condemnation of antisemitism and criticism for his demeanor during the Patagonia fires.

• 6Deadly wildfires in Chile force mass evacuations amid extreme heat
• 3Argentina's Milei condemns antisemitism, links it to left and Islamist terror
• 3Milei faces criticism for singing as Patagonia wildfires spread
• 3Milei's Davos speech draws varied reactions
• 3Deadly Chile fires seen from space, and Kyiv strikes leave thousands without power