Hello, and welcome back to the Latin America Weekly newsletter! In this issue: Alberto Fernández fails to pass his budget bill in Argentina; Bolsonaro AWOL on Chile; and Lasso’s problems piling up in Ecuador.
Important: This was the last issue of the Latin America Weekly newsletter in 2021. We wish you a great holiday season — and rest assured that our website will continue posting new, original content throughout the end-of-year period.
Fernández’s fails to pass budget, but IMF doesn’t give up on debt deal
President Alberto Fernández of Argentina suffered a new political defeat last week after failing to pass the 2022 budget. As a result, he faces yet another obstacle to his administration’s bid to reach a debt-restructuring deal with the International Monetary Fund, as unpayable maturities loom closer for the crisis-laden country.
Why it matters. The 132-121 loss in the lower house was a sign of how weakened Mr. Fernández’s position in Congress has become, as this was the first significant vote following Peronism’s historic defeat in the November midterms.
Missed opportunity. The government failed to take advantage of divisions within the opposition. Leadership disputes threw a spanner in the works of the center-right Juntos coalition, which split into ten different blocs in the lower...