🇦🇷 Argentina Episodes

The Chamber of Deputies debates, in a special session promoted by the opposition, sensitive issues such as the declaration of emergency in disability matters, the increase in pensions, and the extension of the pension moratorium. The Government has announced that it will veto any project that alters the fiscal balance. "We are the representatives of the people and we must exercise our functions independently of what President Javier Milei thinks, understands, or comprehends about institutions, democracy, and Parliament," Juan Brugge, deputy of Encuentro Federal, told Una mañana por descubrir. Brugge confirmed that the majority of his bloc will vote in favor of these laws and justified that "it is appropriate to be on the side of the people in causes like these." "We should ask part of the opposition, such as Propuesta Republicana (PRO) and the Unión Cívica Radical, why they shield the president from the needs of pensioners, people with disabilities, the conflicts in the health system, and the impossibility of declaring an emergency due to the natural disasters that recently occurred in the province of Buenos Aires," he concluded. Salary conflict in the Garrahan pediatric hospital: "We are still on an indefinite strike." While the resident doctors' strike continues, the Argentine Government has called a hearing with the hospital's unions. In the last assembly, the workers decided to reject a non-remunerative bonus of 500,000 pesos (approximately 424 dollars) offered by the Government. Garrahan is the most important pediatric center in the country. In dialogue with Una mañana por descubrir, Camila Dragani, a resident doctor at the hospital, stated: "We are continuing with the same indefinite strike measure with the aim of forming a fluid dialogue table with the Ministry of Health. So far, we have not been offered a draft resolution for salary restructuring."

El bloque peronista opositor de Unión por la Patria impulsa en el Congreso un incremento excepcional y de emergencia equivalente al 7,2% de las jubilaciones y pensiones. Milei anunció que lo vetará, si sale. La Cámara de Diputados también está dispuesta a debatir la prórroga de la moratoria previsional, formalmente llamada Plan de Pago de Deuda Previsional, que permite a adultos mayores jubilarse a pesar de no contar con los años de aportes necesarios. Lee Jae-myung se impondría como presidente surcoreano.

Carlos Pagni's analysis on Argentine Odyssey aired on LN+ on June 2, 2025.

Following the officialization of the immigration reform, the Argentine Government expelled five foreign citizens with criminal records. In Heads or Tails, Ivan Dubois, Mercosur parliamentarian for Argentina for La Libertad Avanza, defended the new policy in this matter: "Argentina was one of the Latin American countries where it was easier to enter. We had very few requirements to enter, there were no border controls or restrictions to access the services offered by our Nation."

The government issued a $1 billion bond, allowing it to meet upcoming debt maturities in July of $4.3 billion. Separately, Israel accepted a new truce with Hamas proposed by the United States. "The positive aspect of the bond is the foray into the international market; it's a way to open the door to external financing without canceling debt. This will secure reserves, lower the country's risk, and comply with the International Monetary Fund. The problem is that the rate is very high, and that already indicates that [Javier] Milei will not be able to have that 5% annual inflation," said Gabriel Rubinstein, former Deputy Minister of Economy of Argentina, on Cara o ceca. Rubinstein praised Milei's economic management and rated it above the performance of Sergio Massa, whom he seconded. "The government's objective is to lower inflation, and it is achieving it. Luis Caputo's management is being more successful than that of Sergio Massa [former Minister of Economy of Alberto Fernández], mainly because he has a president who takes responsibility for the fiscal deficit, and Caputo is fulfilling it; if it were not so, he would have already fired him," he stated. Israel accepted a new truce with Hamas proposed by the United States. Signs of progress towards a temporary truce emerged after the push by US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, from which more captured hostages can be returned. "Until it is signed by both parties, this agreement must be taken with a grain of salt. Let's remember that, previously, the US has said that Israel has maintained that it had signed things, when in reality it had not," commented Melisa Trad, a journalist specializing in the Middle East, on Cara o ceca. "The international community is in crisis. Although many more things are happening in the world, such as the civil war in Sudan, what Israel is doing in Gaza highlights a hypocrisy of the Western world," she concluded.

It's about Hebe Casado, from Mendoza, who left Propuesta Republicana (PRO) and signed the forms to join La Libertad Avanza (LLA). Separately, Russia rejected the authorization of the use of long-range weapons from Germany to Ukraine. "I joined PRO in 2015 thinking about a radical change that the country needed. Now I believe that Javier Milei is carrying that out and that PRO has become a neighborhood party in the City of Buenos Aires with no influence in the provinces," said Hebe Casado, vice governor of the province of Mendoza, in Cara o ceca. "Mendoza was an indebted province and, thanks to this Government's adjustment, it has achieved fiscal order; it doesn't spend more than it earns. In addition, we have good health, security, and education services. Unlike other provinces, Mendoza was the first to privatize a state-owned company, which is having positive results," she continued. Russia rejected the authorization of the use of long-range weapons from Germany to Ukraine. The Kremlin described the alleged lifting of restrictions as "a quite dangerous decision." Russian presidential spokesman Dmitri Peskov stressed that this goes absolutely against Russia's aspirations to "reach a political agreement and the efforts that are being made now within the framework of the agreement." "It will be important to determine if the European Union [EU] backs up what it says with action," said Guillermo Caviasca, an Argentine doctor in History, in Cara o ceca. "Friedrich Merz's [German Chancellor] statements are not surprising, because he had already stated it before being a candidate. He is trying to be consistent with what he had said and support the EU establishment, which is controlling the electoral results of the different countries so that they don't get out of hand. We must not lose sight of the results in Romania or the attempts to condemn Le Pen in France and to outlaw the German opposition," he added.

Denmark set the retirement age as the highest in Europe and the world, according to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Separately, La Libertad Avanza (LLA) and Propuesta Republicana (PRO) sealed a front in the province of Buenos Aires to confront Peronism. The European country established that, as of 2040, a minimum of 70 years will be required to become a pensioner. The Danish reform is in line with the recommendations of international organizations to combat the impact on the economy of the aging population, a product of the low birth rate and the increase in life expectancy. "Denmark's decision is good, because it shows that there is an improvement in living conditions and education. People are healthier, want to work and can do it. In 1800, a 50-year-old person was old, in 1900, a 60-year-old person was old, but now saying that is ridiculous. So, the Danes wanted to reflect that in the pension system," said Rafael Rofman, an Argentine researcher at the Center for the Implementation of Public Policies for Equity and Growth (CIPPEC) and a doctor in Demography, in Cara o Ceca. "It is a rare phenomenon, all over the world. Fertility decreased rapidly and we age later. The proportion of the population that is not of working age, children and older adults, is the lowest in history compared to those who are," he continued. The ruling party and the PRO agreed on an alliance in the province of Buenos Aires The agreement was ratified by the national deputy and Buenos Aires referent of La Libertad Avanza, José Luis Espert, who highlighted the importance of forming an "anti-misery, anti-Kirchnerist" front in the face of the upcoming elections that will be held in the province of Buenos Aires, led by Axel Kicillof, referent of Kirchnerism. "For months we have been working together with the PRO to reach the agreement. We are analyzing a provincial project that accompanies the policies of President Javier Milei. In that line is that we will continue the next meetings," said Alejandro Carrancio, vice president of La Libertad Avanza Buenos Aires, in Cara o Ceca.

Carlos Pagni's analysis on Argentine Odyssey aired on LN+ on May 26, 2025.

Síguenos en El presidente estadounidense aceptó la propuesta de su homóloga de la Comisión Europea, Ursula von der Leyen, quien solicitó más tiempo para llegar a un entendimiento. En otro orden, Milei reafirma su enojo con el partido de Mauricio Macri al negarle el saludo a su primo Jorge, jefe de Gobierno de la capital nacional, en una ceremonia religiosa. Donald Trump calificó la comunicación con la Unión Europea de "buena". Se produjo dos días después de que el mandatario republicano amenazara con imponer un gravamen del 50% a las importaciones de ese origen debido a que, según consideró, las conversaciones bilaterales "no están yendo a ninguna parte". "Trump solo accedió a respetar la prórroga que ya se había anunciado en abril [cuando estableció un arancel del 10% por 90 días, que vence en esa fecha]. La extensión es un alivio con cautela para la UE. El bloque tiene el temor de que todo vuelva a empezar. Eso dependerá de la voluntad de Trump para acelerar o retardar las negociaciones", dijo en Cara o Ceca Emilio Ordoñez, analista internacional. "La política arancelaria que plantea EEUU llegó para quedarse, no va a haber una derogación", agregó. "Milei excluye al jefe de Gobierno porteño de una alianza con el PRO porque necesita tener a un enemigo" Continúa la discusión entre Propuesta Republicana y La Libertad Avanza tras el triunfo del vocero presidencial, Manuel Adorni, en las elecciones legislativas en la ciudad. En medio del acto por el día patrio del 25 de mayo en la Catedral Metropolitana de la ciudad de Buenos Aires, Javier Milei evitó saludar al jefe de Gobierno porteño e integrante de Propuesta Republicana (PRO), Jorge Macri. Horas más tarde, el propio presidente explicó el motivo detrás del gesto con una frase que dejó a todos en alerta: "Roma no paga traidores". "Por la poca participación que hubo en la elección, Milei salió a buscar un acuerdo con los derrotados, que son el PRO. En esa alianza excluye al jefe de Gobierno porteño, porque tiene que seguir poniendo un enemigo y justificar toda la bronca que le tiró al PRO durante toda su campaña", señaló en Cara o Ceca Martin Rodriguez Yebra, periodista político del diario La Nación.

Social organizations and unions held a general strike in the province of Tierra del Fuego. Separately, we analyze the key points of the trade agreement between the United Kingdom and the European Union. Numerous unions joined the protest promoted by the Unión Obrera Metalúrgica in the cities of Ushuaia and Río Grande, main points where the electronic production and assembly factories are installed, which are endangered by the recent measures of the national government. "It is the response of a people who resist a measure that threatens national industry. It not only negatively affects electronic production workers, but also the economy of the province," said Carolina Yutrovic, national deputy of Unión por la Patria de Tierra del Fuego, in Cara o Ceca. "The Law of Economic and Fiscal Promotion [fiscal and customs incentives designed to promote the economic development of a region] covers all the inhabitants of the province and the economic activities that take place there. National taxes, which are VAT and income tax, are not paid. This allows us to compete with products that come from China. This measure puts us at a disadvantage," explained the deputy. The United Kingdom and the European Union sealed a post-Brexit agreement. What are its main points? British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reached an agreement on defense, fishing and agro-industrial products. This marks an advance in British relations with the bloc, since its departure in 2021. "There are two important factors in the rapprochement. The external one, which includes the international context and the role of the United States, and the internal one, which has to do with the limits of British autonomism, because Brexit ended up impacting the local economy," Federico Vaccarezza, member of the North Atlantic Commission of the Argentine Network of Professionals for Foreign Policy, said in Cara o Ceca. "The United Kingdom extended fishing rights to the European fleet until 2038, in exchange for ensuring that the country's products enter the European Union with more lax sanitary controls, which is important for local producers, although it retains sovereignty over those regions," he added. "Regarding defense, Europe integrated the United Kingdom into its programs in this area, especially those of research and technology," he concluded.

La delegación rusa confirmó una buena negociación con Ucrania en Estambul. El fiscal general argentino solicitó a la Corte extender la condena de Cristina Kirchner a 12 años por asociación ilícita en el caso de Vialidad.

Carlos Pagni's analysis on Argentine Odyssey aired on LN+.

Guillermo Francos summoned by the Chamber of Deputies in investigation of alleged digital scam with crypto currency promoted by President Javier Milei on his X account. 'El Eternauta' series premieres, work of Argentine writer Héctor Oesterheld, disappeared during the military dictatorship (1976-1983). Francos appears within the investigative commission approved in the Lower House to follow the implications of President Javier Milei's promotion of the $LIBRA cryptocurrency on his X account, which plummeted almost immediately after launch. First time in 30 years such a citation of a national official has occurred. "We hope to begin to have a line of how the process that gave rise to President Milei's 'diffusion' of the cryptocurrency, which minutes later, was shown to be a scam. We must make transparent the protocols for people who receive the president, who can access him and thus protect Argentina's image," said Danya Tavela, national deputy of the Democracy for Always bloc to Cara o ceca. Tavela added: "The formation of the commission is divided between those who want to iron out the issue and those of us who seek to know what happened, provide the information we can collect to the Justice system and that the latter determine if there was fraud." Finally, Tavela spoke about the differences within the party of the Civic Radical Union, her political party of origin: "We separated because it lost its identity at the hands of Rodrigo De Loredo [the current head of the bloc]. From the beginning we said that radicalism must form a progressive space that does not approach the extremes," she concluded. 'El Eternauta' launches, whose author disappeared during the dictatorship. El Eternauta is an Argentine science fiction comic that narrates the invasion of Earth by extraterrestrials, who begin their attack with a toxic snowstorm that annihilates a large part of the population. The story centers on Juan Salvo and his family, who survive a catastrophe and face the situation, along with other survivors, in a devastated Buenos Aires. On April 30, the audiovisual adaptation of the comic written by Héctor Germán Oesterheld, which marked an era and became part of the country's collective imagination, premieres. But behind the pen that wrote it is a family history marked by militancy, the dictatorship and the forced disappearance of people. In 1977, Oesterheld was kidnapped and disappeared by task forces of the military, who had already taken the lives of his four daughters, who belonged to the Montoneros organization: Diana, Beatriz, Estela and Marina. Two of them pregnant. "We had to reconstruct the history of a devastated family. The only one alive was the mother of the daughters. The reconstruction meant rejoining the memory, the one that the dictatorship managed to destroy. That memory erased by state terrorism included hidden identities and broken links," said Fernanda Nicolini, co-author of Los Oesterheld, who visited the Sputnik studios. "The story of the Oesterhelds cannot be understood without the intersection between politics, culture and family. Héctor was a press worker, screenwriter, who united militancy with Peronism," she said. "Later, in 1976, the author worked on a second part with a new character: Germán, a reflection of himself. Shortly after, he disappeared in 1977; at the end of that year that second part was published. His daughter María, who had disappeared, was later murdered. She is the only daughter whose body could be recovered," she concluded.

Six months before Argentina's national legislative elections on October 26th, which will set the course for Javier Milei's second term, polls show a favorable scenario for the ruling party. Separately, hostilities continue on the India-Pakistan border following the murder of 26 tourists. Despite La Libertad Avanza's good projections for the national elections, this is not reflected in the local elections in the City of Buenos Aires on May 18th, where Peronism is projected to win due to electoral fragmentation. "Javier Milei's government remains stable with good approval ratings. Unlike the mandates of Mauricio Macri [2015-2019] and Alberto Fernández [2019-2023], who had already lost much support after the first year, Milei retains a solid base," said Julio Burdman, an Argentine political analyst on Cara o ceca. Among the main factors of satisfaction, Burdman highlighted: "The issue of inflation, security, and confronting the 'caste' are the points that his voters celebrate the most, and the weakest, without a doubt, are pensions and higher education." "The voters who brought Milei to the Presidency still support him," he said, although he warned: "The opposition potentially has many votes; many people say they want to vote against Milei [in the midterm elections on October 26], but what is missing are the names." At the national level, he explained, the main opposition leaders have "a lot of negative image," although he mentioned: "The governor of the province of Buenos Aires, Axel Kicillof is a little better off today than Cristina Fernández de Kirchner." Burdman maintained that the former president and leader of Peronism "has a negative image in many provinces." And he warned: "If she wants to return to the spotlight, she must tour the country so that they remember her, because not everyone consumes political media and anti-Kirchnerism remains strong," he concluded. Hostilities continue between India and Pakistan. India affirmed that crossfire continues on the border between both countries for the fourth consecutive night, while deepening the search for militants in the area, responsible for last week's attack against tourists in the Indian region of Kashmir, which left 26 dead. "When in 1947 both countries separated after being part of British India, Kashmir remained as a disputed region. Both control a part, but for India it is a sensitive place because it was the only state with an Islamic majority," explained Lía Rodríguez de la Vega, director of the Bachelor's Degree in International Studies at the National University of Chaco Austral and Deputy Director of the Committee on Asian Affairs at the Argentine Council for International Relations (CARI) to Cara o ceca. She recalled that in 2019 the Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, revoked special measures in the region, which "further radicalized the population of Kashmir who intend to become independent from both countries." "India considers that the Resistance Front, which claimed the attack, is a spin-off of a terrorist group linked to Pakistan. This seriously affects international treaties," warned Rodríguez de la Vega, and added: "The isolated shots of recent days fuel the conflict, even more so with a Hindu nationalist government in India." In addition to the armed clashes, other bilateral agreements are beginning to creak: "There are treaties on water management between India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, but now India considers one of those agreements invalid amid the escalation of tension," she concluded.

Carlos Pagni's analysis on Argentine Odyssey aired on LN+ on April 28, 2025.

Ricardo Alfonsín, national deputy candidate, condemned the International Monetary Fund (IMF) director's request that the elections "not deviate from the ruling party's will for change." Separately, Armenia commemorated the 110th anniversary of the genocide of its people. With Javier Milei consolidated, various spaces seek to constitute a counterweight to his policies, in anticipation of the national legislative elections on October 26. Ricardo Alfonsín, a leader of radical extraction, former Argentine ambassador to Spain and son of former President Raúl Alfonsín, who was called "father of democracy," visited Sputnik's studios to present his proposals as a national deputy candidate for the Broad Front for Democracy. "Our space can contribute to legislators entering Congress who can confront the Government, because it will try to deepen its reactionary, conservative and authoritarian policies. The Radicalism [Radical Civic Union] and Republican Proposal [PRO] gave [Javier] Milei the majority he needs," Alfonsín told Cara o Ceca. In this sense, he criticized the current state of political parties: "Today politics is depoliticized and parties have become electoral machines that bear no resemblance to what a political party really is. Now ideas don't matter, only winning elections." Alfonsín strongly criticized the International Monetary Fund: "It is an instrument at the service of the great economic powers. That is why they are interested in modifying the pension law." In addition, he harshly questioned the director of the entity, Kristalina Georgieva, who openly called for voting for Javier Milei in the next elections. "What she did is insolence, she cannot interfere in local politics by saying 'keep choosing Milei'." 40 years after the start of the trial of the military juntas that ruled during the dictatorship (1976-1983), which took place in the first democratic government headed by Raúl Alfonsín, the politician criticized the current government's statements: "The president seeks to delegitimize it, he denies the horrors of the dictatorship that existed, calling them 'excesses'. We are an example in the world because nowhere else have their dictators been tried." Finally, he highlighted the importance of the plurality of the media: "Sputnik is very important, it is a medium that serves the public debate of national and international issues." 110 years since the Armenian Genocide This April 24 marked the beginning of the Armenian genocide in 1915, carried out by the Ottoman Empire. In the capital of Armenia, Yerevan, commemorative events were held, such as the Torchlight March and the presentation of floral offerings around the Eternal Flame at the Tsitsernakaberd Memorial, dedicated to the victims. "A genocide is a crime that does not apply to a punishment or an act committed, but only for being part of a certain group. In 1916 it was found that more than 1,100,000 Armenians were murdered. The root of the crime is linked to the extreme nationalist shift of the Ottoman Empire, which marked Armenians, Greeks and other minorities as internal enemies," Alexis Papazian, member of the Luisa Hairabedian Foundation, professor of History and doctor in Anthropology at the University of Buenos Aires, told Cara o Ceca. For Papazian, Turkey continues to not formally recognize the genocide. "On Thursday the 24th, the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, sent a letter to the Armenian community of the country with an affectionate greeting, without mentioning the word 'genocide'. This shows that there are still denialist discourses and that prevents any type of reparation."

Spiritual leaders recognize Pope Francis' ecumenical vocation, remembered for meetings with figures imparting a message of unity and tolerance. Mark Carney is favored in polls to legitimize himself in upcoming Canadian elections. In notable acts, Francis visited Iraq in 2021, meeting Grand Ayatollah Ali al-Sistani. It was the first papal visit to that country and meeting with a high-ranking Shia Islam representative. He also appointed Argentine rabbi and philosophy doctor Fishel Fernando Szlajen as a full member of the Pontifical Academy for Life, the first of that faith to receive this position. "That was possible because the Pope modified a regime that was only for Catholics. That shows his greatness. Francis always showed sincere fraternity with the Jewish people, always recognized the alliance with Israel, condemned antisemitism and sought inclusion for Judaism," Fishel Fernando Szlajen told Cara o Ceca. For the rabbi, his deepest legacy is that he "institutionalized a paradigm of interreligious ethical cooperation." For the rabbi, Argentina has a special value: "It is one of the few countries in the world where religions are not tolerated, they coexist." However, he acknowledged that "we still have a lot to do, especially in incorporating religious values translated into the circularity of the public sphere." "That is the role that creeds have to fulfill: to address issues of general interest, ethical, social, scientific issues, to collaborate from religions to the common good," he concluded. Mark Carney seeks to legitimize himself as Prime Minister in Canada The northern country is preparing for a key election day this April 28. Mark Carney, an economist with an extensive financial background but no political past, will seek to legitimize himself as prime minister after Justin Trudeau's resignation. "Carney is the party's choice, but he is not a politician. He has more of a financial background. He is unknown in this area, but people believe that he is the only one who can face Donald Trump in this trade war," explained Jorge Contreras, a journalist in Canada, to Cara o Ceca. The political context that led to this scenario began with a minority government of the Liberal Party, elected in 2021. "There was an alliance with a left-wing party that supported the government for two years, but when that agreement broke down, it was exhausting for Trudeau. In addition, there is external debt and a very large deficit in Canada," Contreras detailed. With 43% of voting intention for the Liberal Party and 38% for the Conservative Party, the election appears to be very close. "It is believed that the Liberal Party will win the elections, but it is not known if it will be a majority or a minority," the journalist pointed out. In addition, early voting had great participation: "There was 27% of early voting," he highlighted. In parallel, the figure of Pablo Rodríguez, Argentine and former minister of Trudeau, is growing, who could become a future provincial prime minister in Quebec. "If Rodríguez wins those elections and those of 2026, he would become the first foreigner, since he is Argentine, to become prime minister," he concluded.

Trump's tariffs would impact global economic growth in 2025, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in its 'Global Economic Prospects' report. Separately, economist Leandro Mora Alfonsín analyzed the contribution of the knowledge economy to Argentine development. The IMF projects global economic growth will slow in 2025 due to US tariff policies, reducing its forecast from 3.3% to 2.8%. However, the organization predicted Argentina would see a 5.5% increase, above the global average, and an annual inflation rate of between 18% and 23%. "That estimate is based on export growth, especially energy exports and the maintenance of agriculture, although this depends on the performance of the global economy, as an increase in the demand for food and energy is expected. But if that doesn't happen, demand will surely fall and, above all, prices will fall," economist Isaac Rudnik told Cara o Ceca. Rudnik emphasized that "oil price values are at the limit of the possibilities of continuing to grow in the main export production, which is Vaca Muerta," the world's second-largest shale gas reserve. The economist warned about the conflict with the agricultural sector: "Producers are not willing to liquidate the harvest, because the value of the dollar is far below what they estimate as an appropriate profit." Finally, he questioned the real impact of the possible growth: "If there is growth of 5% in the best case scenario, we are not talking about a substantial improvement for the population. The estimates are quite adverse," he concluded. "The knowledge economy is Argentina's fourth-largest export complex." This sector is consolidating as one of the most dynamic in Argentina, advancing significantly and being one of the engines of export. "If the Argentine economy were a human body, the knowledge economy would be the blood, because it is everywhere. These are activities that add value by pushing the frontier of knowledge and because they are based on human capital," Leandro Mora Alfonsín, economist and executive director of Argencon (an entity that brings together companies in the knowledge economy), told Cara o Ceca. Regarding the areas in which they are involved, the specialist stated: "This sector includes companies linked to software development, digital and technological services, but also professionals such as accountants, lawyers, architects and designers who provide services abroad, and the entire audiovisual industry. Argentina stands out there," he explained. He also highlighted the role of biotechnology, where the country "has been a leader for many years," and of technology applied to industrial processes. "Many times Argentines are unaware of the magnitude of what the knowledge economy means for our country. Currently, it is Argentina's fourth-largest export complex," he stressed. In addition, he highlighted the country's comparative advantages: "Argentina has a very good level of English, one of the highest in the region, in addition to a very good level of university graduates. If you add to that the fact that it works in the same time zone as the US, the country has a great advantage in this aspect," he concluded.

The trial of those responsible for the genocide committed between 1976 and 1983 is a milestone in the history of human rights, because it condemned the military leaders. Separately, due to the passing of the Supreme Pontiff, Congress joined the national mourning and canceled the legislative agenda. Only a special session will be held to honor him. On April 22, 1985, the historic trial of the Military Juntas of the last Argentine de facto government began. In the process, more than 800 witnesses testified and more than 700 cases were examined, which ended up proving the systematic methodology of torture and disappearance of people. "I was imprisoned for five years in Unit No. 9 of La Plata as a political prisoner. The first complaint I make is for the Pozo de Banfield [clandestine center of torture and detention], where several colleagues disappeared. The prosecution took five important cases to carry out the trial," Pablo Díaz, survivor of The Night of the Pencils and witness of the trial, told Cara o Ceca. Díaz recounts how it was to prepare to testify: "The four initial witnesses participated. When prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo spoke of individual evidence, they asked us to know if someone had seen us illegally detained there. And although there were many people who had committed to testify, when the time came, they did not want to do it. I was left with some resentment from some people who only testified 20 or 30 years later, it is shocking." "When I went to testify I was convinced. Justice was not only the conviction, the truth is a more relative issue: it was about fulfilling the disappeared colleagues. My fantasy is that, when nature takes me, to see them again and ask them if I did everything I had to do to make them appear," he concluded. The Argentine Senate joins the mourning for Pope Francis. The Upper House joined the mourning for the death of Pope Francis. "Someone very loved has left, it hurts us all because he is Argentine, the first Latin American, and it touches us more closely. Then, in political matters it is another thing. He was a person who wanted the Church to be more terrestrial. There were differences, but it is not time to debate that, but to reflect," said Bruno Olivera, senator of La Libertad Avanza, in dialogue with Cara o Ceca. Olivera highlighted the figure of Francis beyond the political differences with the Argentine Government. Due to the death of the Pope, the debate on the clean record bill, which establishes that people convicted in the second instance cannot run for public office, has been postponed, and which has been rejected by Peronism, since it considers that it is an attempt to prevent the candidacy of former President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, doubly convicted in a corruption case. "The priority we have in the space is the clean record project, which is something we promote from the La Libertad Avanza bloc," Olivera said, and stressed the need to advance with this regulation: "Something like not being able to run if you have a double conviction for corruption we should have it normalized. We feel that it should be extended to other crimes," he concluded.

Jorge Bergoglio was the first Latin American pontiff and led the Church for 12 years, promoting important reforms. Separately, Israel dismissed a military official after admitting "errors" in the attack on humanitarian workers in Gaza. The first Argentine Pope, Francis, died at 88 in the Vatican, although he had made a public appearance to give a message for Easter. "I expected this outcome last week because of what we saw in the medical reports, but I didn't expect it today. I saw him yesterday in very good condition, radiant, in his wheelchair. Yesterday we saw him participate in Easter. This generates a lot of pain," said Eduardo Valdés, the former Argentine ambassador to Vatican City between 2014 and 2015 and current national deputy for Peronism, on Cara o ceca. Valdés recalled that his last exchanges with Pope Francis were by letter and email, although the last in-depth conversation was in Chile, during a visit to Temuco in 2018. "Three days before he arrived, four bombs exploded at the place and everyone recommended that he not go. And he went anyway. The meeting was extraordinary: 10,000 people, including Mapuches and Huinca population [the white population] living together. There was never another bomb or violent action in that place. He wanted to be there, say what he said and live that moment," he commented. "He was the greatest builder of bridges and destroyer of walls. He did it in Colombia, when he signed the peace treaty after so many years of civil war. Or when he invited me to Cuba, during the mediation between Cuba and the United States," said Valdés, who was a personal friend of the Pope. Francis was also an ecumenical leader, with a strong vocation for interreligious dialogue. "He met with the top religious leaders of the world. It had been a thousand years since a Pope had met with a Russian patriarch, and he met with [the Patriarch of Moscow and All Russia] Kirill. He also met with the highest Muslim, Sunni and Shiite authorities in Iraq. He believed that dialogue was the basis for ending wars," he concluded. Israel fired on rescuers in Gaza due to "errors". The Israeli Armed Forces admitted "errors" in their actions for the murder of 15 humanitarian workers in the Gaza Strip on March 23. This information was the result of an internal investigation by the Army of that country, showed "professional failures and breaches of orders" and acknowledged that ambulances, a fire truck and a UN vehicle were fired upon in Rafah. "Originally, the official information had the case of implication with terrorism, then they said that the vehicle was not well marked. They started raising irregularities in the vehicle they had taken, posing the death as a tragedy. As the days passed, the error was recognized," Kevin Ary Levin, Master in Middle Eastern, South Asian and African Studies, told Cara o ceca. For the specialist, this fact demonstrates "the technical impossibilities of carrying out a clean operation and protecting the spaces that, according to international law of war, should be guarded". The situation in Gaza, he added, is critical: "The vast majority of the civil infrastructure was affected by the war. The ceasefire completed its first phase, but no progress was made in the second phase, which was the total withdrawal and the exchange of hostages. Today, the negotiations have fallen apart and the fighting has returned," he said.